A pilot study to assess tobacco use among sexual minorities in Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamí-Maury, Irene; Lin, Mi-Ting; Lapham, Hillary L; Hong, Judy H; Cage, Catherine; Shete, Sanjay; Gritz, Ellen R

2015-08-01

To assess tobacco use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals from the 2014 Houston Pride Parade and Festival in Houston, Texas (TX). Cross-sectional study using convenience sample of LGBT individuals (n = 99) examining tobacco use, sexual orientation, and other socio-demographic factors through survey participation. Findings showed a high prevalence of tobacco and electronic cigarettes use. White LGBT individuals had greater odds of using any type of tobacco product. Despite a high smoking prevalence among the surveyed LGBT individuals, this study sample did not identify tobacco use as a health issue. Supports the need for further investigation on tobacco-related disparities among LGBT individuals in Houston, TX. © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

West Nile Virus Outbreak in Houston and Harris County, Texas, USA, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Diana; Murray, Kristy O; Reyna, Martin; Arafat, Raouf R; Gorena, Roberto; Shah, Umair A; Debboun, Mustapha

2017-08-01

Since 2002, West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected every year in Houston and the surrounding Harris County, Texas. In 2014, the largest WNV outbreak to date occurred, comprising 139 cases and causing 2 deaths. Additionally, 1,286 WNV-positive mosquito pools were confirmed, the most reported in a single mosquito season.

A Study to Evaluate the Organization and the Operating Procedures of the Patient Assistance Function at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

1979-08-01

15 March 1979. 59Interview with Wendy L. Farace , Head Nurse, Obstetrics/Gynecology Clinic, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 8...6 February 1979. Farace , Wendy L. Head Nurse, Obstetrica/Gynecology Clinic, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Interview, 8 January

76 FR 2916 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee; Meetings

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2010-1116] Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee; Meetings AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice of Meetings. SUMMARY: The Houston... will meet in Texas City, Texas and Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation...

OPERATION OF A PUBLIC GEOLOGIC CORE AND SAMPLE REPOSITORY IN HOUSTON TEXAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott W. Tinker

2003-06-01

In the spring of 2002, the Department of Energy provided an initial 1-year grant to the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). The grant covered the one-year operational expenses of a worldclass core and cuttings facility located in Houston, Texas, that BP America donated to the BEG. The DOE investment of $300,000, matched by a $75,000 UT contribution, provided critical first-year funds that were heavily leveraged by the BP gift of $7.0 million in facilities and cash. DOE also provided a one-month extension and grant of $30,000 for the month of May 2003. A 5-year plan to grow a permanent endowment in order to manage the facility in perpetuity is well under way and on schedule. The facility, named the Houston Research Center, represents an ideal model for a strong Federal, university, and private partnership to accomplish a national good. This report summarizes the activities supported by the initial DOE grant during the first 13 months of operation and provides insight into the activities and needs of the facility in the second year of operation.

Everything is bigger in Texas : Reflection program case ‘Houston Galveston Bay, Texas’

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kok, M.; Brand, A.D.; Kothuis, Baukje; Kok, Matthijs

2017-01-01

The saying goes that ‘Everything is bigger in Texas.’ This holds true for both the flood risk in the Houston-Galveston Bay Area, and for the complexity of issues that need to be dealt with in order to reduce it – assuming there is agreement that the current risk is

Ground-water resources of the Houston district, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

White, Walter N.; Rose, N.A.; Guyton, William F.

1944-01-01

This report covers the current phase of an investigation of the supply of ground water available for the Houston district and adjacent region, Texas,- that has been in progress during the past 10 years. The field operations included routine inventories of pumpage, measurements of water levels in observation wells and collection of other hydrologic data, pumping tests on 21 city-owned wells to determine coefficients of permeability and storage, and the drilling of 13 deep test wells in unexplored parts of the district. Considerable attention has been given to studies of the location of areas or beds of sand that contain salt water. The ground water occurs in beds of sand, sandstone, and gravel of Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene age. These formations crop out in belts that dip southeastward from their outcrop areas and are encountered by wells at progressively greater depths toward the southeast. The beds throughout the section are lithologically similar, and there is little agreement among geologists as to their correlation. -In this investigation, however, the sediments, penetrated by the wells are separated into six zones, chiefly on the basis of electrical logs. Most of the water occurs in zone 3, which ranges in thickness from 800 to 1,200 feet. Large quantities of ground water are pumped in three areas in the Houston district, as follows: The Houston tromping area, which includes Houston and the areas immediately adjacent; the Pasadena pumping area, which includes the industrial section extending along the ship channel from the Houston city limits eastward to Deer Park; and the Katy pumping area, an irregular-shaped area of several hundred square miles, which is roughly centered around the town of Katy, 30 miles west of Houston. In 1930 the total combined withdrawal of ground water in the Houston and Pasadena pumping areas averaged about 50 million gallons a day. It declined somewhat during 1932 and 1933 and then gradually increased, until in 1935 the total

the Underestimation of Isorene in Houston during the Texas 2013 DISCOVER-AQ Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Y.; Diao, L.; Czader, B.; Li, X.; Estes, M. J.

2014-12-01

This study applies principal component analysis to aircraft data from the Texas 2013 DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) field campaign to characterize isoprene sources over Houston during September 2013. The biogenic isoprene signature appears in the third principal component and anthropogenic signals in the following two. Evaluations of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model simulations of isoprene with airborne measurements are more accurate for suburban areas than for industrial areas. This study also compares model outputs to eight surface automated gas chromatograph (Auto-GC) measurements near the Houston ship channel industrial area during the nighttime and shows that modeled anthropogenic isoprene is underestimated by a factor of 10.60. This study employs a new simulation with a modified anthropogenic emissions inventory (constraining using the ratios of observed values versus simulated ones) that yields closer isoprene predictions at night with a reduction in the mean bias by 56.93%, implying that model-estimated isoprene emissions from the 2008 National Emission Inventory are underestimated in the city of Houston and that other climate models or chemistry and transport models using the same emissions inventory might also be underestimated in other Houston-like areas in the United States.

78 FR 48467 - CompuCom Systems, Inc., Tewksbury, Massachusetts; CompuCom Systems, Inc. Houston, Texas; Amended...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-08

... information technology outsourcing services. Specifically, the workers are subcontractors working in a call... workers of the subject firm. New information shows that the Houston, Texas and Tewksbury, Massachusetts locations of CompuCom Systems are engaged in activities related to the supply of information technology...

Continuous and discrete water-quality data collected at five sites on Lake Houston near Houston, Texas, 2006-08

Science.gov (United States)

Beussink, Amy M.; Burnich, Michael R.

2009-01-01

Lake Houston, a reservoir impounded in 1954 by the City of Houston, Texas, is a primary source of drinking water for Houston and surrounding areas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Houston, developed a continuous water-quality monitoring network to track daily changes in water quality in the southwestern quadrant of Lake Houston beginning in 2006. Continuous water-quality data (the physiochemical properties water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, and turbidity) were collected from Lake Houston to characterize the in-lake processes that affect water quality. Continuous data were collected hourly from mobile, multi-depth monitoring stations developed and constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Multi-depth monitoring stations were installed at five sites in three general locations in the southwestern quadrant of the lake. Discrete water-quality data (samples) were collected routinely (once or twice each month) at all sites to characterize the chemical and biological (phytoplankton and bacteria) response to changes in the continuous water-quality properties. Physiochemical properties (the five continuously monitored plus transparency) were measured in the field when samples were collected. In addition to the routine samples, discrete water-quality samples were collected synoptically (one or two times during the study period) at all sites to determine the presence and levels of selected constituents not analyzed in routine samples. Routine samples were measured or analyzed for acid neutralizing capacity; selected major ions and trace elements (calcium, silica, and manganese); nutrients (filtered and total ammonia nitrogen, filtered nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen, total nitrate nitrogen, filtered and total nitrite nitrogen, filtered and total orthophosphate phosphorus, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, total organic carbon); fecal indicator bacteria (total coliform and Escherichia coli); sediment

Variations in tropical cyclone-related discharge in four watersheds near Houston, Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laiyin Zhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We examined a 60-year record of daily precipitation and river discharge related to tropical cyclones (TCs in four watersheds undergoing land use and land cover change near Houston, Texas. Results show that TCs are responsible for ∼20% of the annual maximum discharge events in the four selected watersheds. Although there are no trends in TC precipitation, increasing trends were observed in daily extreme discharge and TC-related discharge. The more developed watersheds (Whiteoak Bayou and Brays Bayou, tend to have higher extreme discharge and steeper trends in extreme discharge than the less developed watersheds (Cypress Creek. Increases in TC-related extreme discharges correspond with increases in developed land and decreases in vegetated land between 1980 and 2006. Therefore, changes in land cover/use in watersheds near Houston are a major cause of the increased flooding risk in recent years.

Physical Activity Among Asian American Adults in Houston, Texas: Data from the Health of Houston Survey 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Dennis; Carvalho Gulati, Amy; Lee, Rebecca E

2016-12-01

This study used the 2010 Health of Houston Survey to examine the physical activity of Asian American adults living in Houston, Texas. Multivariate regression models were conducted to examine the number of moderate leisure physical activity days in the past week and likelihood of having sufficient levels of physical activity. The results showed that Asians were among the least physically active of the major racial/ethnic groups. Most notably, Asians were less likely than whites to have sufficient levels of physical activity and had similarly lower expected numbers of physical activity minutes and days. Within the Asian American population, Vietnamese adults had more physical activity minutes and days than their Chinese counterparts-after controlling for other sociodemographic and health factors. Age- and gender-adjusted rates suggested a significant gender disparity among the Vietnamese and South Asian adults (less so for the Chinese adults), but this varied across different age groups. Several factors emerged as significant predictors of physical activity for Asian Americans, including age, immigration status, speaking a non-English language at home, marital status, and neighborhood incivilities. Findings highlight the need for targeted, culturally appropriate interventions to promote physical activity in Asian American communities.

A Heart as Big as Texas: Small-Town Roots Nurture a Houston Music Teacher's Success

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Patience

2011-01-01

Teaching music to nearly a thousand elementary students each week would make any educator break a sweat. But one would never know that from talking to MaryElla Neeley Stevens. After 30-plus years teaching K-4 music in the Aldine Independent School District of Houston, Texas, she still radiates positivity. Whether it's mentoring and training…

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Durable Energy Builders - Houston, Texas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2014-11-01

This case study describes a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home in Houston, Texas, that scored HERS 39 without PV and HERS 29 with PV. This 5,947 ft2 custom home has 11.5-inch ICF walls. The attic is insulated along the roof line with 5 to 7 inches of open-cell spray foam. Most of the home's drinking water is supplied by a 11,500-gallon rainwater cistern. Hurricane strapping connects the roof to the walls. The triple-pane windows are impact resistant. The foundation is a raised slab.

Radar-based Flood Warning System for Houston, Texas and Its Performance Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, N.; Bedient, P.

2009-12-01

Houston has a long history of flooding problems as a serious nature. For instance, Houstonians suffered from severe flood inundation during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 and Hurricane Ike in 2008. Radar-based flood warning systems as non-structural tools to provide accurate and timely warnings to the public and private entities are greatly needed for urban areas prone to flash floods. Fortunately, the advent of GIS, radar-based rainfall estimation using NEXRAD, and real-time delivery systems on the internet have allowed flood alert systems to provide important advanced warning of impending flood conditions. Thus, emergency personnel can take proper steps to mitigate against catastrophic losses. The Rice and Texas Medical Center (TMC) Flood Alert System (FAS2) has been delivering warning information with 2 to 3 hours of lead time to facility personnel in a readily understood format for more than 40 events since 1997. The system performed well during these major rainfall events with R square value of 93%. The current system has been improved by incorporating a new hydraulic prediction tool - FloodPlain Map Library (FPML). The FPML module aims to provide visualized information such as floodplain maps and water surface elevations instead of just showing hydrographs in real time based on NEXRAD radar rainfall data. During Hurricane Ike (September, 2008), FAS2 successfully provided precise and timely flood warning information to TMC with the peak flow difference of 3.6% and the volume difference of 5.6%; timing was excellent for this double-peaked event. With the funding from the Texas Department of Transportation, a similar flood warning system has been developed at a critical transportation pass along Highway 288 in Houston, Texas. In order to enable emergency personnel to begin flood preparation with as much lead time as possible, FAS2 is being used as a prototype to develop warning system for other flood-prone areas such as City of Sugar Land.

Assessment of emerging contaminants including organophosphate esters and pyrethroids during DISCOVER-AQ in Houston, Texas, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Usenko, Sascha; Clark, Addie; Sheesley, Rebecca

2015-04-01

DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) is a NASA-funded air quality research program that focused on Houston, Texas, United States in September 2013. In conjunction with DISCOVER-AQ, particulate matter was collected for the month of September from four ground-based sampling sites across the Houston metropolitan area. The Houston metropolitan area is one of the most populous cities in the United States. Sampling sites included an upwind and downwind site as well as an urban (i.e. downtown) and industrial/port areas (i.e. Houston Ship Channel). Particulate matter samples were collected to examine both spatial and temporal trends (including day versus night). Particulate matter was collected on quartz fiber filters, which were analyzed for emerging classes of concern including organophosphate esters (OPEs; including flame retardants) and pyrethroids. OPEs have in recent years increased in both use and production as they replaced polybrominated diphenyl ethers flame retardants. Permethrin is one of the most commonly used mosquito adulticides in the United States.

Simulation of the effects of different inflows on hydrologic conditions in Lake Houston with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, Houston, Texas, 2009–10

Science.gov (United States)

Rendon, Samuel H.; Lee, Michael T.

2015-12-08

Lake Houston, an important water resource for the Houston, Texas, area, receives inflows from seven major tributaries that compose the San Jacinto River Basin upstream from the reservoir. The effects of different inflows from the watersheds drained by these tributaries on the residence time of water in Lake Houston and closely associated physical and chemical properties including lake elevation, salinity, and water temperature are not well known. Accordingly, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Houston, developed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of Lake Houston as a tool for evaluating the effects of different inflows on residence time of water in the lake and associated physical and chemical properties. The Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC), a grid-based, surface-water modeling package for simulating three-dimensional circulation, mass transport, sediments, and biogeochemical processes, was used to develop the model of Lake Houston. The Lake Houston EFDC model was developed and calibrated by using 2009 data and verified by using 2010 data. Three statistics (mean error, root mean square error, and the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient) were used to evaluate how well the Lake Houston EFDC model simulated lake elevation, salinity, and water temperature. The residence time of water in reservoirs is associated with various physical and chemical properties (including lake elevation, salinity, and water temperature). Simulated and measured lake-elevation values were compared at USGS reservoir station 08072000 Lake Houston near Sheldon, Tex. The accuracy of simulated salinity and water temperature values was assessed by using the salinity (computed from measured specific conductance) and water temperature at two USGS monitoring stations: 295826095082200 Lake Houston south Union Pacific Railroad Bridge near Houston, Tex., and 295554095093401 Lake Houston at mouth of Jack’s Ditch near Houston, Tex. Specific conductance

76 FR 30396 - Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, TX; Amended...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-25

... Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, TX; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To... Financial Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, Texas (subject firm). The Department's... Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, Texas who were adversely affected by a shift in services to...

75 FR 51473 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2010-0656] Houston/Galveston... Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) and its working groups will meet in Houston, Texas, to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects impacting safety on...

75 FR 23793 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2010-0032] Houston/Galveston... Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (``HOGANSAC'' or ``the Committee'') and its working groups will meet in Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects...

The prevalence of food insecurity and associated factors among households with children in Head Start programs in Houston, Texas and Birmingham, Alabama

Science.gov (United States)

This study measured food security and hunger of households enrolled in Head Start in Houston, Texas, and Birmingham, Alabama and assessed factors that could affect food security. Interviewers collected data from primary caregivers on demographic characteristics, dietary intake, and the six-item US f...

33 CFR 165.814 - Security Zones; Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston Zone.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Port Houston-Galveston Zone. 165.814 Section 165.814 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... § 165.814 Security Zones; Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston Zone. (a) Location. The following areas are designated as security zones: (1) Houston, Texas. The Houston Ship Channel and all associated...

78 FR 69078 - Houston Pipe Line Company LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP14-13-000] Houston Pipe Line Company LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on October 28, 2013, Houston Pipe Line Company LP (HPL), 1300 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application in Docket No. CP14-13-000...

75 FR 22168 - Region VI-Houston District; Advisory Council Meeting; Public Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-27

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Region VI--Houston District; Advisory Council Meeting; Public Meeting The Small Business Administration-Region VI--Houston Advisory Council, located in the geographical Area of Houston, Texas will hold a federal public meeting on--Thursday, May 20, 2010, starting at 10:30...

40 CFR 81.38 - Metropolitan Houston-Galveston Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Metropolitan Houston-Galveston... Designation of Air Quality Control Regions § 81.38 Metropolitan Houston-Galveston Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Metropolitan Houston-Galveston Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (Texas) has been...

4. International reservoir characterization technical conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

This volume contains the Proceedings of the Fourth International Reservoir Characterization Technical Conference held March 2-4, 1997 in Houston, Texas. The theme for the conference was Advances in Reservoir Characterization for Effective Reservoir Management. On March 2, 1997, the DOE Class Workshop kicked off with tutorials by Dr. Steve Begg (BP Exploration) and Dr. Ganesh Thakur (Chevron). Tutorial presentations are not included in these Proceedings but may be available from the authors. The conference consisted of the following topics: data acquisition; reservoir modeling; scaling reservoir properties; and managing uncertainty. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database.

Coliform and Escherichia coli contamination of desserts served in public restaurants from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigil, Karen J; Jiang, Zhi-Dong; Chen, Jaclyn J; Palumbo, Kathryn L; Galbadage, Thushara; Brown, Eric L; Yiang, Jing; Koo, Hoonmo; DuPont, Margaret W; Ericsson, Charles; Adachi, Javier A; DuPont, Herbert L

2009-04-01

Bacterial enteropathogens acquired from contaminated food are the principal causes of travelers' diarrhea (TD). We evaluated desserts obtained from popular restaurants in the tourist city of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, to determine coliform and Escherichia coli contamination levels and presence of diarrheagenic E. coli known to be important in TD. Contamination for all organisms was seen for desserts served in Guadalajara restaurants. Desserts should be considered as potentially risky foods for development of TD among international visitors to developing regions of the world.

77 FR 1077 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-09

... letter and resume to the following address: USCG Sector Houston-Galveston, Waterway Management Division... utilize the port facilities at Galveston, Houston, and Texas City. (b) One member representing labor... support of the Coast Guard policy on gender and ethnic nondiscrimination, we encourage qualified men and...

Impact of the 2011 heat wave on mortality and emergency department visits in Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai; Chen, Tsun-Hsuan; Begley, Charles E

2015-01-27

Heat waves have been linked to increased risk of mortality and morbidity, and are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in a changing climate. Houston and other areas in Texas experienced an exceptional heat wave in the summer of 2011 producing the hottest August on record. This study aims to assess the health-related impact of this heat wave. Distributed lag models were used to estimate associations between the 2011 heat wave and all-cause mortality and emergency department (ED) visits from May 1 through September 30 for the five-year period 2007-2011. The 2011 heat wave is defined as a continuous period from August 2 through 30, 2011 according to the heat advisories issued by the local National Weather Service office, and is included in the models as a dummy variable. We compared the estimated excess risk among the models with and without adjustment of continuous temperature and ozone. The 2011 heat wave in Houston was associated with a 3.6% excess risk in ED visits (95% CI: 0.6%, 6.6%) and 0.6% increase in mortality risk (95% CI: -5.5%, 7.1%). The elderly over 65 years of age were at the greatest risk in ED visits. These patterns are consistent across different heat-wave definitions, and results are similar when adjusting for continuous temperature and ozone. The 2011 heat wave in Houston had a substantial impact on ED visits and no significant impact on mortality. Our findings provide insights into local heat-wave and health preparations and interventions.

Report of the South Texas Project Allegations Review Team. Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499, Houston Lighting and Power Company et al.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kokajko, L.; Skay, D.; Wang, H.; Murphy, D. [Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)

1995-03-01

This report provides the results of the South Texas Project Allegations Review Team of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This team was formed to obtain and review allegations from individuals represented by three attorneys who had contacted Congressional staff members. The allegers were employed in various capacities at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, licensed by Houston Lighting and Power Company, et al.; therefore, the allegations are confined to this site. The South Texas Project Allegations Review Team reviewed, referred, and dispositioned concerns related to discriminatory issues (harassment and intimidation), falsification of records and omission of information, and various technical issues. The team was able to substantiate certain technical issues of minor safety significance or regulatory concern at the South Texas Project facility, but it did not find widespread discriminatory practices such as harassment and intimidation.

Report of the South Texas Project Allegations Review Team. Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499, Houston Lighting and Power Company et al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kokajko, L.; Skay, D.; Wang, H.; Murphy, D.

1995-03-01

This report provides the results of the South Texas Project Allegations Review Team of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This team was formed to obtain and review allegations from individuals represented by three attorneys who had contacted Congressional staff members. The allegers were employed in various capacities at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, licensed by Houston Lighting and Power Company, et al.; therefore, the allegations are confined to this site. The South Texas Project Allegations Review Team reviewed, referred, and dispositioned concerns related to discriminatory issues (harassment and intimidation), falsification of records and omission of information, and various technical issues. The team was able to substantiate certain technical issues of minor safety significance or regulatory concern at the South Texas Project facility, but it did not find widespread discriminatory practices such as harassment and intimidation

75 FR 6215 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-08

... groups will meet in Houston, Texas to discuss waterway improvements, aids to navigation, area projects...; (b) Dredging subcommittee report; (c) Technology subcommittee report; (d) Waterways Optimization...

Investigation of land subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region of Texas by using the Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, 1993-2000

Science.gov (United States)

Bawden, Gerald W.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Kasmarek, Mark C.; Brandt, Justin; Middleton, Clifton S.

2012-01-01

Since the early 1900s, groundwater has been the primary source of municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supplies for the Houston-Galveston region, Texas. The region's combination of hydrogeology and nearly century-long use of groundwater has resulted in one of the largest areas of subsidence in the United States; by 1979, as much as 3 meters (m) of subsidence had occurred, and approximately 8,300 square kilometers of land had subsided more than 0.3 m. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, used interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data obtained for four overlapping scenes from European remote sensing satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2 to analyze land subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region of Texas. The InSAR data were processed into 27 interferograms that delineate and quantify land-subsidence patterns and magnitudes. Contemporaneous data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) were reprocessed by the National Geodetic Survey and analyzed to support, verify, and provide temporal resolution to the InSAR investigation.

The location of late night bars and alcohol-related crashes in Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Ned

2017-10-01

A study in the City of Houston, Texas, related the location of establishments primarily serving alcohol ("bars") after midnight to late night alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. There were three data sets for 2007-09: 1) 764bars that were open after midnight; 2) 1660 alcohol-related crashes that occurred within the City of Houston between midnight and 6 am; and 3) 4689 modeling network road segments to which bars and alcohol-related crashes were assigned. Forty-five percent of the late night alcohol-related crashes were within a quarter mile of a late night bar. The bars were highly concentrated in 17 small bar clusters. Using the modeling network, Poisson-Gamma-CAR and Poisson-Lognormal-CAR spatial regression models showed a positive exponential relationship between late night alcohol-related crashes and the number of late nights bars and bar clusters, and a negative exponential relationship to distance to the nearest late night bar controlling for the type of road segment (freeway, principal arterial, minor arterial). A more general model dropped the bar cluster variable. Further, the Poisson-Gamma-CAR model appeared to produce a better representation than the Poisson-Lognormal-CAR model though the errors were different. The general Poisson-Gamma-CAR model showed that each late night bar increased the frequency of alcohol-related crashes on a segment by approximately 190%. For each mile closer a segment was to a late night bar, the likelihood increased by 42%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The state of public transportation in Houston

Science.gov (United States)

1994-12-14

This full text of a speech delivered at a luncheon in Harris County,Texas on December 14, 1994, gives a status report on METRO and how Houston's key transportation providers plan to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Many improvements h...

Industrial, agricultural, and petroleum contaminants in cormorants wintering near the Houston Ship Channel, Texas, USA

Science.gov (United States)

King, K.A.; Stafford, C.J.; Cain, B.W.; Mueller, A.J.; Hall, H.D.

1987-01-01

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus ) collected in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas, USA, in November shortly after their fall migration contained residues of several industrial, agricultural, and petroleum contaminants including polychlorinated styrenes (PCS's), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), DDE, and petroleum hydrocarbons. PCS concentrations in over-wintering birds collected in late February were three times higher than those in birds collected in November. PCB and petroleum concentrations remained at about the same level throughout the 3-month winter period. Petroleum hydrocarbons were present in all cormorants and residues in some individuals exceeded 25 ppm (wet weight). Mean DDE residues in samples collected in November and February were less than 1 ppm. Low concentrations of five other organochlorine compounds, not detected in cormorants collected in November, were recovered in birds collected in February.

An application of LOTEM around salt dome near Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Paembonan, Andri Yadi; Arjwech, Rungroj; Davydycheva, Sofia; Smirnov, Maxim; Strack, Kurt M.

2017-07-01

A salt dome is an important large geologic structure for hydrocarbon exploration. It may seal a porous reservoir of rocks that form petroleum reservoirs. Several techniques such as seismic, gravity, and electromagnetic including magnetotelluric have successfully yielded salt dome interpretation. Seismic has difficulties seeing through the salt because the seismic energy gets trapped by the salt due to its high velocity. Gravity and electromagnetics are more ideal methods. Long Offset Transient Electromagnetic (LOTEM) and Focused Source Electromagnetic (FSEM) were tested over a salt dome near Houston, Texas. LOTEM data were recorded at several stations with varying offset, and the FSEM tests were also made at some receiver locations near a suspected salt overhang. The data were processed using KMS's processing software: First, for assurance, including calibration and header checking; then transmitter and receiver data are merged and microseismic data is separated; Finally, data analysis and processing follows. LOTEM processing leads to inversion or in the FSEM case 3D modeling. Various 3D models verify the sensitivity under the salt dome. In addition, the processing was conducted pre-stack, stack, and post-stack. After pre-stacking, the noise was reduced, but showed the ringing effect due to a low-pass filter. Stacking and post-stacking with applying recursive average could reduce the Gibbs effect and produce smooth data.

76 FR 7833 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-11

...] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on January 25, 2011, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed in the above... TEAM 2012 Project. Specifically, Texas Eastern requests: (i) Authorization under NGA sections 7(b) and...

Arsenic and radionuclide occurrence and relation to geochemistry in groundwater of the Gulf Coast Aquifer System in Houston, Texas, 2007–11

Science.gov (United States)

Oden, Jeannette H.; Szabo, Zoltan

2016-03-21

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Houston, began a study in 2007 to determine concentrations, spatial extent, and associated geochemical conditions that might be conducive for mobility and transport of selected naturally occurring trace elements and radionuclides in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in Houston, Texas. Water samples were collected from 91 municipal supply wells completed in the Evangeline and Chicot aquifers of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern Houston; hereinafter referred to as northeast, northwest and southwest Houston areas. Wells were sampled in three phases: (1) 28 municipal supply wells were sampled during 2007–8, (2) 60 municipal supply wells during 2010, and (3) 3 municipal supply wells during December 2011. During each phase of sampling, samples were analyzed for major ions, selected trace elements, and radionuclides. At a subset of wells, concentrations of arsenic species and other radionuclides (carbon-14, radium-226, radium-228, radon-222, and tritium) also were analyzed. Selected physicochemical properties were measured in the field at the time each sample was collected, and oxidation-reduction potential and unfiltered sulfides also were measured at selected wells. The source-water (the raw, ambient water withdrawn from municipal supply wells prior to water treatment) samples were collected for assessment of aquifer conditions in order to provide community water-system operators information that could be important when they make decisions about which treatment processes to apply before distributing finished drinking water.

76 FR 18210 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-138-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application On March 15, 2011, Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056-5310, filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory...

Treatment for cracked and permeable Houston clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vipulanandan, C.; Leung, M.

1991-01-01

In this study, the treatability of a field clay (obtained from Houston, Texas) and a clay-sand mixture to reduce their hydraulic conductivity was evaluated. Remolded field clay and clay-sand mixture with and without methanol contamination were treated to reduce their hydraulic conductivity by permeating very dilute grout solutions. The concentration of sodium silicate in the grout solution was 8%, while the solid content in the cement grout was 0.3%. The hydraulic conductivity of permeable Houston clay (hydraulic conductivity >10 -5 cm/sec) could be reduced to less than 10 -7 cm/sec (U.S. EPA limit for soil barriers) by permeating with a selected combination of grout solutions

76 FR 49760 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-11

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-524-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on July 29, 2011, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056-5310, filed with the Federal Energy...

78 FR 64933 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP14-4-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on October 10, 2013, Texas Eastern Transmission, (Texas Eastern), having its principal place of business at 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas, 77056...

Huelga Schools in Houston: Community-Based Education in the Struggle for Legal Recognition, 1970

Science.gov (United States)

San Miguel, Guadalupe, Jr.

2016-01-01

This essay provides an overview of the huelga schools established in Houston, Texas, in 1970. For 2 years, from 1970 to 1972, the Mexican American community opposed the Houston Independent School District's plan to integrate the schools by pairing so-called White Mexican Americans with African American students. While they protested this decision,…

76 FR 38381 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-67-001] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Amendment Take notice that on June 13, 2011, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed in the above referenced docket an amendment...

77 FR 20015 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP12-88-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on March 19, 2012, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056-5310, filed an application in Docket No...

77 FR 12045 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP12-68-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on February 16, 2012, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), PO Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77056 filed an application in the above referenced docket...

78 FR 66352 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-05

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP14-9-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on October 17, 2013, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed an application in Docket No. CP14-9...

78 FR 79687 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-31

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP14-29-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on December 10, 2013 Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), at 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed an application in Docket No. CP14...

77 FR 26534 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP12-164-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application Take notice that on April 19, 2012, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed in Docket No. CP12-164-000, a request...

78 FR 39254 - Foreign-Trade Zone 84-Houston, Texas; Application for Expansion

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

...). FTZ 84 currently consists of 25 sites (2,756.74 acres total) at port facilities, industrial parks and... stated--are as follows: Site 1 (420.70 acres)--Houston Ship Channel Turning Basin, Clinton Drive at Highway 610 East Loop; Site 2 (97 acres)--Houston Ship Channel (Bulk Materials Handling Plant), north bank...

PETRO-SAFE '94 conference papers: Book 2. Volume 5: Emergency response ampersand spill control; Volume 6: Remediation; Volume 7: Health ampersand safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

The Fifth Annual Environmental, Safety and Health Conference and Exhibition for the oil, gas and petrochemical industries was held January 25--27, 1994 in Houston, Texas. The objective of this conference was to provide a multidisciplinary forum dealing with state-of-the-art environmental and safety issues. This volume focuses on the following: emergency response and spill control; remediation; and health and safety issues. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

75 FR 45611 - Texas Eastern Transmission LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-471-000] Texas Eastern Transmission LP; Notice of Application July 27, 2010. Take notice that on July 15, 2010, Texas Eastern Transmission (Texas Eastern), P.O. Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77251-1642, filed in Docket No. CP10-471-000, an...

Environmental literacy of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Meuth, Amber M.

With the global crises facing the planet that bring major implications, (Hart & Nolan, 1999; Hungerford & Simmons, 2003) it is imperative that there be an environmentally literate citizenry who can identify, solve, and prevent environmental issues. Since middle school students are evolving into participating citizens and are developing the ability to think in abstract terms, they are a critical group to study regarding levels of environmental literacy. Additionally, with the increased resource needs and decreased air and water quality in highly populated urban areas, focusing on the environmental literacy of students living and attending school in urban areas is essential. The purpose of this study was to describe the levels of environmental literacy of a group of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who attend a charter school in Houston, Texas were given, the Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey (MSELS). This survey has been developed to measure components of environmental literacy as related to domains identified critical to environmental literacy (McBeth et al., 2008). The four domains include ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior. Data collected from the survey was used to determine levels of environmental literacy in the following variables: ecological knowledge, verbal commitment, actual commitment, environmental sensitivity, general environmental feelings, and environmental issue and action skills. Descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed for each grade level and as an entire sample for each variable in order to generate a profile of the group. Composite scores were calculated in the four domains (ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior) and were compared to high, moderate, and low levels of environmental literacy set forth by top environmental education researchers (McBeth et al., 2008). Additionally, two

78 FR 78350 - Houston Pipe Line Company, LP; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-26

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP14-13-000] Houston Pipe Line Company, LP; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 24-Inch... Hidalgo County, Texas by Houston Pipe Line Company, LP (HPL). The Commission will use this EA in its...

Cooley building opens in Houston. Demonstrates value of fully integrated marketing communications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Tom

2002-01-01

The Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal HospiTal in Houston dedicated its new 10-story Denton A. Cooley Building in January. The structure opened with a fanfare, thanks to a well-integrated marketing communications program.

76 FR 14387 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-16

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-118-000] Texas Eastern... Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), Post Office Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77251-1642, filed in Docket... West Cameron Blocks 566, 565, and 548, offshore Louisiana, under Texas Eastern's blanket certificate...

Time of travel of solutes in Buffalo Bayou and selected tributaries, Houston, Texas, August 1999

Science.gov (United States)

East, Jeffery W.; Schaer, Jasper D.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, conducted a time-of-travel study in the Buffalo Bayou watershed during low flow in August 1999. The study was done as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) program. The EMPACT program was designed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work with communities to “make timely, accurate, and understandable environmental information available to millions of people in the largest metropolitan areas across the country.” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). Buffalo Bayou, located in Houston, Texas, was chosen as a pilot project because it is a frequently used recreational water source, it has many water-treatment facilities located along its stream segments, and it has a history of water-quality problems (Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2000). One component of the pilot project is to develop a water-quality simulation model that can be used to assess the effects of noncompliance events on Buffalo Bayou. Because accurate estimates of time of travel during low flow are required to develop the model, the time of travel of solutes in Buffalo Bayou and selected tributaries was determined using dye tracing methods. The study was conducted during low flow in a 38.7-mile reach of Buffalo Bayou, a 9.6-mile reach of Whiteoak Bayou, a 5.9-mile reach of Mason Creek, and a 6.6-mile reach of Bear Creek. Efforts to determine the time of travel in a 7.5-mile reach of Horsepen Creek were unsuccessful. This report explains the approach used to conduct the study and presents the results of the study

Groundwater quality of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Houston, Texas, 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Oden, Jeannette H.; Brown, Dexter W.; Oden, Timothy D.

2011-01-01

During March–December 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Houston, collected source-water samples from 60 municipal supply wells in the Houston area. These data were collected as part of an ongoing study to determine concentrations, spatial extent, and associated geochemical conditions that might be conducive for mobility and transport of selected naturally occurring contaminants (selected trace elements and radionuclides) in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston area. In the summers of 2007 and 2008, a reconnaissance-level survey of these constituents in untreated water from 28 municipal supply wells was completed in the Houston area. Included in this report are the complete analytical results for 47 of the 60 samples collected in 2010—those results which were received from the laboratories and reviewed by the authors as of December 31, 2010. All of the wells sampled were screened in the Gulf Coast aquifer system; 22 were screened entirely in the Evangeline aquifer, and the remaining 25 wells contained screened intervals that intersected both Evangeline and Chicot aquifers. The data documented in this report were collected as part of an ongoing study to characterize source-water-quality conditions in untreated groundwater prior to drinking-water treatment. An evaluation of contaminant occurrence in source water provides background information regarding the presence of a contaminant in the environment. Because source-water samples were collected prior to any treatment or blending that potentially could alter contaminant concentrations, the water-quality results documented by this report represent the quality of the source water, not the quality of finished drinking water provided to the public.

76 FR 25330 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-216-000] Texas Eastern... Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed in Docket No... in the termination of any services to Texas Eastern's customers, all as more fully set forth in the...

76 FR 29234 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-20

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-477-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization Take notice that on May 10, 2011 Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern), 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, filed in Docket No. CP11-477-000...

Faults in parts of north-central and western Houston metropolitan area, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeek, Earl R.; Ratzlaff, Karl W.; Clanton, Uel S.

1979-01-01

Hundreds of residential, commercial, and industrial structures in the Houston metropolitan area have sustained moderate to severe damage owing to their locations on or near active faults. Paved roads have been offset by faults at hundreds of locations, butted pipelines have been distorted by fault movements, and fault-induced gradient changes in drainage lines have raised concern among flood control engineers. Over 150 faults, many of them moving at rates of 0.5 to 2 cm/yr, have been mapped in the Houston area; the number of faults probably far exceeds this figure.This report includes a map of eight faults, in north-central and western Houston, at a scale useful for land-use planning. Seven of the faults, are known, to be active and have caused considerable damage to structures built on or near them. If the eighth fault is active, it may be of concern to new developments on the west side of Houston. A ninth feature shown on the map is regarded only as a possible fault, as an origin by faulting has not been firmly established.Seismic and drill-hold data for some 40 faults, studied in detail by various investigators have verified connections between scarps at the land surface and growth faults in the shallow subsurface. Some scarps, then, are known to be the surface manifestations of faults that have geologically long histories of movement. The degree to which natural geologic processes contribute to current fault movement, however, is unclear, for some of man’s activities may play a role in faulting as well.Evidence that current rates of fault movement far exceed average prehistoric rates and that most offset of the land surface in the Houston area has occurred only within the last 50 years indirectly suggest that fluid withdrawal may be accelerating or reinitiating movement on pre-existing faults. This conclusion, however, is based only on a coincidence in time between increased fault activity and increased rates of withdrawal of water, oil, and gas from

Groundwater quality of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Houston, Texas, 2007-08

Science.gov (United States)

Oden, Jeannette H.; Oden, Timothy D.; Szabo, Zoltan

2010-01-01

In the summers of 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Houston, Texas, completed an initial reconnaissance-level survey of naturally occurring contaminants (arsenic, other selected trace elements, and radionuclides) in water from municipal supply wells in the Houston area. The purpose of this reconnaissance-level survey was to characterize source-water quality prior to drinking water treatment. Water-quality samples were collected from 28 municipal supply wells in the Houston area completed in the Evangeline aquifer, Chicot aquifer, or both. This initial survey is part of ongoing research to determine concentrations, spatial extent, and associated geochemical conditions that might be conducive for mobility and transport of these constituents in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston area. Samples were analyzed for major ions (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bromide, chloride, fluoride, silica, and sulfate), selected chemically related properties (residue on evaporation [dissolved solids] and chemical oxygen demand), dissolved organic carbon, arsenic species (arsenate [As(V)], arsenite [As(III)], dimethylarsinate [DMA], and monomethylarsonate [MMA]), other trace elements (aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, vanadium, and zinc), and selected radionuclides (gross alpha- and beta-particle activity [at 72 hours and 30 days], carbon-14, radium isotopes [radium-226 and radium-228], radon-222, tritium, and uranium). Field measurements were made of selected physicochemical (relating to both physical and chemical) properties (oxidation-reduction potential, turbidity, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, specific conductance, water temperature, and alkalinity) and unfiltered sulfides. Dissolved organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand are presented but not discussed in the

Hydrocarbon Source Signatures in Houston, Texas: Influence of the Petrochemical Industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jobson, B Tom T; Berkowitz, Carl M; Kuster, W C; Goldan, P D; Williams, E J; Fesenfeld, F; Apel, Eric; Karl, Thomas G; Lonneman, William A; Riemer, D

2004-12-22

Observations of C1-C10 hydrocarbon mixing ratios measured by in-situ instrumentation at the La Porte super site during the TexAQS 2000 field experiment are reported. The La Porte data were compared to a roadway vehicle exhaust signature obtained from canister samples collected in the Houston Washburn tunnel during the same summer to better understand the impact of petrochemical emissions of hydrocarbons at the site. It is shown that the abundance of ethene, propene, 1-butene, C2-C4 alkanes, hexane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, isopropylbenzene, and styrene at La Porte were systematically impacted by petrochemical industry emissions. Coherent power law relationships between frequency distribution widths of hydrocarbon mixing ratios and their local lifetimes clearly identify two major source groups, roadway vehicle emissions and industrial emissions. Distributions of most aromatics and long chain alkanes were consistent with roadway vehicle emissions as the dominant source. Airmass reactivity was generally dominated by C1-C3 aldehydes. Propene and ethene sometimes dominated air mass reactivity with HO loss frequencies often greater than 10 s-1. Ozone mixing ratios near 200 ppbv were observed on two separate occasions and these air masses appear to have been impacted by industrial emissions of alkenes from the Houston Ship Channel. The La Porte data provide evidence of the importance of industrial emissions of ethene and propene on air masses reactivity and ozone formation in Houston.

The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM) 2016: from big data to big analytical tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhandong; Zheng, W Jim; Allen, Genevera I; Liu, Yin; Ruan, Jianhua; Zhao, Zhongming

2017-10-03

The 2016 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2016) was held on December 8-10, 2016 in Houston, Texas, USA. ICIBM included eight scientific sessions, four tutorials, one poster session, four highlighted talks and four keynotes that covered topics on 3D genomics structural analysis, next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, computational drug discovery, medical informatics, cancer genomics, and systems biology. Here, we present a summary of the nine research articles selected from ICIBM 2016 program for publishing in BMC Bioinformatics.

John Holt Stanway: Gone to Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, J.

2008-01-01

John Holt Stanway (1799Ð1872) was an amateur astronomer who lived in Manchester, England until 1845. He was in contact with the English Ôgrand amateurÕ astronomer, William Henry Smyth, who supported him for Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society and evidently advised him on how to build and equip an observatory. Apparently, Stanway had an observatory at Chorlton-cum-Hardy in 1837. In 1845, Stanway left for the United States in response to serious business problems. En route, he met Ashbel Smith, a representative of the government of the Republic of Texas, who convinced Stanway to go to Texas. There he changed his name to John H. Smythe Stanley and settled in Houston, where he re-established his observatory. He became a commercial photographer and wrote about astronomy and other scientific subjects in Houston newspapers until his death in 1872.

Exploring sustainable transportation for Texas Southern University.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-05-01

Texas Southern University is a commuter campus with students, faculty, and staff traveling from the : Greater Houston area to the university. Over the past few years, the TSU campus has made marked : improvements to move towards a greener more ...

2014: A Record-Breaking Year for West Nile Virus Positive Mosquito Pools in Harris County and the City of Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Randle, Yvonne H; Freeman, Cheryl Battle; Jackson, Monique; Reyna, Martin; Debboun, Mustapha

2016-01-01

In the 14 years since the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Harris County and the city of Houston, Texas, the number of mosquitoes infected with the virus has fluctuated with several high and low count years. During this 14-year period, mosquito surveillance operational areas in Harris County were expanded from 248 to 268 and the distribution of the virus activity in mosquitoes varied from year to year. Operational areas with WNV infected mosquitoes increased from 137 in 2002 to 197 in 2006, decreased to 71 areas in 2007, and to an all-time low of 18 in 2008. The number increased to 78 areas in 2009, 96 in 2010, 133 in 2011, and 177 in 2012, but fell to 73 in 2013. However, 234 areas were confirmed in 2014, and only 138 in 2015. The WNV transmission was high in 2002 with 227 WNV positive mosquito pools. The number of positive mosquitoes remained elevated for a number of years and then declined from 2007 to 2010. Three record high years for WNV activity were: 2005, 2006, and 2011 with 698, 838, and 605 confirmed positive mosquito pools, respectively. Viral activity declined in 2012, followed by a marked decline in 2013 with only 147 WNV positive mosquito pools. In 2014, a record-breaking number of 1,286 WNV positive mosquito pools were confirmed in Harris County and the city of Houston, the most ever in a single season, while 406 were confirmed in 2015.

Regression model development and computational procedures to support estimation of real-time concentrations and loads of selected constituents in two tributaries to Lake Houston near Houston, Texas, 2005-9

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Michael T.; Asquith, William H.; Oden, Timothy D.

2012-01-01

In December 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Houston, Texas, began collecting discrete water-quality samples for nutrients, total organic carbon, bacteria (Escherichia coli and total coliform), atrazine, and suspended sediment at two USGS streamflow-gaging stations that represent watersheds contributing to Lake Houston (08068500 Spring Creek near Spring, Tex., and 08070200 East Fork San Jacinto River near New Caney, Tex.). Data from the discrete water-quality samples collected during 2005–9, in conjunction with continuously monitored real-time data that included streamflow and other physical water-quality properties (specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen), were used to develop regression models for the estimation of concentrations of water-quality constituents of substantial source watersheds to Lake Houston. The potential explanatory variables included discharge (streamflow), specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and time (to account for seasonal variations inherent in some water-quality data). The response variables (the selected constituents) at each site were nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, total organic carbon, E. coli, atrazine, and suspended sediment. The explanatory variables provide easily measured quantities to serve as potential surrogate variables to estimate concentrations of the selected constituents through statistical regression. Statistical regression also facilitates accompanying estimates of uncertainty in the form of prediction intervals. Each regression model potentially can be used to estimate concentrations of a given constituent in real time. Among other regression diagnostics, the diagnostics used as indicators of general model reliability and reported herein include the adjusted R-squared, the residual standard error, residual plots, and p-values. Adjusted R-squared values for the Spring Creek models ranged

Correlates of susceptibility to smoking among Mexican origin youth residing in Houston, Texas: A cross-sectional analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prokhorov Alexander V

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Survey data suggest that in Texas Latino youth exhibit higher rates of susceptibility to smoking than youth from other ethnic groups. In this analysis we examined the relationship between susceptibility to smoking and well-known risk factors associated with smoking initiation among a cohort of 11 to 13 year old Mexican origin youth residing in Houston, Texas. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 1,187 participants who reported they had never smoked, even a puff of a cigarette. The survey assessed peer and family social influence, school and neighborhood characteristics, level of family acculturation and socioeconomic status, and attitudes toward smoking. Bivariate associations, Student's t-tests, and logistic regression analysis were used to examine predictors of susceptibility. Results Overall, 22.1% of the never-smokers were susceptible to smoking. Boys were more likely to be susceptible than girls (25.6% vs. 18.9%, and susceptible children were slightly older than non-susceptible children (12.1 vs. 11.8 years. In addition, multivariate analyses revealed that positive expectations about smoking exerted the strongest influence on susceptibility status (odds ratio = 4.85. Multivariate analyses further revealed that compared to non-susceptible participants, susceptibles were more likely to report peer influences supportive of smoking, lower subjective social status and more detentions at school, more temptations to try smoking and to have a mother and a brother who smokes. Conclusion Our findings suggest that interventions that target positive expectations about smoking may be useful in this population. Furthermore, because youth encounter smoking-initiation risk factors in different social environments, our results underscore the continued need for both family- and school-based primary prevention programs to adequately combat their influence. The results also can be used to inform the development of culturally

SUPERCOLLIDER: Texas meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

With preparations pushing forward for the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) to be built in Ellis County, Texas, there was a full agenda at the third SSC fall conference, held in Corpus Christi, Texas, from 14-17 October

Proceedings of second geopressured geothermal energy conference, Austin, Texas, February 23--25, 1976. Volume V. Legal, institutional, and environmental

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vanston, J.H.; Elmer, D.B.; Gustavson, T.C.; Kreitler, C.W.; Letlow, K.; Lopreato, S.C.; Meriwether, M.; Ramsey, P.; Rogers, K.E.; Williamson, J.K.

1976-01-01

Three separate abstracts were prepared for Volume V of the Proceedings of the Conference. Sections are entitled: Legal Issues in the Development of Geopressured--Geothermal Resources of Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast; The Development of Geothermal Energy in the Gulf Coast; Socio-economic, Demographic, and Political Considerations; and Geothermal Resources of the Texas Gulf Coast--Environmental Concerns arising from the Production and Disposal of Geothermal waters. (MCW)

Texas Hydrogen Education Final Scientific/Technical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hitchcock, David; Bullock, Dan

2011-06-30

The Texas Hydrogen Education project builds on past interest in hydrogen and fuel cells to help create better informed leaders and stakeholders and thereby improve decision making and planning for inclusion of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies as energy alternatives in Texas. In past years in Texas, there was considerable interest and activities about hydrogen and fuel cells (2000-­2004). During that time, the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) created a fuel cell consortium and a fuel cell testing lab. Prior to 2008, interest and activities had declined substantially. In 2008, in cooperation with the Texas H2 Coalition and the State Energy Conservation Office, HARC conducted a planning process to create the Texas Hydrogen Roadmap. It was apparent from analysis conducted during the course of this process that while Texas has hydrogen and fuel cell advantages, there was little program and project activity as compared with other key states. Outreach and education through the provision of informational materials and organizing meetings was seen as an effective way of reaching decision makers in Texas. Previous hydrogen projects in Texas had identified the five major urban regions for program and project development. This geographic targeting approach was adopted for this project. The project successfully conducted the five proposed workshops in four of the target metropolitan areas: San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and the Dallas-­Ft. Worth area. In addition, eight outreach events were included to further inform state and local government leaders on the basics of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The project achieved its primary objectives of developing communication with target audiences and assembling credible and consistent outreach and education materials. The major lessons learned include: (1) DOE’s Clean Cities programs are a key conduit to target transportation audiences, (2) real-­world fuel cell applications (fuel cell buses, fuel cell fork lifts

Moving-Bank Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation and Control Applied to a Large Flexible Space Structure

Science.gov (United States)

1990-12-01

was determined from the difference between the 24-state matrix product, HtP (t’)HT, and the six-state matrix product, HfPf (tT)HT’. For this...Houston: IMSL Inc., Houston, Texas (1989). 5. GNUPLOT USER’S MANUAL . "An Interactive Plotting Program." Williams, Thomas, and Colin Kelley. 6. Hawkes...Conference on Decision and Control: 712-717. Austin, Texas (December 1988). 13. LQGLIB USER’S MANUAL . "A Description of Computer Routines for Use in Linear

Public health assessment for Geneva Industries/Fuhrmann Energy, Houston, Harris County, Texas, Region 6. CERCLIS No. TXD980748453. Addendum. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The Geneva Industries Site is an abandoned refinery in Houston, Texas, that manufactured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Although there is evidence of past exposure to site contaminants, the site currently poses no apparent public health hazard. The contaminants to which persons may have been exposed in the past include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The lack of historical ambient air data from the time when the site was active prevents us from evaluating the potential for adverse health effects from inhalation exposure. Although fish and crawfish taken from the local drainageways were contaminated with PCBs, it is unlikely that humans would have been exposed to these species through the food chain. The groundwater under the site is contaminated. Although the contaminated water is not currently being used for human consumption, there is a potential for exposure to contaminated groundwater in the future. Planned groundwater remedial actions should eliminate this threat

Accessing Disadvantaged Pregnant Women in Houston, Texas, and Characterizing Biomarkers of Metal Exposure: A Feasibility Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina W. Whitworth

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Communities of color or low socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected by metal exposure given spatial variability of the ambient levels of these contaminants. Despite this, there is little research characterizing metal concentrations in blood among disadvantaged populations in the U.S., especially among pregnant women who are particularly vulnerable and difficult to access. Thus, we conducted a pilot study among disadvantaged pregnant women in Houston, Texas to assess willingness to participate in key activities of an epidemiologic study and characterize exposures to 16 metals. Thirty-one women attending a Medicaid-serving prenatal clinic were included in this pilot study and completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire. We obtained and measured metal compounds in whole blood samples for 22 of these women during third-trimester prenatal visits. Median whole blood concentrations of Ni, As, Cd, and Pb were 27, 1.4, 0.6, and 6.3 µg/L, respectively. Most women were willing to participate in critical aspects of a research study, including wearing a personal air-sampling badge for 2–3 days (87.1%, receiving ultrasounds (83.9%, and providing blood draws (64.5%. Despite the small sample, our results provide evidence of women’s metal exposure and their willingness to participate in future research studies to elucidate exposure pathways and explore related health effects experienced among this population of disadvantaged pregnant women.

Geospatial compilation of historical water-level altitudes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers 1977-2013 and Jasper aquifer 2000-13 in the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Houston-Galveston Region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Michaela R.; Ellis, Robert H.H.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District has produced a series of annual reports depicting groundwater-level altitudes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas. To produce these annual reports, contours of equal water-level altitudes are created from water levels measured between December and March of each year from groundwater wells screened completely within one of these three aquifers. Information obtained from maps published in the annual series of USGS reports and geospatial datasets of water-level altitude contours used to create the annual series of USGS reports were compiled into a comprehensive geodatabase. The geospatial compilation contains 88 datasets from previously published contour maps showing water-level altitudes for each primary aquifer of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, 37 for the Chicot (1977–2013), 37 for the Evangeline aquifer (1977–2013), and 14 for the Jasper aquifer (2000–13).

Proposing transportation designs and concepts to make Houston METRO's southeast line at the Palm Center area more walkable, bikeable, and livable.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

Over the years, the Palm Center (PC) in Houston, Texas, has been the beneficiary of several economic : development endeavors designed to ignite economic and community growth and revitalization. While : these endeavors brought forth initial success, t...

Called to Teach: Percy and Anna Pennybacker's Contributions to Education in Texas, 1880-1899

Science.gov (United States)

King, Kelley M.

2012-01-01

In 1879, with aid from the Peabody fund, Texas's first tax-supported teacher training institution, Sam Houston State Normal Institute (SHNI), opened on the site of the old Austin College in Huntsville (Richmond 1941, 37). The need for qualified educators in Texas was growing as the state struggled to make up for decades of neglect of and antipathy…

Hurricane Harvey & Houston: Hell or High Water

Science.gov (United States)

Bedient, P. B.

2017-12-01

Harvey was the largest rainfall and most damaging flood event in US history. By all measures the widespread impact was a devastating blow to all of Houston and surrounding areas. It dropped between 36 and 52 inches along the Texas coast over 5 days, exceeding all previous rainfall records, with up to 20 inches in a day. However, two earlier events from 2015 and 2016 also brought widespread flooding to many parts of Houston, especially concentrated in a few watersheds. Most bayous during Harvey were over bank by as much as 10 ft, and flooded an estimated 136000 homes in Harris county alone, greatly exceeding the massive TS Allison impact of 2001. While the area deals with a significant recovery effort, there is a massive call to action on the part of politicians, governmental agencies, and those affected by this event. There is need for a better statistical basis of rainfalls and floodplain mapping in Houston. Development patterns and density have come into question, as homes have been either built in 100 yr floodplains or taken into those floodplains over time. Estimates say > 47 % of homes flooded in TS Allison were outside the floodplain. Many homes were built behind Addicks/Barker reservoirs that protect downtown, many with no knowledge that they were in harms way (over 8000 were flooded there alone), and flooded as water reached record setting levels. New technologies have allowed the measurement and prediction of floods to make great strides since the mid 1990s, (Radar, LIDAR, GIS, hydrologic models, floodplain updates) and the Houston area has benefited from these efforts. While the plan going forward is daunting, there are a number of positive steps that are occurring and should lead to more resiliency. There needs to be policy changes on storage and detention requirements, green space & infrastructure improvements, and perhaps a third regional reservoir above Addicks. Also there is a renewed interest in flood warning systems to better inform the public

Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis for Salmonella Infection Surveillance, Texas, USA, 2007

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

This podcast describes monitoring of the use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for Salmonella surveillance in Houston, Texas. CDC microbiologist Peter Gerner-Smidt discusses the importance of the PulseNet national database in surveillance of food-borne infections.

Learning Together: Micro-Computers in Crosby, Texas, Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeil, Linda M.

The Crosby Independent School District near Houston, Texas, planned to introduce microcomputer instruction to its nearly 3,000 students in slow stages that had teachers and students learning at the same time. The initial impetus for computers came from an administrator who found useful information at a Regional Service Center of the State…

Water-level altitudes 2013 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973--2012 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Ramage, Jason K.

2013-01-01

Most of the subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, thereby causing compaction mostly in the clay and silt layers of the aquifer sediments. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and measured compaction of subsurface sediments in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The report contains maps depicting approximate water-level altitudes for 2013 (represented by measurements made during December 2012-February 2013) for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; maps depicting 1-year (2012-13) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting 5-year (2008--13) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting long-term (1990-2013 and 1977-2013) water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map depicting long-term (2000-13) water-level changes for the Jasper aquifer; a map depicting locations of borehole-extensometer sites; and graphs depicting measured compaction of subsurface sediments at the extensometers during 1973-2012. Tables listing the data used to construct each water-level map for each aquifer and the compaction graphs are included.

Understanding the world energy challenges. CERAWeek 2015 - Houston / April 20-24, 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-04-01

The 34. CERAWeek conference of Houston is a major meeting for worldwide energy actors. The aim of this note is not to present a structured synthesis of the debates, but to point out some of the experts' or politicians' position regarding: the proven predominance of fossil fuels, the challenge of prices, the market design change in the electric power industry, the 21. conference of parties (COP 21) on climate change, and the most original regional initiatives

Geospatial compilation of historical water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers 1977-2013 and Jasper aquifer 2000-13, Gulf Coast aquifer system, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Michaela R.; Linard, Joshua I.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District has produced an annual series of reports that depict water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, from 1977 to 2013. Changes are determined from water-level measurements between December and March of each year from groundwater wells screened in one of the three aquifers. Existing published maps and unpublished geographic information system (GIS) datasets were compiled into a comprehensive geodatabase of all water-level-change maps produced as part of this multiagency effort. Annual water-level-change maps were georeferenced and digitized where existing GIS data were unavailable (1979–99). Existing GIS data available for 2000–13 were included in the geodatabase. The compilation contains 121 datasets showing water-level changes for each primary aquifer of the Gulf Coast aquifer system: 56 for the Chicot aquifer (1977; 1979–2013 and 1990; 1993–2013), 56 for the Evangeline aquifer (1977; 1979–2013 and 1990; 1993–2013), and 9 for the Jasper aquifer (2000; 2005–13).

Water-level altitudes 2014 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973-2013 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Ramage, Jason K.

2014-01-01

Most of the land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, thereby causing compaction of the aquifer sediments, mostly in the fine-grained clay and silt layers. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and measured compaction of subsurface sediments in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The report contains maps depicting approximate 2014 water-level altitudes (represented by measurements made during December 2013–March 2014) for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; maps depicting 1-year (2013–14) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting contoured 5-year (2009–14) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting contoured long-term (1990–2014 and 1977–2014) water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map depicting contoured long-term (2000–14) water-level changes for the Jasper aquifer; a map depicting locations of borehole-extensometer sites; and graphs depicting measured cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments at the borehole extensometers during 1973–2013. Tables listing the data used to construct each water-level map for each aquifer and the compaction graphs are included.

Water-level altitudes 2009 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper Aquifers and compaction 1973-2008 in the Chicot and Evangeline Aquifers, Houston-Galveston Region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Houston, Natalie A.; Ramage, Jason K.

2009-01-01

This report, done in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, the City of Houston, the Fort Bend Subsidence District, and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports that depicts water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, and compaction in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas. The report (excluding appendixes) contains 16 sheets and 15 tables: 3 sheets are maps showing current-year (2009) water-level altitudes for each aquifer, respectively; 3 sheets are maps showing 1-year (2008-09) water-level changes for each aquifer, respectively; 3 sheets are maps showing 5-year (2004-09) water-level changes for each aquifer, respectively; 4 sheets are maps showing long-term (1990-2009 and 1977-2009) water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, respectively; 1 sheet is a map showing long-term (2000-2009) water-level change for the Jasper aquifer; 1 sheet is a map showing site locations of borehole extensometers; and 1 sheet comprises graphs showing measured compaction of subsurface material at the sites from 1973 or later through 2008, respectively. Tables listing the data used to construct the aquifer-data maps and the compaction graphs are included.

Composition and Sources of Particulate Matter Measured near Houston, TX: Anthropogenic-Biogenic Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey K. Bean

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Particulate matter was measured in Conroe, Texas (~60 km north of downtown Houston, Texas during the September 2013 DISCOVER-AQ campaign to determine the sources of particulate matter in the region. The measurement site is influenced by high biogenic emission rates as well as transport of anthropogenic pollutants from the Houston metropolitan area and is therefore an ideal location to study anthropogenic-biogenic interactions. Data from an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM suggest that on average 64 percent of non-refractory PM1 was organic material, including a high fraction (27%–41% of organic nitrates. There was little diurnal variation in the concentrations of ammonium sulfate; however, concentrations of organic and organic nitrate aerosol were consistently higher at night than during the day. Potential explanations for the higher organic aerosol loadings at night include changing boundary layer height, increased partitioning to the particle phase at lower temperatures, and differences between daytime and nighttime chemical processes such as nitrate radical chemistry. Positive matrix factorization was applied to the organic aerosol mass spectra measured by the ACSM and three factors were resolved—two factors representing oxygenated organic aerosol and one factor representing hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol. The factors suggest that the measured aerosol was well mixed and highly processed, consistent with the distance from the site to major aerosol sources, as well as the high photochemical activity.

Surface faults in the gulf coastal plain between Victoria and Beaumont, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeek, Earl R.

1979-01-01

Displacement of the land surface by faulting is widespread in the Houston-Galveston region, an area which has undergone moderate to severe land subsidence associated with fluid withdrawal (principally water, and to a lesser extent, oil and gas). A causative link between subsidence and fluid extraction has been convincingly reported in the published literature. However, the degree to which fluid withdrawal affects fault movement in the Texas Gulf Coast, and the mechanism(s) by which this occurs are as yet unclear. Faults that offset the ground surface are not confined to the large (>6000-km2) subsidence “bowl” centered on Houston, but rather are common and characteristic features of Gulf Coast geology. Current observations and conclusions concerning surface faults mapped in a 35,000-km2 area between Victoria and Beaumont, Texas (which area includes the Houston subsidence bowl) may be summarized as follows: (1) Hundreds of faults cutting the Pleistocene and Holocene sediments exposed in the coastal plain have been mapped. Many faults lie well outside the Houston-Galveston region; of these, more than 10% are active, as shown by such features as displaced, fractured, and patched road surfaces, structural failure of buildings astride faults, and deformed railroad tracks. (2) Complex patterns of surface faults are common above salt domes. Both radial patterns (for example, in High Island, Blue Ridge, Clam Lake, and Clinton domes) and crestal grabens (for example, in the South Houston and Friendswood-Webster domes) have been recognized. Elongate grabens connecting several known and suspected salt domes, such as the fault zone connecting Mykawa, Friendswood-Webster, and Clear Lake domes, suggest fault development above rising salt ridges. (3) Surface faults associated with salt domes tend to be short (10 km), occur singly or in simple grabens, have gently sinuous traces, and tend to lie roughly parallel to the ENE-NE “coastwise” trend common to regional growth

VOC flux measurements using a novel Relaxed Eddy Accumulation GC-FID system in urban Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Park, C.; Schade, G.; Boedeker, I.

2008-12-01

Houston experiences higher ozone production rates than most other major cities in the US, which is related to high anthropogenic VOC emissions from both area/mobile sources (car traffic) and a large number of petrochemical facilities. The EPA forecasts that Houston is likely to still violate the new 8-h NAAQS in 2020. To monitor neighborhood scale pollutant fluxes, we established a tall flux tower installation a few kilometers north of downtown Houston. We measure energy and trace gas fluxes, including VOCs from both anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources in the urban surface layer using eddy covariance and related techniques. Here, we describe a Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) system combined with a dual-channel GC-FID used for VOC flux measurements, including first results. Ambient air is sampled at approximately 15 L min-1 through a 9.5 mm OD PFA line from 60 m above ground next to a sonic anemometer. Subsamples of this air stream are extracted through an ozone scrubber and pushed into two Teflon bag reservoirs, from which they are transferred to the GC pre-concentration units consisting of carbon-based adsorption traps encapsulated in heater blocks for thermal desorption. We discuss the performance of our system and selected measurement results from the 2008 spring and summer seasons in Houston. We present diurnal variations of the fluxes of the traffic tracers benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) during different study periods. Typical BTEX fluxes ranged from -0.36 to 3.10 mg m-2 h-1 for benzene, and -0.47 to 5.04 mg m-2 h-1 for toluene, and exhibited diurnal cycles with two dominant peaks related to rush-hour traffic. A footprint analysis overlaid onto a geographic information system (GIS) will be presented to reveal the dominant emission sources and patterns in the study area.

Texas Heart Institute

Science.gov (United States)

... of seminars and conferences. Resources Texas Heart Institute Journal Scientific Publications Library & Learning Resources Resources for Physicians Fellowships & Residencies School of Perfusion Technology THI Spotlight Check out the ...

Future travel demand and its implications for transportation infrastructure investments in the Texas Triangle.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

This study takes a megaregion approach to project future travel demand and choice of transport : modes in the Texas Triangle, which is encompassed by four major metropolitan areas, Dallas-Fort : Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. The model was ...

Fog chemistry in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast corridor

Science.gov (United States)

Raja, Suresh; Raghunathan, Ravikrishna; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Lee, Taehyoung; Chen, Jing; Kommalapati, Raghava R.; Murugesan, Karthik; Shen, Xinhua; Qingzhong, Yuan; Valsaraj, Kalliat T.; Collett, Jeffrey L.

Fog samples were collected in two population centers of the US Gulf Coast (Houston, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana) using Caltech active strand cloud collectors. A total of 32 fogwater samples were collected in Baton Rouge (November 2004-February 2005) and Houston (February 2006). These samples were analyzed for pH, total and dissolved organic carbon, major inorganic ions, and a variety of organic compounds including organic acids, aromatics, carbonyls, and linear alkanes. Fogs in both environments were of moderate density, with typical fog liquid water contents <100 mg m -3. Fog samples collected in Houston reflect a clear influence of marine and anthropogenic inputs, while Baton Rouge samples also reflect agricultural inputs. The volume-weighted mean fog pH was somewhat more acidic (˜4.3) in Houston than in Baton Rouge (˜5.0). A wide pH range was observed in fog at both locations. Houston fog had higher concentrations of Cl -, NO 3-, Na +, Mg 2+, and Ca 2+. Sulfate to nitrate ratios were high in fogs at both locations, typical of many clouds in the eastern US. Total organic carbon concentrations were much higher in Houston fogs than in Baton Rouge fogs. Efforts to speciate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reveal large contributions from organic acids and carbonyls, with smaller contributions from other organic compound families including aromatics, alkanes, amides, and alcohols. Approximately 40% of the fog DOC was unspeciated in samples from both study locations.

The Texas Air Quality Study: State of the Science of Ozone and Particulate Matter formation in Texas and Implications for Air Quality Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, D. T.

2002-05-01

The Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) was performed during August and September of 2000; approximately 300 investigators from around the world made measurements of air pollutant concentrations and meteorological variables in southeast Texas. Five aircraft were deployed; five major ground chemistry sites were established and approximately 20 peripheral sites were established for collecting additional meteorological and chemical data. The scope, goals and preliminary results are available at the study web sites (www.utexas.edu/research/ceer/texaqs and www.utexas.edu/research/ceer/texaqsarchive). This presentation will provide an overview of the main findings from the study and will describe the role that ongoing data analysis activities are having on the development of air quality policy in the State of Texas. Some of the major findings are: Finding 1. Almost without exception, air parcels with very high ozone concentrations, observed by aircraft during the Texas Air Quality Study, had back trajectories that indicated a substantial contribution of emissions from industrial source regions. These air parcels also had chemical compositions that were representative of industrial sources, rather than typical urban sources. Finding 2: The rate of ozone production in and around the industrial source dominated areas in Houston can be very high, commonly exceeding 50 ppb/hr, and at times approaching instantaneous rates of 200 ppb/hr. Finding 3: The efficiency of ozone production in and around the industrial source dominated areas in Houston can be very high, ranging from 10-20 molecules of ozone per molecule of reacted NOx. Finding 4. Ozone production in the Houston urban plume was found to be slower and less efficient than in the composite industrial plume from the Ship Channel region and in plumes from isolated petrochemical facilities. Finding 5. The high rates and high efficiencies of ozone production in the industrial plumes are driven by high concentrations of reactive

Biogeochemical Impact of Hurricane Harvey on Texas Coastal Lagoons

Science.gov (United States)

Montagna, P.; Hu, X.; Walker, L.; Wetz, M.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday 25 August 2017 as a Category 4 hurricane, which is the strongest hurricane to hit the middle Texas coast since Carla in 1961. After the wind storm and storm surge, coastal flooding occurred due to the storm lingering over Texas for four more days, dumping as much as 50" of rain near Houston, producing 1:1000 year flood event. The Texas coast is characterized by lagoons behind barrier islands, and their ecology and biogeochemistry are strongly influenced by coastal hydrology. The ensuing inflow event replaced brackish water with fresh water that was high in inorganic an organic matter, significantly enhancing respiration of coastal blue carbon, and dissolved oxygen went to zero for a long period of time. Recovery will likely take months or nearly one year.

Water-level altitudes 2015 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973-2014 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Ramage, Jason K.; Houston, Natalie A.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Schmidt, Tiffany S.

2015-01-01

Most of the land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, thereby causing compaction of the aquifer sediments, mostly in the fine-grained silt and clay layers. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and measured cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The report contains regional-scale maps depicting approximate 2015 water-level altitudes (represented by measurements made during December 2014–March 2015) for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; maps depicting 1-year (2014–15) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting approximate contoured 5-year (2010–15) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting approximate contoured long-term (1990–2015 and 1977–2015) water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map depicting approximate contoured long-term (2000–15) water-level changes for the Jasper aquifer; a map depicting locations of borehole-extensometer sites; and graphs depicting measured cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments at the borehole extensometers during 1973–2014. Three tables listing the water-level data used to construct each water-level map for each aquifer and a table listing the measured cumulative compaction data for each extensometer site and graphs are included.

The Impact of TexAQS 2000 on Air Quality Planning in Houston

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, J. W.; Price, J. H.

2002-12-01

Before the Texas 2000 Air Quality Study (TexAQS 2000) the State used the Urban Airshed Model to model nine different episodes in Houston with very poor results: only one episode met EPA model performance criteria. Questions existed regarding emissions uncertainties, meteorological modeling, and model chemistry. NOAA, DOE, and SOS led more than 35 organizations and 250 investigators who participated in TexAQS 2000. Major findings from TexAQS 2000 are: 1. There are two types of meteorological patterns that lead to ozone episodes in the Houston area: (i) stagnation associated with the sea breeze flow reversal causes a pool of industrial emissions and ozone to accumulate, then to move across the city as the wind flow picks up and (ii) plumes of ozone form when relatively persistent winds carry the emissions away from the city and industrial areas. 2. The chemistry that produces high ozone concentrations and rapid rises in ozone in the Houston area has been explained: multiple investigators in TexAQS 2000 have documented more rapid and more efficient formation of ozone in the plume from the Houston industrial area than any of them has observed in any previous field study. Houston's exceptionally rapid ozone formation arises from large amounts of anthropogenic VOCs in the atmosphere, often from the same plants that provide sufficient NOx. 3. This rapid and efficient ozone formation results most often from the presence of a specific subclass of hydrocarbons called light olefins, primarily ethylene and propylene. 4. Sometimes it is other specific hydrocarbons that cause the rapid formation of high concentrations of ozone, and sometimes it is just the total mass of a lot of relatively unreactive hydrocarbons. 5. The current emissions inventory for ethylene and propylene, as well as other VOCs, underestimates their routine emissions by a factor of roughly five to ten or perhaps even more. 6. It is not clear whether the emissions causing Houston's rapid ozone formation are

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

In April 1986 staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986. This second supplement reports on the status of unresolved items in the Safety Evaluation Report and identifies certain additional items that have since been reviewed by the staff

Distribution of HIV-1 resistance-conferring polymorphic alleles SDF ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-08-26

Aug 26, 2016 ... Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA; Department of Genetics, Owaisi Medical and Research Centre, Deccan College of Medical Sciences and Allied Hospitals, Kanchan Bagh, Santosh Nagar, Hyderabad 500 058, India; Center for ...

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). Supplement No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

In April 1986 the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. This first supplement to NUREG-0781 reports the status of certain items that remained unresolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was published

The artificial organ museum in Cleveland (1979-1999) moved to Houston, Texas, and named in 2002 as the ICMT Museum for Artificial Organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nosé, Yukihiko

2003-09-01

The artificial organ museum established in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1979 organized by the International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation (ICAOT), was moved to Houston, Texas, in 1999. The museum with expanded and renewed artificial organ exhibits was officially opened on the 8th and 9th of November, 2002, at the Cullen Pavilion of the original Memorial Hermann Hospital. This building is the oldest in the Texas Medical Center, which was built in 1922. The ICMT (International Center for Medical Technologies) Museum for Artificial Organs (Museum) was completed after phase I, II, and III expansions of the exhibit booths, which were made over the last two years. Approximately 250 historically important and currently widely used artificial organs are exhibited in the Museum. The official opening of the Museum was coordinated with the "Symposium on Artificial Organs: Past, Present, and Future" during two days in November. There were approximately 225 participants at these events, and approximately 40 pioneers and clinical experts in the development and practice of various types of artificial organs contributed. During these programs, a proposal to maintain human resources in addition to artificial organ hardware and software was made in addition to the Museum. This new organization would be called the International Academy of Artificial Organ Pioneers (Academy). All contributors to the symposium were invited to be members of the Academy. The attendants of the symposium accepted this proposal unanimously. An additional 40 individuals, who were recognized as contributors to artificial organ technologies, were later added to the original Academy members. Later, the effective utilization of the Museum and Academy was encompassed in the International Faculty for Health and Medical Technologies (Faculty), a new addition to the activities of the ICMT. Dr. Michael DeBakey was elected as Dean of the Faculty. This is considered a "university without walls," a "university

Cell Mergers and Their Impact on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Over the Houston Area

Science.gov (United States)

Gauthier, Michael L.; Petersen, Walter A.; Carey, Lawrence D.

2009-01-01

A previous hypothesis advanced from observational studies such as METROMEX suggests that the intensity, frequency, and organization of cumulus convection may be impacted by the forcing of enhanced merger activity downstream of urban zones. A resulting corollary is that cities may exert an indirect anthropogenic forcing of parameters related to convection and associated phenomena such as lightning and precipitation. This paper investigates the urban merger hypothesis by examining the role of convective cell mergers on the existence and persistence of the Houston lightning "anomaly", a local maximum in cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning activity documented to exist over and east of Houston. Using eight summer seasons of peak columnar radar reflectivity, CG lightning data and a cell-tracking algorithm, a two-dimensional cell merger climatology is created for portions of eastern Texas and Louisiana. Results from the tracking and analysis of over 3.8 million cells indicate that merger-driven enhancements in convection induce a positive response (O 46%) in ground-flash densities throughout the domain, with areas of enhanced lightning typically being co-located with areas of enhanced merger activity. However, while mergers over the Houston area (relative to elsewhere in the domain) do result in more vigorous convective cells that produce larger CG flash densities, we find that CG lightning contributions due to mergers are distributed similarly throughout the domain. Hence while we demonstrate that cell mergers do greatly impact the production of lightning, the urban cell merger hypothesis does not uniquely explain the presence of a local lightning maximum near and downstream of Houston.

Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis for Salmonella Infection Surveillance, Texas, USA, 2007

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2010-06-14

This podcast describes monitoring of the use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for Salmonella surveillance in Houston, Texas. CDC microbiologist Peter Gerner-Smidt discusses the importance of the PulseNet national database in surveillance of food-borne infections.  Created: 6/14/2010 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 6/14/2010.

Accessibility assessment of Houston's roadway network during Harvey through integration of observed flood impacts and hydrologic modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Gidaris, I.; Gori, A.; Panakkal, P.; Padgett, J.; Bedient, P. B.

2017-12-01

The record-breaking rainfall produced over the Houston region by Hurricane Harvey resulted in catastrophic and unprecedented impacts on the region's infrastructure. Notably, Houston's transportation network was crippled, with almost every major highway flooded during the five-day event. Entire neighborhoods and subdivisions were inundated, rendering them completely inaccessible to rescue crews and emergency services. Harvey has tragically highlighted the vulnerability of major thoroughfares, as well as neighborhood roads, to severe inundation during extreme precipitation events. Furthermore, it has emphasized the need for detailed accessibility characterization of road networks under extreme event scenarios in order to determine which areas of the city are most vulnerable. This analysis assesses and tracks the accessibility of Houston's major highways during Harvey's evolution by utilizing road flood/closure data from the Texas DOT. In the absence of flooded/closure data for local roads, a hybrid approach is adopted that utilizes a physics-based hydrologic model to produce high-resolution inundation estimates for selected urban watersheds in the Houston area. In particular, hydrologic output in the form of inundation depths is used to estimate the operability of local roads. Ultimately, integration of hydrologic-based estimation of road conditions with observed data from DOT supports a network accessibility analysis of selected urban neighborhoods. This accessibility analysis can identify operable routes for emergency response (rescue crews, medical services, etc.) during the storm event.

The Texas A and M student branch's annual high school teachers' conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, A.; Clements, M.

1991-01-01

To quote the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Student Constitution, the objective of a student branch is the advancement of science and engineering relating to the atomic nucleus, and of allied science and arts. The Texas A and M University (TAMU) student chapter has extended this objective to that of promoting a better understanding of the nuclear sciences by the general public. The student branch has attempted to reach these objectives by sponsoring a variety of activities designed to motivate and interest individuals to become more aware of nuclear technology and its benefits. These activities are directed toward fellow college students, high school teachers and students, and the surrounding community. One of the largest and most important activities organized by the TAMU student branch is the annual student conference

Chagas Disease Knowledge and Risk Behaviors of the Homeless Population in Houston, TX.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingber, Alexandra; Garcia, Melissa N; Leon, Juan; Murray, Kristy O

2018-04-01

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, endemic in Latin America. Sylvatic T. cruzi-infected triatomine vectors are present in rural and urban areas in the southern USA and may transmit T. cruzi infection to at-risk populations, such as homeless individuals. Our study aimed to evaluate Chagas disease knowledge and behaviors potentially associated with transmission risk of Chagas disease among Houston, Texas' homeless population by performing interviews with 212 homeless individuals. The majority of the 212 surveyed homeless individuals were male (79%), African-American (43%), American-born individuals (96%). About 30% of the individuals reported having seen triatomines in Houston, and 25% had evidence of blood-borne transmission risk (IV drug use and/or unregulated tattoos). The median total time homeless was significantly associated with recognition of the triatomine vector. Our survey responses indicate that the homeless populations may exhibit potential risks for Chagas disease, due to increased vector exposure, and participation in blood-borne pathogen risk behaviors. Our findings warrant additional research to quantify the prevalence of Chagas disease among homeless populations.

Industrial customer response to wholesale prices in the restructured Texas electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarnikau, J.

2007-01-01

This paper estimates the demand responsiveness of the 20 largest industrial energy consumers in the Houston area to wholesale price signals in the restructured Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market. Statistical analysis of their load patterns employing a Symmetric Generalized McFadden cost function model suggests that ERCOT achieved limited success in establishing a market that facilitates demand response from the largest industrial energy consumers in the Houston area to wholesale price signals in its second year of retail competition. The muted price response is at least partially because energy consumers who opt to offer their ''interruptibility'' to the market as an ancillary service are constrained in their ability to respond to wholesale energy prices. (author)

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

In April 1986 the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, and the third supplement in May 1987. This fourth supplement reports on the status of unresolved items in the Safety Evaluation Report and resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a low-power license

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-04-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Houston Lighting and Power Company, City Public Service Board of San Antonio, Central Power and Light Company, and the City of Austin, as applicants and owners, for licenses to operate the South Texas Project Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499) has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. Subject to resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the applicant can operate the facility without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

In April 1986 the staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, the third supplement in May 1987, the fourth supplement in July 1987 and the fifth supplement in March 1988. This sixth supplement provides updated information on the issues that had been considered previously as well as the evaluation of issues that have arisen since the fifth supplement was issued. The evaluation resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a low-power license for Unit 2

The perceptions of inquiry held by greater Houston area science supervisors

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Jon Michael

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of inquiry held by responding greater Houston area science supervisors. Leading science organizations proposed that students might be better served if students are mentally and physically engaged in the process of finding out about natural phenomena rather than by didactic modes of teaching and learning. During the past fifty years, inquiry-based instruction has become a significant theme of new science programs. Students are more likely to make connections between classroom exercises and their personal lives through the use of inquiry-based instruction. Learning becomes relevant to students. Conversely, traditional science instruction often has little or no connection to students' everyday lives (Papert, 1980). In short, inquiry-based instruction empowers students to become independent thinkers. The utilization of inquiry-based instruction is essential to a successful reform in science education. However, a reform's success is partly determined by the extent to which science supervisors know and understand inquiry and consequently promote its integration in the district's science curricula. Science supervisors have the role of providing curriculum and instructional support to science teachers and for implementing science programs. There is a fundamental need to assess the perceptions of inquiry held by greater Houston area science supervisors. Science supervisor refers to a class of job titles that include department chairperson, science specialist, science consultant, and science coordinator. The target population was greater Houston area science supervisors in Texas. This study suggests that there are three major implications for educational practice. First, there is the implication that responding greater Houston area science supervisors need an inclusive perception of inquiry. Second, responding greater Houston area science supervisors' perception of inquiry may affect the perceptions and understandings

Compaction of Aquifer at Different Depths: Observations from a Vertical GPS Array in the Coastal Center of the University of Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, D.; Kearns, T.; Yang, L.; Wang, G.

2014-12-01

Houston and the surrounding Harris County have experienced the detrimental effects of subsidence even prior to World War II, to the extent that the land along Galveston Bay had sunk as much as 20 feet since 1906. One dramatic example is the Brownwood subdivision, a coastal community in Baytown where continuous flooding due to subsidence forced the area to be deemed unlivable and consequently abandoned. Thus, Houston's changes in groundwater and compaction of its aquifers are of relatively high concern to those in the public (infrastructure), private (oil & gas), and international (Port of Houston Authority) sectors. One of the key questions related to the subsidence issue in Houston area is what are the contributions of sediments at different depths, and what particularly is the contribution from shallow sediments? To address these questions, University of Houston has installed a vertical GPS array in the UH Coastal Center in March 2014. The GPS array includes four permanent GPS stations with the antenna pole foundations anchored at different depths below ground surface (-10 m, -7m, -4m, 0 m). A special, double-pipe GPS antenna monument was designed for GPS stations with the array. This project was funded by an NSF grant and a UH internal grant. Five groundwater wells with the depths ranging from 2 m to 100 m below the ground surface were also installed at the UH Coastal Center site. This study will investigate continuous GPS and groundwater level measurements (March-November, 2014) at the UHCC site. It is expected that the GPS array will provide total information on subsidence as well as compaction of aquifers within different depth ranges (0 to -4m, -4 to -7 m, -7 to -10m, and below -10 m). Correlation of land subsidence and groundwater fluctuation will also be investigated.

Houston Recovery Initiative: A Rich Case Study of Building Recovery Communities One Voice at a Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Bitting, Sara; Nash, Angela; Ochoa, Ashley

2016-01-01

Recovery from alcohol and drug problems is a process of change through which an individual achieves control and improved quality of life. Recovery is a primary goal for individuals with substance use disorder as it provides hope that treatment and overall health are possible for every individual. More than 23 million Americans are in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.Recovery-oriented systems of care (ROSC) are networks of community services and peer support that help individuals and families achieve recovery from substances and improve overall health. ROSC is a strengths-based and person-centered model that leverages existing community resources to address the needs of individuals and families as they progress through the journey of recovery. The ROSC model serves as the foundation of the Houston Recovery Initiative (HRI).The purpose of this article is to describe the history, development, and infrastructure of the HRI, which is a volunteer collaboration whose main goal is to educate the community on recovery and broaden the recovery safety net for people with substance use disorder in Houston, Texas. Since 2010, the HRI has grown to include more than 200 agencies across the spectrum of treatment and recovery support services in Houston so as to provide a resource for the community. Herein, we detail efforts to grow the HRI, lessons learned, future plans, and resources needed to move the HRI forward.

Development of the Spanish Language Houston Pain Outcome Instrument for Spanish Speakers.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeill, Jeanette; Sherwood, Gwen

2017-12-01

To address reported disparities in pain management among Hispanic patients, this article reports the psychometrics of the newly developed Spanish language Houston Pain Outcome Instrument (HPOI) with postoperative Hispanic patients. Findings from qualitative interviews conducted with 35 self-identified Hispanics in Phase 1 of the overall project were used to generate items for a new Spanish language instrument, Cuestionario de Houston Sobre el Dolor (HPOI). The second phase tested the psychometric properties with 95 self-identified Hispanic postoperative inpatients in three Texas hospitals. HPOI subscale reliabilities ranged from .63 to .91, with similar reliabilities for Spanish and English versions. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by moderate significant correlations with similar items on the Brief Pain Inventory. Participants reported moderate and severe worst pain in the last 24 hours; 38% were undertreated for pain according to the Pain Management Index; and 75% reported nonpharmacologic strategies including family support, prayer, and position change as highly effective in managing pain. The HPOI is a reliable instrument for addressing disparities in pain management for the rapidly growing Hispanic population in the United States. Subscales for interference with mood and physical function and patient-reported nonpharmacologic strategies facilitate a more comprehensive assessment of the pain experience.

Rural southeast Texas air quality measurements during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schade, Gunnar W; Khan, Siraj; Park, Changhyoun; Boedeker, Ian

2011-10-01

The authors conducted air quality measurements of the criteria pollutants carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone together with meteorological measurements at a park site southeast of College Station, TX, during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study II (TexAQS). Ozone, a primary focus of the measurements, was above 80 ppb during 3 days and above 75 ppb during additional 8 days in summer 2006, suggestive of possible violations of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) in this area. In concordance with other air quality measurements during the TexAQS II, elevated ozone mixing ratios coincided with northerly flows during days after cold front passages. Ozone background during these days was as high as 80 ppb, whereas southerly air flows generally provided for an ozone background lower than 40 ppb. Back trajectory analysis shows that local ozone mixing ratios can also be strongly affected by the Houston urban pollution plume, leading to late afternoon ozone increases of as high as 50 ppb above background under favorable transport conditions. The trajectory analysis also shows that ozone background increases steadily the longer a southern air mass resides over Texas after entering from the Gulf of Mexico. In light of these and other TexAQS findings, it appears that ozone air quality is affected throughout east Texas by both long-range and regional ozone transport, and that improvements therefore will require at least a regionally oriented instead of the current locally oriented ozone precursor reduction policies.

Clinic access and teenage birth rates: Racial/ethnic and spatial disparities in Houston, TX.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewski, Megan M; O'Connell, Heather A

2018-03-01

Teenage motherhood is a pressing issue in the United States, and one that is disproportionately affecting racial/ethnic minorities. In this research, we examine the relationship between the distance to the nearest reproductive health clinic and teenage birth rates across all zip codes in Houston, Texas. Our primary data come from the Texas Department of State Health Services. We use spatial regression analysis techniques to examine the link between clinic proximity and local teenage birth rates for all females aged 15 to 19, and separately by maternal race/ethnicity. We find, overall, limited support for a connection between clinic distance and local teenage birth rates. However, clinics seem to matter most for explaining non-Hispanic white teenage birth rates, particularly in high-poverty zip codes. The racial/ethnic and economic variation in the importance of clinic distance suggests tailoring clinic outreach to more effectively serve a wider range of teenage populations. We argue social accessibility should be considered in addition to geographic accessibility in order for clinics to help prevent teenage pregnancy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ecological risk assessment: Lessons learned?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

This conference was held November 14--18, 1993 in Houston, Texas for the purpose of providing a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on ecological risk assessment. This book is comprised of the abstracts of the presentations at this symposium. Individual abstracts have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

Corrosion control for low-cost reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

This conference was held September 19-24, 1993 in Houston, Texas to provide a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on corrosion. Topics of interest focus on the following: atmospheric corrosion; chemical process industry corrosion; high temperature corrosion; and corrosion of plant materials. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

78 FR 48466 - Hewlett Packard Company, Printing & Personal System Americas Division, Marketing Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-08

..., Printing & Personal System Americas Division, Marketing Services, Houston, Texas; Notice of Investigation... Division, Marketing Services, Houston, Texas. On January 25, 2013, the Department issued a Notice of... & Personal System Americas Division, Marketing Services, Houston, Texas) to be filed. Because the later-filed...

76 FR 24080 - Houston District Office Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-29

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Houston District Office Advisory Committee AGENCY: U.S. Small... Houston District Office Advisory committee. The meeting will be open to the public. DATES: The meeting...; located at 8701 South Gessner, Houston, TX 77074. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 10(a)(2...

76 FR 64990 - Houston District Office Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-19

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Houston District Office Advisory Committee AGENCY: U.S. Small... Houston District Office Advisory committee. The meeting will be open to the public. DATES: The meeting...; located at 8701 South Gessner, Houston, TX. 77074. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 10(a)(2...

76 FR 2431 - Houston District Office Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-13

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Houston District Office Advisory Committee AGENCY: U.S. Small... issuing this notice to announce the location, date, time, and agenda for the next meeting of the Houston..., located at 8701 South Gessner, Suite 1200, Houston, TX. 77074. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to...

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for urban studies in the Bryan, Texas, metropolitan area, 1969

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, W.D.

1972-01-01

Hydrologic investigations of urban areas in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. These studies are now in progress in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Dallas County, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Bryan. Hydrologic investigations of urban areas in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. These studies are now in progress in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Dallas County, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Bryan. 1. To determine, on the basis of historical data and hydrologic analyses, the magnitude and frequency of floods. 2. To document and define the areal extent of floods of greater than ordinary magnitude. 3. To determine the effect of urban development on flood peaks and volume. 4. To provide applied research facilities for studies at Texas A & M University at College Stations. This report, the first in a series of reports to be published annually, is primarily applicable to objectives 2, 3, and 4. The report presents the basic hydrologic data collected in two study areas during the 1969 water year (October 1, 1968, to September 30, 1969) and basic hydrologic data collected during part of the 1968 water year (April 5, 1968, to September 30, 1968). The locations of the two basins within the study area, Burton Creek and Hudson Creek, are shown on figure 1.

Rising Above the Storm: DIG TEXAS

Science.gov (United States)

Ellins, K. K.; Miller, K. C.; Bednarz, S. W.; Mosher, S.

2011-12-01

initial assistance of the American Geophysical Union, the alliance comprises earth scientists and educators at higher education institutions across the state, and science teachers, united to improve earth science literacy (geoscience-earth, ocean, atmospheric, planetary, and geography) among Texas science teachers in order to attract individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM fields to pursue earth science as a career. Members of the alliance are affiliated with one of eight regional DIG TEXAS hub institutions. With an NSF planning grant, DIG TEXAS leaders created the DIG TEXAS brand, developed a project website, organized and held the first community meeting in March, 2011 at Exxon Mobil's Training Center in Houston. DIG TEXAS members have also delivered testimony to the State Board for Educator Certification in support of a new earth science teacher certification and collaborated on proposals that seek funding to support recommendations formulated at the community meeting.

33 CFR 117.457 - Houston River.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Houston River. 117.457 Section 117.457 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements Louisiana § 117.457 Houston River. The draw of the...

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-03-01

In April 1986 the staff of the US Nuclear Regulartory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NURED-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Companany (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facililty is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, the third supplement in May 1987, and the fourth supplement in July 1987. This fifth supplement provides updated information on the issues that had been considered previously as well as the evaluation of issues that have arisen since the fourth supplement was issued. The evaluation resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a full-power license for Unit 1

Dynamic inundation mapping of Hurricane Harvey flooding in the Houston metro area using hyper-resolution modeling and quantitative image reanalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, S. J.; Lee, J. H.; Lee, S.; Zhang, Y.; Seo, D. J.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Harvey was one of the most extreme weather events in Texas history and left significant damages in the Houston and adjoining coastal areas. To understand better the relative impact to urban flooding of extreme amount and spatial extent of rainfall, unique geography, land use and storm surge, high-resolution water modeling is necessary such that natural and man-made components are fully resolved. In this presentation, we reconstruct spatiotemporal evolution of inundation during Hurricane Harvey using hyper-resolution modeling and quantitative image reanalysis. The two-dimensional urban flood model used is based on dynamic wave approximation and 10 m-resolution terrain data, and is forced by the radar-based multisensor quantitative precipitation estimates. The model domain includes Buffalo, Brays, Greens and White Oak Bayous in Houston. The model is simulated using hybrid parallel computing. To evaluate dynamic inundation mapping, we combine various qualitative crowdsourced images and video footages with LiDAR-based terrain data.

Did the greenhouse effect kill the dinosaurs

Science.gov (United States)

Okeefe, John D.; Ahrens, Thomas J.

1988-01-01

According to a study at the California Institute of Technology, the carbon dioxide (CO2) released by a meteor or comet striking the earth 65 million years ago could have doomed many species of animals and plants by dramatically raising temperatures worldwide. The results of this study will be presented at the 19th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston, Texas.

76 FR 27337 - Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-11

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2010-1116] Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety...: The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee postponed its originally scheduled February... Houston Ship Channel, and various other navigation safety matters in the Galveston Bay area. The meeting...

Modeling Stochastic Boundary Conditions in a Coastal Catchment using a Bayesian Network: An Application to the Houston Ship Channel, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Couasnon, Anaïs; Sebastian, Antonia; Morales-Nápoles, Oswaldo

2017-04-01

Recent research has highlighted the increased risk of compound flooding in the U.S. In coastal catchments, an elevated downstream water level, resulting from high tide and/or storm surge, impedes drainage creating a backwater effect that may exacerbate flooding in the riverine environment. Catchments exposed to tropical cyclone activity along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts are particularly vulnerable. However, conventional flood hazard models focus mainly on precipitation-induced flooding and few studies accurately represent the hazard associated with the interaction between discharge and elevated downstream water levels. This study presents a method to derive stochastic boundary conditions for a coastal watershed. Mean daily discharge and maximum daily residual water levels are used to build a non-parametric Bayesian network (BN) based on copulas. Stochastic boundary conditions for the watershed are extracted from the BN and input into a 1-D process-based hydraulic model to obtain water surface elevations in the main channel of the catchment. The method is applied to a section of the Houston Ship Channel (Buffalo Bayou) in Southeast Texas. Data at six stream gages and two tidal stations are used to build the BN and 100-year joint return period events are modeled. We find that the dependence relationship between the daily residual water level and the mean daily discharge in the catchment can be represented by a Gumbel copula (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient of 0.31) and that they result in higher water levels in the mid- to upstream reaches of the watershed than when modeled independently. This indicates that conventional (deterministic) methods may underestimate the flood hazard associated with compound flooding in the riverine environment and that such interactions should not be neglected in future coastal flood hazard studies.

Houston Pre-Freshman Enrichment Program (Houston PREP). Final report, June 9, 1997--July 25, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

The 1997 Houston Pre-Freshman Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted at the campus of the University of Houston-Downtown from June 9 to July 25, 1997. Program participants were recruited from the Greater Houston Area. All participants were identified as high-achieving students with an interest in learning about the engineering and science professions. The goal of the program was to better prepare our pre-college youth prior to entering college as mathematics, science and engineering majors. The program participants were middle school and high school students from the Aldine, Alief, Channel View, Clear Creek, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Houston, Humble, Katy, Klein, North Forest, Pasadena, Private, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts. Of the 194 students starting the program, 165 students were from economically and socially disadvantage groups under-represented in the engineering and science professions, and 118 of the 194 were women. Our First Year group for 1997 composed of 96% minority and women students. Second and Third Year students combined were 96% minority or women. With financial support from the Center for Computational Sciences and Advanced Distributed Simulation, the Fourth Year Program was added to PREP this year. Twelve students completed the program (83% minority or women).

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-03-01

In April 1986 the staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, the third supplement in May 1987, the fourth supplement in July 1987, the fifth supplement in March 1988, and the sixth supplement in January 1989. This seventh supplement, which supports the issuance of a full-power license for Unit 2, provides updated information on the issues that had been considered previously as well as the evaluation of issues that have arisen since the sixth supplement was issued. The evaluation resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a full-power license for Unit 2. 2 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Characterizing spatial variability of air pollution from vehicle traffic around the Houston Ship Channel area

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xueying; Craft, Elena; Zhang, Kai

2017-07-01

Mobile emissions are a major source of urban air pollution and have been associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. The Houston Ship Channel area is the home of a large number of diesel-powered vehicles emitting fine particulate matter (PM2.5; ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, the spatial variability of traffic-related air pollutants in the Houston Ship Channel area has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study is to characterize spatial variability of PM2.5 and NOx concentrations attributable to on-road traffic in the Houston Ship Channel area in the year of 2011. We extracted the road network from the Texas Department of Transportation Road Inventory, and calculated emission rates using the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator version 2014a (MOVES2014a). These parameters and preprocessed meteorological parameters were entered into a Research LINE-source Dispersion Model (RLINE) to conduct a simulation. Receptors were placed at 50 m resolution within 300 m to major roads and at 150 m resolution in the rest of the area. Our findings include that traffic-related PM2.5 were mainly emitted from trucks, while traffic-related NOx were emitted from both trucks and cars. The traffic contributed 0.90 μg/m3 PM2.5 and 29.23 μg/m3 NOx to the annual average mass concentrations of on-road air pollution, and the concentrations of the two pollutants decreased by nearly 40% within 500 m distance to major roads. The pollution level of traffic-related PM2.5 and NOx was higher in winter than those in the other three seasons. The Houston Ship Channel has earlier morning peak hours and relative late afternoon hours, which indicates the influence of goods movement from port activity. The varied near-road gradients illustrate that proximities to major roads are not an accurate surrogate of traffic-related air pollution.

Hurricane Harvey, Houston's Petrochemical Industry, and US Chemical Safety Policy: Impacts to Environmental Justice Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, G. T.; Johnson, C.; Gutierrez, A.; Declet-Barreto, J.; Berman, E.; Bergman, A.

2017-12-01

When Hurricane Harvey made landfall outside Houston, Texas, the storm's wind speeds and unprecedented precipitation caused significant damage to the region's petrochemical infrastructure. Most notably, the company Arkema's Crosby facility suffered a power failure that led to explosions and incineration of six of its peroxide tanks. Chemicals released into the air from the explosions sent 15 emergency responders to the hospital with severe respiratory conditions and led to the evacuation of hundreds of surrounding households. Other petrochemical facilities faced other damages that resulted in unsafe and acute chemical releases into the air and water. What impacts did such chemical disasters have on the surrounding communities and emergency responders during Harvey's aftermath? What steps might companies have taken to prevent such chemical releases? And what chemical safety policies might have ensured that such disaster risks were mitigated? In this talk we will report on a survey of the extent of damage to Houston's oil and gas infrastructure and related chemical releases and discuss the role of federal chemical safety policy in preventing and mitigating the potential for such risks for future storms and other extreme weather and climate events. We will also discuss how these chemical disasters created acute toxics exposures on environmental justice communities already overburdened with chronic exposures from the petrochemical industry.

77 FR 29875 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Houston, MO

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-21

...-0903; Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-20] Establishment of Class E Airspace; Houston, MO AGENCY: Federal... at Houston, MO. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Houston Memorial Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the...

Houston prefreshman enrichment program (Houston PREP). Final report, June 10, 1996--August 1, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-10-01

The 1996 Houston Pre-freshman Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted on the campus of the University of Houston-Downtown from June 10 to August 1, 1996. Program Participants were recruited from the Greater Houston area. All participants were identified as high achieving students with an interest in learning about the engineering and science professions. The goal of the program was to better prepare our pre-college youth prior to entering college as mathematics, science and engineering majors. The program participants were middle school and high school students from the Aldine, Alief, Channel View, Crockett, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Houston, Humble, Katy, Klein, North Forest, Pasadena, Private, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts. Of the 197 students starting the program, 170 completed, 142 students were from economically and socially disadvantage groups underrepresented in the engineering and science professions, and 121 of the 197 were female. Our First Year group for 1996 composed of 96% minority and women students. Our Second and Third Year students were 100% and 93.75% minority or women respectively. This gave an overall minority and female population of 93.75%. This year, special efforts were again made to recruit students from minority groups, which caused a significant increase in qualified applicants. However, due to space limitations, 140 applicants were rejected. Investigative and discovery learning were key elements of PREP. The academic components of the program included Algebraic Structures, Engineering, Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Physics, Logic and Its Application to Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, Problem Solving Seminar using computers and PLATO software, SAT Preparatory Seminars, and Technical Writing.

Population Genomic Analysis of 1,777 Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates, Houston, Texas: Unexpected Abundance of Clonal Group 307.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, S Wesley; Olsen, Randall J; Eagar, Todd N; Beres, Stephen B; Zhao, Picheng; Davis, James J; Brettin, Thomas; Xia, Fangfang; Musser, James M

2017-05-16

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major human pathogen responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates. The emergence and spread of strains resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents and documented large nosocomial outbreaks are especially concerning. To develop new therapeutic strategies for K. pneumoniae , it is imperative to understand the population genomic structure of strains causing human infections. To address this knowledge gap, we sequenced the genomes of 1,777 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae strains cultured from patients in the 2,000-bed Houston Methodist Hospital system between September 2011 and May 2015, representing a comprehensive, population-based strain sample. Strains of largely uncharacterized clonal group 307 (CG307) caused more infections than those of well-studied epidemic CG258. Strains varied markedly in gene content and had an extensive array of small and very large plasmids, often containing antimicrobial resistance genes. Some patients with multiple strains cultured over time were infected with genetically distinct clones. We identified 15 strains expressing the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1) enzyme that confers broad resistance to nearly all beta-lactam antibiotics. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of 10 phylogenetically diverse strains showed that the global transcriptome of each strain was unique and highly variable. Experimental mouse infection provided new information about immunological parameters of host-pathogen interaction. We exploited the large data set to develop whole-genome sequence-based classifiers that accurately predict clinical antimicrobial resistance for 12 of the 16 antibiotics tested. We conclude that analysis of large, comprehensive, population-based strain samples can assist understanding of the molecular diversity of these organisms and contribute to enhanced translational research. IMPORTANCE Klebsiella pneumoniae causes human infections that are increasingly difficult to

Investigation of Biogenic and Non-biogenic Methane Sources in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S.; Talbot, R. W.; Liu, L.; Lan, X.

2016-12-01

Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas with its mixing ratio increasing in the global atmosphere. Texas is one of the significant areas where underestimation of CH4 emissions by the U.S. inventories are pronounced. This study focused on two areas of Texas: Houston, the energy capital of the world, and the Barnett Shale area which is one of the largest onshore natural gas fields in the United States. The investigation of background CH4 and the fingerprints of CH4 emissions are critical to understanding potential impacts of extensive nature gas operations in these two areas. One-year of stationary CH4 measurements were studied to deduce the regional background CH4 characteristics and to identify the principle CH4 sources in Houston. Key information concerning CH4 sources can be obtained through the stable carbon isotope δ13CH4 during two field campaigns using a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory. CH4 mixing ratio and δ13C in CH4 were sampled by two cavity ring-down spectrometers (CRDS), one of which is coupled to a custom air core 13C sampling device which can supply more than 600 measurements for each plume analysis. Here, we report results of the overall δ13CH4 values and CH4 emission signatures derived from thirty-three sources in the two studied areas, ranging from oil production and processing, waste managements and landfills, to livestock. δ13CH4 signatures of these sources vary from -76‰ to -23‰. Several repeated measurements were sampled to investigate the variability of source signatures. We investigated a case of unexpected massive CH4 leaking detected near the San Jacinto River Fleet site. At the regional scale, the comparison of background δ13CH4 signatures were conducted to obtain the difference of dominate CH4 sources in two study areas. At the local scale, the combination of tower and mobile lab measurements were used to estimate and characterize CH4 emissions in Houston. The results and findings can supply valuable references for the local

78 FR 8492 - Foreign-Trade Zone 84-Houston, TX Application for Expansion

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-06

..., industrial parks and warehouse facilities in Houston and the Harris County area. The sites--which are in Houston unless otherwise stated--are as follows: Site 1 (421 acres)--Houston Ship Channel Turning Basin, Clinton Drive at Highway 610 East Loop; Site 2 (97 acres)--Houston Ship Channel (Bulk Materials Handling...

Water-level altitudes 2016 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–2015 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Ramage, Jason K.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2016-10-07

Most of the land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, thereby causing compaction of the aquifer sediments, mostly in the fine-grained silt and clay layers. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and measured cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The report contains regional-scale maps depicting approximate 2016 water-level altitudes (represented by measurements made during December 2015–March 2016) for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; maps depicting 1-year (2015–16) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting approximate contoured 5-year (2011–16) water-level changes for each aquifer; maps depicting approximate contoured long-term (1990–2016 and 1977–2016) water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map depicting approximate contoured long-term (2000–16) water-level changes for the Jasper aquifer; a map depicting locations of borehole-extensometer sites; and graphs depicting measured long-term cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments at the extensometers during 1973–2015. Tables listing the water-level data used to construct each water-level map for each aquifer and the measured long-term cumulative compaction data for each extensometer site are included. Graphs depicting water-level measurement data also are included; these graphs can be used to approximate

A method for estimating peak and time of peak streamflow from excess rainfall for 10- to 640-acre watersheds in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area

Science.gov (United States)

Asquith, William H.; Cleveland, Theodore G.; Roussel, Meghan C.

2011-01-01

Estimates of peak and time of peak streamflow for small watersheds (less than about 640 acres) in a suburban to urban, low-slope setting are needed for drainage design that is cost-effective and risk-mitigated. During 2007-10, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas Department of Transportation, developed a method to estimate peak and time of peak streamflow from excess rainfall for 10- to 640-acre watersheds in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. To develop the method, 24 watersheds in the study area with drainage areas less than about 3.5 square miles (2,240 acres) and with concomitant rainfall and runoff data were selected. The method is based on conjunctive analysis of rainfall and runoff data in the context of the unit hydrograph method and the rational method. For the unit hydrograph analysis, a gamma distribution model of unit hydrograph shape (a gamma unit hydrograph) was chosen and parameters estimated through matching of modeled peak and time of peak streamflow to observed values on a storm-by-storm basis. Watershed mean or watershed-specific values of peak and time to peak ("time to peak" is a parameter of the gamma unit hydrograph and is distinct from "time of peak") of the gamma unit hydrograph were computed. Two regression equations to estimate peak and time to peak of the gamma unit hydrograph that are based on watershed characteristics of drainage area and basin-development factor (BDF) were developed. For the rational method analysis, a lag time (time-R), volumetric runoff coefficient, and runoff coefficient were computed on a storm-by-storm basis. Watershed-specific values of these three metrics were computed. A regression equation to estimate time-R based on drainage area and BDF was developed. Overall arithmetic means of volumetric runoff coefficient (0.41 dimensionless) and runoff coefficient (0.25 dimensionless) for the 24 watersheds were used to express the rational

Technology Utilization, the Key to Independence. Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering (5th, Houston, Texas, August 22-26, 1982). Volume 2.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, James P., Ed.; O'Reagan, James R., Ed.

This document contains abstracts of all papers presented at the conference. The papers demonstrate how the results of rehabilitation engineering activities have increased the independence of handicapped people and enabled them to more easily integrate their lives into the mainstream of society. The 136 abstracts are organized into the following…

33 CFR 165.813 - Security Zones; Ports of Houston and Galveston, TX.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Security Zones; Ports of Houston... Security Zones; Ports of Houston and Galveston, TX. (a) Location. Within the Ports of Houston and Galveston... yards of a cruise ship unless expressly authorized by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Houston...

77 FR 20647 - Ocean Energy Safety Advisory Committee (OESC); Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-05

... Intercontinental Airport Hotel in Houston, Texas. DATES: Thursday, April 26, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: Doubletree by Hilton Houston Intercontinental Airport Hotel, 15747 JFK Boulevard, Houston, Texas... and Budget's Circular No. A-63, Revised. Dated: March 30, 2012. James A. Watson, Director, Bureau of...

77 FR 4711 - Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Houston, MO

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-31

...-0903; Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-20] Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Houston, MO AGENCY... action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Houston, MO. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at Houston Memorial Airport. The FAA is taking...

Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (Fort Worth, Texas, October 22-24, 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.

2013-01-01

These proceedings contain the papers of the IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2013), October 22-24, 2013, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by The University of North Texas (UNT), sponsored by the…

Marketing Education National Research Conference Report (Houston, Texas, April 10-12, 1987).

Science.gov (United States)

McComas, Marcella, Ed.

Eight presentations are included in these proceedings: "Concerns of Secondary, Marketing Education Teachers in Illinois: Implications for the Profession" (Ralph Wray); "Differences in Self-Concept and Achievement of Vocational, Academic, and Academic-Vocational Students" (Margie Crocker, Jack Crocker); "The Identification of Critical Areas…

zation of knowledge of condom use and modeling among military ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

1Institute of Community Health, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77030; 2 University of Texas, School of Public. Health .... marijuana use, and attitude towards condom ... adjust for the possible confounding effects.

Mouthguard usage by middle and high school student-athletes in Houston, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Michael B; Johnson, Cleverick D; Cooley, Ralph A; Sharp, Holly; Servos, Thomas A

2016-01-01

This survey recorded utilization levels of stock and custom mouthguards among middle and high school athletes in a US metropolitan area and gathered data on the prevalence of traumatic injuries that have occurred as a consequence of school-based athletic competition. The data also included reasons for the athletes' noncompliance. A 23-question, online survey form was developed. A geographically diverse list of public and private schools in the Houston metropolitan area was identified and included 30 public middle schools, 32 public high schools, 8 private middle schools, and 10 private high schools. The sports surveyed were baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball, and wrestling. Only 1 private middle school participated. Only 5 of 32 public high schools and 1 private high school participated, representing response rates of 16% and 10%, respectively. Overall, there were 503 responses, and 56% of the respondents did not have a mouthguard. Among athletes who owned a mouthguard, most (70%) had stock versions purchased in a retail store, while 11% had a custom mouthguard fabricated by a dentist, and 19% had both types. The most frequent reasons cited for not wearing a mouthguard were forgetting to use it and a lack of comfort. The injury rates reported by respondents in the stock and custom mouthguard groups were 26% and 9%, respectively. A consistent, concerted effort by local dental societies should be aimed at school administrators and coaches to encourage enforcement or reinforcement of mouthguard usage policies among high school athletes, but, ultimately, parents need to step up to protect their children.

Is the Modern American Death Penalty a Fatal Lottery? Texas as a Conservative Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott Phillips

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In Furman v. Georgia (1972, the Supreme Court was presented with data indicating that 15% to 20% of death-eligible defendants were actually sentenced to death. Based on such a negligible death sentence rate, some Justices concluded that the imposition of death was random and capricious—a fatal lottery. Later, the Court assumed in Gregg v. Georgia (1976 that guided discretion statutes would eliminate the constitutional infirmities identified in Furman: If state legislatures narrowed the pool of death-eligible defendants to the “worst of the worst” then most would be sentenced to death, eliminating numerical arbitrariness. However, recent research suggests that numerical arbitrariness remains, as the death sentence rate falls below the Furman threshold in California (11%, Connecticut (4%, and Colorado (less than 1%. The current research estimates the death sentence rate in Texas. Interestingly, Texas provides a conservative test. In contrast to most states, the Texas statute does not include broad aggravators that substantially enlarge the pool of death-eligible defendants and therefore depress the death sentence rate. Nonetheless, the death sentence rate in Texas during the period from 2006 to 2010 ranges from 3% to 6% (depending on assumptions made about the data. The same pattern holds true in the key counties that send the largest number of defendants to death row: Harris (Houston, Dallas (Dallas, Tarrant (Fort Worth and Arlington, and Bexar (San Antonio. Thus, the data suggest that Texas can be added to the list of states in which capital punishment is unconstitutional as administered. If the death sentence rate in Texas runs afoul of the Furman principle then the prognosis for other states is not encouraging.

Development of a medical humanities and ethics certificate program in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Erwin, Cheryl J

2014-12-01

Education in the medical humanities and ethics is an integral part of the formation of future physicians. This article reports on an innovative approach to incorporating the medical humanities and ethics into the four-year curriculum in a Certificate Program spanning all four years of the medical school experience. The faculty of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston conceived and implemented this program to teach medical students a range of scholarly topics in the medical humanities and to engage the full human experience into the process of becoming a physician. This study follows six years of experience, and we report student experiences and learning in their own words.

Commercial Space Port Planning in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, L.; Looke, B.

2002-01-01

The Texas Legislature is providing funding to support research and planning activities aimed at creating a commercial spaceport in the state. These monies have been allocated to regional Spaceport Development Corporations that have been established in three countries containing candidate site locations: Willacy County (in South Texas); Brazoria County (East Texas); and Pecos County (West Texas). This program is being sponsored and coordinated by the Texas Aerospace Commission (TAC). The Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA) at the University of Houston is providing research, planning and design support to TAC and is a member of each of the three regional development teams. Planning must carefully consider special support requirements and operational characteristics of all prospective launch systems along with geographic, infrastructure and environmental factors at each site. Two of the candidate sites are in coastal areas; a priority for certain launch service providers; whereas the third inland site is more attractive to others. Candidate launch systems include winged horizontal takeoff air-launch vehicles, vertical multi-stage reusable launch vehicles, and expendable sub-orbital surrounding rockets. Important research and planning activities include environmental impact assessments, analyses of overflight hazards, investigations of economic impacts and business plan development. The results of these activities will guide master plan development for each site, including: a physical plan (site layout, infrastructure improvements and facility construction); and a strategic plan (user agreements, licenses, finance sources and participants). Commercial spaceport development demands compliance with stringent FAA regulations established by the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) which exceed minimum standards allowed for U.S. Government spaceport facilities. Key among these requirements are 15,000 ft. radius on-site clear zones

Overview of surface measurements and spatial characterization of submicrometer particulate matter during the DISCOVER-AQ 2013 campaign in Houston, TX.

Science.gov (United States)

Leong, Y J; Sanchez, N P; Wallace, H W; Karakurt Cevik, B; Hernandez, C S; Han, Y; Flynn, J H; Massoli, P; Floerchinger, C; Fortner, E C; Herndon, S; Bean, J K; Hildebrandt Ruiz, L; Jeon, W; Choi, Y; Lefer, B; Griffin, R J

2017-08-01

The sources of submicrometer particulate matter (PM 1 ) remain poorly characterized in the industrialized city of Houston, TX. A mobile sampling approach was used to characterize PM 1 composition and concentration across Houston based on high-time-resolution measurements of nonrefractory PM 1 and trace gases during the DISCOVER-AQ Texas 2013 campaign. Two pollution zones with marked differences in PM 1 levels, character, and dynamics were established based on cluster analysis of organic aerosol mass loadings sampled at 16 sites. The highest PM 1 mass concentrations (average 11.6 ± 5.7 µg/m 3 ) were observed to the northwest of Houston (zone 1), dominated by secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass likely driven by nighttime biogenic organonitrate formation. Zone 2, an industrial/urban area south/east of Houston, exhibited lower concentrations of PM 1 (average 4.4 ± 3.3 µg/m 3 ), significant organic aerosol (OA) aging, and evidence of primary sulfate emissions. Diurnal patterns and backward-trajectory analyses enable the classification of airmass clusters characterized by distinct PM sources: biogenic SOA, photochemical aged SOA, and primary sulfate emissions from the Houston Ship Channel. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that secondary biogenic organonitrates primarily related with monoterpenes are predominant in zone 1 (accounting for 34% of the variability in the data set). The relevance of photochemical processes and industrial and traffic emission sources in zone 2 also is highlighted by PCA, which identifies three factors related with these processes/sources (~50% of the aerosol/trace gas concentration variability). PCA reveals a relatively minor contribution of isoprene to SOA formation in zone 1 and the absence of isoprene-derived aerosol in zone 2. The relevance of industrial amine emissions and the likely contribution of chloride-displaced sea salt aerosol to the observed variability in pollution levels in zone 2 also are captured by PCA. This

Population Genomic Analysis of 1,777 Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates, Houston, Texas: Unexpected Abundance of Clonal Group 307

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Wesley Long

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major human pathogen responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates. The emergence and spread of strains resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents and documented large nosocomial outbreaks are especially concerning. To develop new therapeutic strategies for K. pneumoniae, it is imperative to understand the population genomic structure of strains causing human infections. To address this knowledge gap, we sequenced the genomes of 1,777 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae strains cultured from patients in the 2,000-bed Houston Methodist Hospital system between September 2011 and May 2015, representing a comprehensive, population-based strain sample. Strains of largely uncharacterized clonal group 307 (CG307 caused more infections than those of well-studied epidemic CG258. Strains varied markedly in gene content and had an extensive array of small and very large plasmids, often containing antimicrobial resistance genes. Some patients with multiple strains cultured over time were infected with genetically distinct clones. We identified 15 strains expressing the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1 enzyme that confers broad resistance to nearly all beta-lactam antibiotics. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of 10 phylogenetically diverse strains showed that the global transcriptome of each strain was unique and highly variable. Experimental mouse infection provided new information about immunological parameters of host-pathogen interaction. We exploited the large data set to develop whole-genome sequence-based classifiers that accurately predict clinical antimicrobial resistance for 12 of the 16 antibiotics tested. We conclude that analysis of large, comprehensive, population-based strain samples can assist understanding of the molecular diversity of these organisms and contribute to enhanced translational research.

Conference papers of POWER-GEN '93: Book 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The 6th International Conference and Exhibition for the Power Generating Industries was held November 17--19, 1993 in Dallas, Texas. The conference provided a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on power generation. Major topics of discussion include the following: environmental issues and technologies; and Clean Air Act compliance. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

Water-level altitudes 2017 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper Aquifers and compaction 1973–2016 in the Chicot and Evangeline Aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Ramage, Jason K.

2017-08-16

Most of the land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, thereby causing compaction of the aquifer sediments, mostly in the fine-grained silt and clay layers. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and measured cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. This report contains regional-scale maps depicting approximate 2017 water-level altitudes (represented by measurements made during December 2016 through March 2017) and long-term water-level changes for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; a map depicting locations of borehole-extensometer (hereinafter referred to as “extensometer”) sites; and graphs depicting measured long-term cumulative compaction of subsurface sediments at the extensometers during 1973–2016.In 2017, water-level-altitude contours for the Chicot aquifer ranged from 200 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (hereinafter referred to as “datum”) in two localized areas in southwestern and northwestern Harris County to 200 ft above datum in west-central Montgomery County. The largest water-level-altitude decline (120 ft) depicted by the 1977–2017 water-level-change contours for the Chicot aquifer was in northwestern Harris County. A broad area where water-level altitudes declined in the Chicot aquifer extends from northwestern, north-central, and southwestern Harris County

Laulja Whitney Houston sõlmis rekordlepingu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2001-01-01

Popstaar Whitney Houston pikendas oma plaadifirmaga Arista lepingut ja tegi artistina popmuusika ajaloo kõige kallima tehingu, mis garanteerib talle kuue stuudioalbumi ja kahe hitikogumiku eest 100 miljonit dollarit

A comprehensive study of benzene concentrations and emissions in Houston

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Markus; Eichler, Philipp; Berk Knighton, W.; Estes, Mark; Crawford, James H.; Mikoviny, Tomas; Wisthaler, Armin

2014-05-01

The Houston Metropolitan Area (Greater Houston) has a population of over 6 million people, it ranks among the three fastest growing metropolises in the developed world and population growth scenarios predict it to reach megacity status in the coming two to four decades. Greater Houston is home to the largest petrochemical-manufacturing complex in the world with important consequences for the environment in the region. Direct and fugitive emissions of hydrocarbons adversely affect Houston's air quality which has been subject to intense studies over the past two decades. In 2013, NASA conducted the DISCOVER-AQ field campaign in support of developing a satellite-based capability to assess Houston's air quality in the future. Amongst other measurements, airborne, mobile ground-based and stationary ground-based measurements of benzene were carried out. Benzene is a carcinogenic air toxic with strict exposure regulations in the U.S. and in Europe. We have used the obtained comprehensive dataset to map benzene concentrations in the Houston metropolitan area, locate and identify point sources, compare industrial and traffic emissions and put them in relation to previous measurements and emission inventories. The obtained data will allow a better assessment of health risks associated with benzene exposure in a large metropolitan area that includes both traffic and industrial benzene sources. This work was funded by BMVIT / FFG-ALR in the frame of the Austrian Space Application Programme (ASAP 8, project 833451). PE was funded through the PIMMS ITN (EU-FP7, agreement number 287382). Additional resources were provided through NASA's Earth Venture program (EV-1) and the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP). We want to thank Scott Herndon and Aerodyne Research for their support.

Texas-style Fundraising and Public Relations for the International Year of Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Sandra; Barna, J. W.; Geiger, S.; Johnson, R.; Rimm, N.; Griffin, J.; Watson, K.

2008-05-01

McDonald Observatory can be a leader in Texas for the International Year of Astronomy (IYA09) celebration. Our strategy builds on the IYA09 program, tailoring it for the Texas audience, while also nationally promoting McDonald Observatory, UT Astronomy, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) and our partnership in the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). We will also use this opportunity to make a concentrated outreach effort toward the Hispanic and Spanish-speaking communities in Texas and the nation, aligning with the IYA09 objective for improving relations with underrepresented and minority populations. Fundraising is a key ingredient to our success in 2009 and the future. With NASA Office of Space Science funding for education and public outreach being rethought, we will be focusing on new sources for fundraising, including private donations and corporate sponsorship, augmented by planned giving. We will take advantage of the timing to raise funds for special IYA09 programs, as well as for our large telescope projects HETDEX and GMT, along with our endowment and planned giving programs for education, outreach, and research. We will work with the UT McCombs School of Business on corporate sponsorship. During this time we will also go through a branding experience that will visually unify McDonald Observatory, UT Astronomy, and the education and public outreach programs. A consistent brand that can be used on the website and other media is our goal to build a stronger public presence that will aid us in our fundraising efforts. A Public Relations Internship Project produced a report to help launch this process. We are working with the UT College of Communications Advertising Department and with Hill Strategic Brand Solutions in Houston, Texas. We hope that our efforts will produce Texas-sized results!

78 FR 14909 - Amendment of Class B Airspace Description; Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-08

...-0079; Airspace Docket No. 13-AWA-1] RIN 2120-AA66 Amendment of Class B Airspace Description; Houston.... SUMMARY: This action amends the description of the Houston, TX, Class B airspace area by changing the... 14910

World of Learning: Houston Independent School District 2014 Annual Report and 2015 Calendar

Science.gov (United States)

Houston Independent School District, 2015

2015-01-01

No other city in the nation more clearly exemplifies the dramatically changing social, political, and economic landscape of America's urban centers than Houston. Houston has transformed from a bi-racial southern city on the bayou to one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the nation. Houston Independent School District…

Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey: Beeville/Bay City National Topographic Map, Texas Gulf Coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

As part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program Geodata International, Inc. of Dallas, Texas, conducted an airborne gamma ray and total magnetic field survey of Beeville/Bay City Quadrangle of the Texas Gulf Coast area. Volume 1 gives the description of the program and results, and volume 2 gives the flight line profile data and statistical analysis results. The Beeville/Bay City Map Sheet shows Tertiary and Quaternary-aged strata which are part of the coastal plain of the Gulf Coast Geosyncline. The Cenozoic sediments overlie Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and Precambrian rocks, and have a relatively gentle homoclinal dip toward the gulf. The Quaternary and Tertiary sediments of the map sheet overlie the western flank of the Houston-East Texas Embayment, the northeastern side of the Rio Grande Embayment, and the San Marcos Arch. Recent and Pleistocene sediments crop-out in the south and east, and are more extensive in the vicinity of the structural embayments. The Pliocene-aged Goliad Formation crops-out extensively to the northwest. Miocene and Eocene strata occur in the northwestern corner of the map sheet. The uranium deposits occur in the Tertiary strata, but are most intensely mined in the Eocene strata immediately to the west of the map sheet area

Proceedings of the Tri-Service Conference on Corrosion Held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on 17-19 October 1989

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-19

Metals, London, England, 1987. 10. Anon., " Avesta Stainless Steels", Information Brochure No. 7945, Avesta Jernverks, Avesta , Sweden, 1979. 11. R.B...No: 69, National Association of Corrosion Engineers, Houston, Texas, 1983. 38. Anon., " Avesta 254-SMO/References and Applications", Avesta Jernverks... Avesta , Sweden, 198i. 39. Anon., "Ferralium Alloy 255 - Success Against Sea Water", Langley Alloys Limited, Slough, England, 1980. 40. Anon

Salinity variations and chemical compositions of waters in the Frio Formation, Texas Gulf Coast. Annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morton, R.A.; Garrett, C.M. Jr.; Posey, J.S.; Han, J.H.; Jirik, L.A.

1981-11-01

Waters produced from sandstone reservoirs of the deep Frio Formation exhibit spatial variations in chemical composition that roughly coincide with the major tectonic elements (Houston and Rio Grande Embayments, San Marcos Arch) and corresponding depositional systems (Houston and Norias deltas, Greta-Carancahua barrier/strandplain system) that were respectively active along the upper, lower, and middle Texas Coast during Frio deposition. Within an area, salinities are usually depth dependent, and primary trends closely correspond to pore pressure gradients and thermal gradients. Where data are available (mainly in Brazoria County) the increases in TDS and calcium with depth coincide with the zone of albitization, smectite-illite transition, and calcite decrease in shales. Waters have fairly uniform salinities when produced from the same sandstone reservoir within a fault block or adjacent fault blocks with minor displacement. In contrast, stratigraphically equivalent sandstones separated by faults with large displacement usually yield waters with substantially different salinities owing to the markedly different thermal and pressure gradients across the faults that act as barriers to fluid movement.

77 FR 23472 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-19

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on April 4, 2012, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application in the..., Manager, Certificates, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002...

75 FR 16336 - Establishment of Low Altitude Area Navigation Route (T-284); Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... (T-284); Houston, TX AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This action establishes a low altitude area navigation (RNAV) route, designated T-284, in the Houston... navigable airspace in the Houston, TX, terminal area. DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, July 29, 2010. The...

PREFACE: 11th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2012)

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bao-An; Natowitz, Joseph B.

2013-03-01

The 11th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2012) was held from 27 May to 1 June 2012, in San Antonio, Texas, USA. It was jointly organized and hosted by The Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University, College Station and The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Among the approximately 300 participants were a large number of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. The Keynote Talk of the conference, 'The State of Affairs of Present and Future Nucleus-Nucleus Collision Science', was given by Dr Robert Tribble, University Distinguished Professor and Director of the TAMU Cyclotron Institute. During the conference a very well-received public lecture on neutrino astronomy, 'The ICEcube project', was given by Dr Francis Halzen, Hilldale and Gregory Breit Distinguished Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The Scientific program continued in the general spirit and intention of this conference series. As is typical of this conference a broad range of topics including fundamental areas of nuclear dynamics, structure, and applications were addressed in 42 plenary session talks, 150 parallel session talks, and 21 posters. The high quality of the work presented emphasized the vitality and relevance of the subject matter of this conference. Following the tradition, the NN2012 International Advisory Committee selected the host and site of the next conference in this series. The 12th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2015) will be held 21-26 June 2015 in Catania, Italy. It will be hosted by The INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Catania and the Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia of the University of Catania. The NN2012 Proceedings contains the conference program and 165 articles organized into the following 10 sections 1. Heavy and Superheavy Elements 2. QCD and Hadron Physics 3. Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions 4. Nuclear Structure 5. Nuclear Energy and Applications of

An Innovative Marketing Model: Promoting Technical Programs by Conducting One-Day Conferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrosian, Anahid

This document examines an innovative marketing strategy developed by South Texas Community College (STCC) to promote its technical programs. In 2000, STCC organized the "Business Conference Institute" to develop 1-day conferences with the Division of Business, Math & Sciences (DBMS). The creation of this Institute linked the College with the local…

75 FR 39149 - Establishment of Low Altitude Area Navigation Route (T-284); Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-08

... (T-284); Houston, TX AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule... area navigation (RNAV) route T-284 for the Houston, TX, terminal area, is being withdrawn. As a result of Houston Area Air Traffic System (HAATS) Project, Phase 3C, program actions, the route is pending...

75 FR 18047 - Amendment of Low Altitude Area Navigation Route T-254; Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-09

...-254; Houston, TX AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This action amends low altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-254 in the Houston, TX, terminal area by... Houston, TX, terminal area. DATES: Effective Dates: 0901 UTC, June 3, 2010. The Director of the Federal...

77 FR 8247 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-14

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C. Notice of Application Take notice that on February 2, 2012, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application in Docket... Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, by telephone at (713) 420...

77 FR 43277 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-24

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on July 6, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in the above referenced... Company, L.L.C. 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, or telephone (713) 420- 3299, or facsimile...

Predictors of Intention to Quit Waterpipe Smoking: A Survey of Arab Americans in Houston, Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liqa Athamneh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Waterpipe smoking has been described as “the second global tobacco epidemic since the cigarette.” Both Middle Eastern ethnicity and having a friend of Middle Eastern ethnicity have been reported as significant predictors of waterpipe smoking. Addressing waterpipe smoking in this ethnic minority is essential to controlling this growing epidemic in the US. We investigated the predictors of an intention to quit waterpipe smoking by surveying 340 Arab American adults in the Houston area. Primary analyses were conducted using stepwise logistic regression. Only 27% of participants reported having an intention to quit waterpipe smoking. Intention to quit waterpipe smoking was significantly higher with history of cigar use, a prior attempt to quit, and not smoking when seriously ill and significantly lower with increasing age, medium cultural acceptability of using waterpipe among family, high cultural acceptability of using waterpipe among friends, longer duration of smoking sessions, and perceiving waterpipe smoking as less harmful than cigarettes. Educational programs that target Arab Americans in general, and specifically older adults, those who smoke waterpipe for more than 60 minutes, those whose family and friends approve waterpipe smoking, and those with no former attempts to quit, may be necessary to increase the intention to quit waterpipe smoking.

SU-E-P-02: Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) Houston QA Center (RPC) Credentialing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amador, C; Keith, T; Nguyen, T; Molineu, A; Followill, D

2014-01-01

Purpose: To provide information pertaining to IROC Houston QA Center's (RPC) credentialing process for institutions participating in NCI-sponsored clinical trials. Methods: IROC Houston issues credentials for NCI sponsored study groups. Requirements for credentialing might include any combination of questionnaires, knowledge assessment forms, benchmarks, or phantom irradiations. Credentialing requirements for specific protocols can be found on IROC Houston's website (irochouston.mdanderson.org). The website also houses the credentialing status inquiry (CSI) form. Once an institution has reviewed the protocol's credentialing requirements, a CSI form should be completed and submitted to IROC Houston. This form is used both to request whether requirements have been met as well as to notify IROC Houston that the institution requests credentialing for a specific protocol. IROC Houston will contact the institution to discuss any delinquent requirements. Once the institution has met all requirements IROC Houston issues a credentialing letter to the institution and will inform study groups and other IROC offices of the credentials. Institutions can all phone the IROC Houston office to initiate credentialing or ask any credentialing related questions. Results: Since 2010 IROC has received 1313 credentialing status inquiry forms. We received 317 in 2010, 266 in 2011, 324 in 2012, and 406 in 2013. On average we receive 35 phone calls per week with multiple types of credentialing questions. Decisions regarding credentialing status are based on the protocol specifications and previous completed credentialing by the institution. In some cases, such as for general IMRT credentialing, up to 5 sites may be credentialed based on the credentialing of one main center. Each of these situations is handled individually. Conclusion: IROC Houston will issue radiation therapy credentials for the NCI trials in the National Clinical Trials Network. Credentialing requirements and the CSI form

75 FR 4547 - High Island Offshore System, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-28

... Offshore System, L.L.C.; Notice of Application January 21, 2010. Take notice that on January 12, 2010, High Island Offshore System, L.L.C. (HIOS), 1100 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas 77002, filed in Docket No. CP10... directed to Jeff Molinaro, High Island Offshore System, L.L.C., 1100 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas 77002...

Lyondell plans to hike heavy crude runs at Houston

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Land, R.

1992-01-01

Lyondell Petrochemical Co. has outlined a venture that would allow increased runs of heavy crude oil at its 265,000 b/cd Houston refiner. Preliminary plans call for Lyondell, Houston, to ally with subsidiaries of Venezuela's Petroleos de Venezuela SA to upgrade heavy crude processing capabilities of the refiner and obtain supplies of heavy crude feedstock. Lyondell proposes to form a jointly owned company with Pdvsa's Citgo Petroleum Corp. subsidiary to take over ownership of the Houston plant. This paper reports that upgrades would not significantly change the plant's crude capacity but would allow the refiner to process as much as 200,000 b/d of heavy crude feedstock, up from 120,000 b/d at present. Following completion of the upgrade, Citgo could increase its interest to 50% with Lyondell retaining remaining venture interest. Upgrade design and engineering are to begin immediately, with regulatory permitting and construction expected to be complete in 3-4 years

Polarimetric Radar Retrievals in Southeast Texas During Hurricane Harvey

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, D. B.; Petersen, W. A.; Tokay, A.; Marks, D. A.; Pippitt, J. L.; Kirstetter, P. E.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas Gulf Coast as a major hurricane on August 25, 2017 before exiting the state as a tropical storm on September 1, 2017. In its wake, it left a flood of historic proportions, with some areas measuring 60 inches of rain over a five-day period. Although the storm center stayed west of the immediate Houston area training bands of precipitation impacted the Houston area for five full days. The National Weather Service (NWS) WSR88D dual-polarimetric radar (KHGX), located southeast of Houston, maintained operations for the entirety of the event. The Harris County Flood Warning System (HCFWS) had 150 rain gauges deployed in its network and seven NWS Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) rain gauges are also located in the area. In this study, we used the full radar data set to retrieve daily and event-total precipitation estimates within 120 km of the KHGX radar for the period August 25-29, 2017. These estimates were then compared to the HCFWS and ASOS gauges. Three different polarimetric hybrid rainfall retrievals were used: Ciffeli et al. 2011; Bringi et al. 2004; and, Chen et al. 2017. Each of these hybrid retrievals have demonstrated robust performance in the past. However, both daily and event-total comparisons from each of these retrievals compared to those of HCFWS and ASOS rain gauge networks resulted in significant underestimates by the radar retrievals. These radar underestimates are concerning. Sources of error and variance will be investigated to understand the source of radar-gauge disagreement. One current hypothesis is that due to the large number of small drops often found in hurricanes, the differential reflectivity and specific differential phase are relatively small so that the hybrid algorithms use only the reflectivity/rain rate procedure (so called Z-R relationships), and hence rarely invoke the ZDR or KDP procedures. Thus, an alternative Z-R relationship must be invoked to retrieve accurate rain rate estimates.

Environmental injustice and flood risk: A conceptual model and case comparison of metropolitan Miami and Houston, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Timothy W; Grineski, Sara E; Chakraborty, Jayajit

2018-02-01

This article outlines a conceptual model and comparatively applies it to results from environmental justice (EJ) studies of flood risk in the Miami, Florida, and Houston, Texas, metropolitan areas. In contrast to most EJ studies of air pollution, which have found that socially-vulnerable groups experience disproportionate risk, distributive EJ studies of flooding reveal inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between social vulnerability and flood exposure. Counterintuitively (from a conventional EJ perspective), some pre-flood EJ studies have found that socially-advantaged people experience the highest residential exposure to flood risks. To integrate those anomalous findings within an EJ perspective, our conceptual model focuses on (1) the differential capacities of social groups to deploy/access protective resources for reducing the threat of loss, even while they reside amid flood-prone environments, and (2) both flood hazards and water-based benefits. Application of this model in Miami reveals that environmental injustices materialize as socially-privileged groups expose themselves to residential flood risks by seeking coastal amenities, as the costs of mitigating risks are conveyed to the broader public; in the process, socially-vulnerable residents are relegated to areas with air pollution and/or inland flood risks, where they experience constrained access to protective resources and coastal amenities. Findings from Houston better align with conventional EJ expectations-with flood zones disproportionately inhabited by socially-vulnerable people-because many coastal lands there are used by petrochemical industries, which produce major residential-environmental disamenities . Results underscore the need to consider protective resources and locational benefits in future empirical research on the EJ implications of flood hazards.

75 FR 6319 - Proposed Amendment of Low Altitude Area Navigation Route T-254; Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-09

... Amendment of Low Altitude Area Navigation Route T-254; Houston, TX AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration... altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-254 in the Houston, TX, terminal area by eliminating the segment... safety and the efficient use of the navigable airspace in the Houston, TX, terminal area. DATES: Comments...

Ecosystem under pressure: ballast water discharge into Galveston Bay, Texas (USA) from 2005 to 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Jamie L; Windham, Rachel; Brinkmeyer, Robin; Quigg, Antonietta

2012-04-01

Ballast water exchange processes facilitate the dispersal and unnatural geographic expansion of phytoplankton, including harmful algal bloom species. From 2005 to 2010, over 45,000 vessels (≈ 8000 annually) travelled across Galveston Bay (Texas, USA) to the deep-water ports of Houston (10th largest in the world), Texas City and Galveston. These vessels (primarily tankers and bulkers) discharged ≈ 1.2 × 10(8) metrictons of ballast water; equivalent to ≈ 3.4% of the total volume of the Bay. Over half of the ballast water discharged had a coastwise origin, 96% being from US waters. Galveston Bay has fewer non-indigenous species but receives a higher volume of ballast water discharge, relative to the highly invaded Chesapeake and San Francisco Bays. Given the magnitude of shipping traffic, the role of Galveston Bay, both as a recipient and donor region of non-indigenous phytoplankton species is discussed here in terms of the invasibility risk to this system by way of ballast water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 35200 - High Island Offshore System, L.L.C.; Notice of Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-16

... Offshore System, L.L.C.; Notice of Amendment Take notice that on June 6, 2011, High Island Offshore System, L.L.C. (HIOS), 1100 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas 77002, filed in Docket No. CP10-43-001, to amend... System, L.L.C., 1100 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas 77002, or (telephone) 713-381-2526, or [email protected

Learning from Katrina: environmental health observations from the SWCPHP response team in Houston.

Science.gov (United States)

Elledge, Brenda L; Boatright, Daniel T; Woodson, Paul; Clinkenbeard, Rodney E; Brand, Michael W

2007-09-01

Hurricane Katrina provided an opportunity to observe the public health and medical care response system in practice and provided vital lessons about identifying and learning critical response measures as well as about ineffective investments of time and effort. The Southwest Center for Public Health Preparedness (SWCPHP) response team, while working among evacuees housed at Reliant Park in Houston, Texas, made a number of observations related to environmental public health. This summary reports firsthand observations which are, to a great extent, supported by the Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned report, and it provides a contextual backdrop for improvement in the areas of volunteer and citizen preparedness training and education. Katrina provided an opportunity to see public health in a highly stressed practice setting and to identify and reinforce the fundamental tenets of public health with which all individuals responding to an event should be familiar. Knowledge gained from Katrina should be integrated into future efforts related to disaster response planning; specifically, it is imperative that volunteers receive standardized training in the areas of incident command systems (ICS), basic hygiene, transmission of disease, and food and water safety principles.

Rapid assessment of household needs in the Houston area after Tropical Storm Allison.

Science.gov (United States)

Waring, Stephen C; Reynolds, Kaye M; D'Souza, Gypsyamber; Arafat, Raouf R

2002-09-01

Tropical Storm Allison, which hit landfall near Galveston, Texas, on June 5, 2001, caused the most severe flood-related damage ever recorded in the Houston metropolitan area. The main goal of the public health response to tropical storm Allison was to evaluate the immediate health needs of the community. To estimate damage and household needs, we conducted a rapid needs assessment in the areas most affected by flooding with use of a modified cluster sampling method facilitated by Geographical Information Systems methodology. A total of 420 households participated in the survey, 210 each from the 2 sampling areas. We found a 4-fold increase in illness among persons living in flooded homes compared with those living in nonflooded homes. These findings suggest a need for rapid resolution of flood-related damage and the possibility that residents should seek temporary housing during clean-up and repair. In addition, we obtained reliable estimates of damage and household needs to help guide relief efforts. The findings underscore the usefulness of a rapid-needs assessment as a tool to identify actual health threats and to facilitate delivery of resources to those with the greatest and most immediate need.

SU-E-P-02: Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) Houston QA Center (RPC) Credentialing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amador, C; Keith, T; Nguyen, T; Molineu, A; Followill, D [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: To provide information pertaining to IROC Houston QA Center's (RPC) credentialing process for institutions participating in NCI-sponsored clinical trials. Methods: IROC Houston issues credentials for NCI sponsored study groups. Requirements for credentialing might include any combination of questionnaires, knowledge assessment forms, benchmarks, or phantom irradiations. Credentialing requirements for specific protocols can be found on IROC Houston's website (irochouston.mdanderson.org). The website also houses the credentialing status inquiry (CSI) form. Once an institution has reviewed the protocol's credentialing requirements, a CSI form should be completed and submitted to IROC Houston. This form is used both to request whether requirements have been met as well as to notify IROC Houston that the institution requests credentialing for a specific protocol. IROC Houston will contact the institution to discuss any delinquent requirements. Once the institution has met all requirements IROC Houston issues a credentialing letter to the institution and will inform study groups and other IROC offices of the credentials. Institutions can all phone the IROC Houston office to initiate credentialing or ask any credentialing related questions. Results: Since 2010 IROC has received 1313 credentialing status inquiry forms. We received 317 in 2010, 266 in 2011, 324 in 2012, and 406 in 2013. On average we receive 35 phone calls per week with multiple types of credentialing questions. Decisions regarding credentialing status are based on the protocol specifications and previous completed credentialing by the institution. In some cases, such as for general IMRT credentialing, up to 5 sites may be credentialed based on the credentialing of one main center. Each of these situations is handled individually. Conclusion: IROC Houston will issue radiation therapy credentials for the NCI trials in the National Clinical Trials Network. Credentialing requirements

Risk impact of planned maintenance configuration at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loh, W.T.; Fleming, K.N.; Grantom, C.R.

2004-01-01

This paper is based on a study done for the Houston Lighting and Power Company. The purpose of this study is to estimate the risk impact of planned maintenance configurations at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STPEGS). To date, the focus of the STP probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) program has been to analyze risk in terms of estimates of accident frequencies that are expressed on a time-averaged basis. Thus, estimates of quantities such as severe core damage frequency have been made such that the temporal variations of this frequency with changing plant configurations are averaged out over time. The only condition that has been imposed on these estimates is that the plant is initially operating at full power when potential initiating events might occur. (author)

European astronaut training in Houston.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiarenza, O

1993-11-01

Three European astronauts are currently training as Space Shuttle Mission Specialists at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Two of the astronauts, Maurizio Cheli and Jean-Francois Clervoy, recently became members of NASA's 'astronaut pool' and have entered the Advanced Training phase. The third one, Claude Nicollier, is now preparing for the mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope in December.

Houston-Galveston Navigation Channel Shoaling Study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

Roads, which is bordered by Bolivar Peninsula to the northeast and Galveston Island to the southwest (Figure 1). Two jetties approximately 6,900 ft...USACE SWG. In 2008, the USACE SWG, and the Port of Houston tasked a joint venture formed by Turner Collie & Braden, Inc., and Gahagan & Bryant

RadNet Air Data From Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

This page presents radiation air monitoring and air filter analysis data for Houston, TX from EPA's RadNet system. RadNet is a nationwide network of monitoring stations that measure radiation in air, drinking water and precipitation.

Water-level altitudes 2012 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973-2011 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Ramage, Jason K.

2012-01-01

Most of the subsidence in the Houston–Galveston region, Texas, has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers and caused compaction of the clay layers of the aquifer sediments. This report—prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris– Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District—is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston–Galveston region. The report contains maps showing approximate water-level altitudes for 2012 (calculated from measurements of water levels in wells made during December 2011–February 2012) for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers; maps showing 1-year (2011–12) water-level-altitude changes for each aquifer; maps showing 5-year (2007–12) water-levelaltitude changes for each aquifer; maps showing long-term (1990–2012 and 1977–2012) water-level-altitude changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map showing long-term (2000–12) water-level-altitude change for the Jasper aquifer; a map showing locations of borehole extensometer sites; and graphs showing measured compaction of subsurface sediments at the extensometers from 1973 (or later) through 2011. Tables listing the data that were used to construct each water-level map for each aquifer and the cumulative compaction graphs are included.

Tools to Study Interfaces for Superconducting, Thermoelectric, and Magnetic Materials at the University of Houston

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0303 Tools to Study Interfaces for Superconducting ,Thermoelectric, and Magnetic Materials Paul C. W. Chu UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON...8/28/2014 - 8/27/2016 Title: Tools to Study Interfaces for Superconducting , Thermoelectric, and Magnetic Materials at the University of Houston...effort. Tools to Study Interfaces for Superconducting , Thermoelectric, and Magnetic Materials at the University of Houston Grant/Contract Number AFOSR

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... College Station, TX 77843. Present address: Barrens Consulting Co., 273 Pepe's Farm Road, Milford, CT 06470. Department of Physics, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341. Present address: SN4, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX 77858. Shell Development Corporation, P.O. Box 481, Houston, Texas 77001.

NATO Conference

CERN Document Server

Lynn, W

1975-01-01

The contents of this volume involve selection, emendation and up-dating of papers presented at the NATO Conference "Mathe­ matical Analysis of Decision problems in Ecology" in Istanbul, Turkey, July 9-13, 1973. It was sponsored by the System Sciences Division of NATO directed by Dr. B. Bayraktar with local arrange­ ments administered by Dr. Ilhami Karayalcin, professor of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul. It was organized by A. Charnes, University professor across the University of Texas System, and Walter R.Lynn, Di­ rector of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell Unjversity. The objective of the conference was to bring together a group of leading researchers from the major sciences involved in eco­ logical problems and to present the current state of progress in research of a mathematical nature which might assist in the solu­ tion of these problems. Although their presentations are not herein recorded, the key­ note address of Dr....

Students Across Texas Celebrate Astronomy Day

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, S.; Wetzel, M.; Hemenway, M. K.

2010-08-01

Over the past three years, McDonald Observatory has offered special Astronomy Day videoconference programs to students across Texas—the second largest state in the U.S. (Only Alaska is larger). Videoconferencing allows many students and teachers access to our Observatory, which is remotely located 180 miles (290 kilometers) from any major city. McDonald Observatory partners with Connect2Texas to advertise the Astronomy Day event. Connect2Texas provides the electronic bridge between schools and the Observatory. They also provide an online evaluation for teachers to complete. In 2009 the Astronomy Day videoconference celebrated the International Year of Astronomy and the historic observations made by Galileo Galilei. During the videoconference, the classes explore the Moon or Venus by making real-time telescopic observations. Students also receive an introduction to the Observatory, an opportunity to perform an activity relating to Galileo's observations, and an interview with an astronomer. A website provides teachers pre-and post-video conference materials, instructions, and a certificate of completion that can be customized for each student. The website also lists content alignment with state science education standards.

Transit use and physical activity: Findings from the Houston travel-related activity in neighborhoods (TRAIN study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory Knell

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Transportation-related physical activity can significantly increase daily total physical activity through active transportation or walking/biking to transit stops. The purpose of this study was to assess the relations between transit-use and self-reported and monitor-based physical activity levels in a predominantly minority population from the Houston Travel-Related Activity in Neighborhoods (TRAIN Study. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 865 adults living in Houston, Texas between 2013 and 2015. The exposure variable was transit-use (non-users, occasional users, and primary users. Self-reported and accelerometer-determined physical activity were the outcomes of interest. Regression models adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other covariates of interest were built to test the hypothesis that transit user status was directly associated with 1 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 the prevalence of achieving the physical activity guidelines. The majority of participants were female, non-Hispanic black, and almost one-third had a high school education or less. After adjustment, primary transit-use was associated with 134.2 (p<0.01 additional mean minutes per week of self-reported moderate-intensity transportation-related physical activity compared to non-users. Further, primary users had 7.3 (95% CI: 2.6–20.1 times the relative adjusted odds of meeting physical activity recommendations than non-users based on self-reported transportation-related physical activity. There were no statistically significant associations of transit-use with self-reported leisure-time or accelerometer-derived physical activity. Transit-use has the potential for a large public health impact due to its sustainability and scalability. Therefore, encouraging the use of transit as a means to promote physical activity should be examined in future studies. Keywords: Physical activity, Transportation, Commuting, Motor activity, Urban health

Transit use and physical activity: Findings from the Houston travel-related activity in neighborhoods (TRAIN) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Knell, Gregory; Durand, Casey P; Shuval, Kerem; Kohl Iii, Harold W; Salvo, Deborah; Sener, Ipek; Gabriel, Kelley Pettee

2018-03-01

Transportation-related physical activity can significantly increase daily total physical activity through active transportation or walking/biking to transit stops. The purpose of this study was to assess the relations between transit-use and self-reported and monitor-based physical activity levels in a predominantly minority population from the Houston Travel-Related Activity in Neighborhoods (TRAIN) Study. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 865 adults living in Houston, Texas between 2013 and 2015. The exposure variable was transit-use (non-users, occasional users, and primary users). Self-reported and accelerometer-determined physical activity were the outcomes of interest. Regression models adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other covariates of interest were built to test the hypothesis that transit user status was directly associated with 1) minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2) the prevalence of achieving the physical activity guidelines. The majority of participants were female, non-Hispanic black, and almost one-third had a high school education or less. After adjustment, primary transit-use was associated with 134.2 ( p  < 0.01) additional mean minutes per week of self-reported moderate-intensity transportation-related physical activity compared to non-users. Further, primary users had 7.3 (95% CI: 2.6-20.1) times the relative adjusted odds of meeting physical activity recommendations than non-users based on self-reported transportation-related physical activity. There were no statistically significant associations of transit-use with self-reported leisure-time or accelerometer-derived physical activity. Transit-use has the potential for a large public health impact due to its sustainability and scalability. Therefore, encouraging the use of transit as a means to promote physical activity should be examined in future studies.

The strategic value of fossil fuels: challenges and responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

Several speeches of the conference concerning the strategic value of fossil fuels that was held on May 8 to 11, 1995 in Houston, Texas are presented. The current and future importance of fossil fuels in energy consumption throughout the world is highlighted. The role of developing countries in the fossil fuels market is increasing, and these countries need some assistance from developed countries to develop. International and regional cooperation seems to be a good way to ensure economic growth. The importance of fossil fuels is shown by the growth of international coal and natural gas trade. (TEC)

Cotargeting the lncRNA-PIP3 Interaction and AKT/PI3K Signaling Axis: A Novel Paradigm for Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

Negative Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Liuqing Yang CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX...Signaling Axis: A Novel Paradigm for Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Liuqing Yang 5d...ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS M D ANDERSON CANCER HOUSTON TX 77030-0417 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES

Autophagosomal Sequestration of Mitochondria as an Indicator of Antiandrogen Therapy Resistance of Prostate Cancer (PCa)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-11-01

Prostate Cancer (PCa) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: George Wilding, M.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX...Indicator of Antiandrogen Therapy Resistance of Prostate Cancer (PCa) 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-1-0509 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S...AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, TX 77030-4009

Chicago particle accelerator conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Southworth, Brian

1989-01-01

Naturally, emphasis at the Particle Accelerator Conference in Chicago in March was on work in the US, just as the newly instituted European Particle Accelerator Conference places emphasis on work in the 'old continent'. All will come together at the international conference in Japan in August. The proposed US Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) was highlighted in the opening talk at Chicago. Progress on this inchoate project to explore the TeV (1000 GeV) energy region by colliding 20 TeV proton beams was reported by the recently-appointed Director of the SSC Laboratory, Roy Schwitters. He reviewed the physics challenges and described progress and plans towards full authorization of construction.This year, the SSC conceptual design will be transformed into a 'site specific' report, now that the location at Waxahachie in Ellis County, Texas, has been selected. The Central Design Group, based in Berkeley for the past few years, will soon move to the Waxahachie region. The top management structure is taking shape and an International Advisory Committee is being formed

Chicago particle accelerator conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Southworth, Brian

1989-06-15

Naturally, emphasis at the Particle Accelerator Conference in Chicago in March was on work in the US, just as the newly instituted European Particle Accelerator Conference places emphasis on work in the 'old continent'. All will come together at the international conference in Japan in August. The proposed US Superconducting Supercollider (SSC) was highlighted in the opening talk at Chicago. Progress on this inchoate project to explore the TeV (1000 GeV) energy region by colliding 20 TeV proton beams was reported by the recently-appointed Director of the SSC Laboratory, Roy Schwitters. He reviewed the physics challenges and described progress and plans towards full authorization of construction.This year, the SSC conceptual design will be transformed into a 'site specific' report, now that the location at Waxahachie in Ellis County, Texas, has been selected. The Central Design Group, based in Berkeley for the past few years, will soon move to the Waxahachie region. The top management structure is taking shape and an International Advisory Committee is being formed.

The relationship between future orientation and street substance use among Texas alternative school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, R J; Tortolero, Susan R; Johnson, Regina Jones; Addy, Robert C; Markham, Christine M; Escobar-Chaves, S Liliana; Lewis, Holly; Yacoubian, George S

2005-01-01

Self-reported substance use data were collected from 963 alternative school students in grades 7-12 who were surveyed through the Safer Choices 2 study in Houston, Texas. Data were collected between October 2000 and March 2001. Logistic regression analyses indicated that lower levels of future orientation was significantly associated (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.81-0.97) with thirty-day substance use after controlling for age and gender. In addition, lower levels of future orientation was found to have a significant association with students' lifetime substance use (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.87-.99) after controlling for age, race, and gender. While the relationships tested in this study are exploratory, they provide evidence for an important connection between future orientation and substance use among adolescents attending alternative schools.

Water-level altitudes 2010 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973-2009 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Kasmarek, Mark C.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Ramage, Jason K.

2010-01-01

Most of the subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region has occurred as a direct result of groundwater withdrawals for municipal supply, industrial use, and irrigation that depressured and dewatered the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers causing compaction of the clay layers of the aquifer sediments. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, and Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The report contains maps showing 2010 water-level altitudes for the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, respectively; maps showing 1-year (2009-10) water-level-altitude changes for each aquifer; maps showing 5-year (2005-10) water-level-altitude changes for each aquifer; maps showing long-term (1990-2010 and 1977-2010) water-level-altitude changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers; a map showing long-term (2000-10) water-level-altitude change for the Jasper aquifer; a map showing locations of borehole extensometer sites; and graphs showing measured compaction of subsurface material at the extensometers from 1973, or later, through 2009. Tables listing the data used to construct each aquifer-data map and the compaction graphs are included. Water levels in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers were measured during December 2009-March 2010. In 2010, water-level-altitude contours for the Chicot aquifer ranged from 200 feet below National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 or North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (hereinafter, datum) in a small area in southwestern Harris County to 200 feet above datum in central to southwestern Montgomery County. Water-level-altitude changes in the Chicot aquifer ranged from a 49-foot decline to a 67

50 CFR 14.12 - Designated ports.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., POSSESSION, TRANSPORTATION, SALE, PURCHASE, BARTER, EXPORTATION, AND IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE AND PLANTS.... (f) Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. (g) Honolulu, Hawaii. (h) Houston, Texas. (i) Los Angeles, California...

78 FR 11639 - Houston Pipe Line Company LP; Notice of Petition for Rate Approval

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-19

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR13-31-000] Houston Pipe Line Company LP; Notice of Petition for Rate Approval Take notice that on February 1, 2013, Houston Pipe Line Company LP (HPL) filed for approval of rates for transportation service pursuant to section...

Houston Community College 2011-2012 Fact Book

Science.gov (United States)

Houston Community College System, Office of Institutional Research, 2012

2012-01-01

The Houston Community College (HCC) 2011-2012 Fact Book provides statistical information about the college district. It is important for the reader to be aware that data presented in this publication may differ slightly from statistics found in other district reports. Such variances may result from differences methodology including the source of…

Houston Community College 2010-2011 Fact Book

Science.gov (United States)

Houston Community College System, Office of Institutional Research, 2011

2011-01-01

The Houston Community College (HCC) 2010-2011 Fact Book provides statistical information about the college district. It is important for the reader to be aware that data presented in this publication may differ slightly from statistics found in other district reports. Such variances may result from differences methodology including the source of…

Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program: A Collaboration between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, South Texas College, and Texas A&M University-Commerce. CBE Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Klein-Collins, Rebecca; Glancey, Kathleen

2015-01-01

This case study is part of a series on newer competency-based degree programs that have been emerging in recent years. In January 2014, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), South Texas College (STC), and Texas A&M University-Commerce (A&M Commerce) launched the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program, the state's first…

Petroleum Science and Technology Institute with the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, H. C.; Olson, J. E.; Bryant, S. L.; Lake, L. W.; Bommer, P.; Torres-Verdin, C.; Jablonowski, C.; Willis, M.

2009-12-01

The TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution, a professional development program for 8th- thru 12th-grade Earth Science teachers, presented a one-week Petroleum Science and Technology Institute at The University of Texas at Austin campus. The summer program was a joint effort between the Jackson School of Geosciences and the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering. The goal of the institute was to focus on the STEM components involved in the petroleum industry and to introduce teachers to the larger energy resources theme. The institute kicked off with a welcoming event and tour of a green, energy-efficient home (LEED Platinum certified) owned by one of the petroleum engineering faculty. Tours of the home included an introduction to rainwater harvesting, solar energy, sustainable building materials and other topics on energy efficiency. Classroom topics included drilling technology (including a simulator lab and an overview of the history of the technology), energy use and petroleum geology, well-logging technology and interpretation, reservoir engineering and volumetrics (including numerous labs combining chemistry and physics), risk assessment and economics, carbon capture and storage (CO2 sequestration technology) and hydraulic fracturing. A mid-week field trip included visiting the Ocean Star offshore platform in Galveston, the Weiss Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Science and Schlumberger (to view 3-D visualization technology) in Houston. Teachers remarked that they really appreciated the focused nature of the institute and especially found the increased use of mathematics both a tool for professional growth, as well as a challenge for them to use more math in their science classes. STEM integration was an important feature of the summer institute, and teachers found the integration of science (earth sciences, geophysics), technology, engineering (petroleum, chemical and reservoir) and mathematics particularly valuable. Pre

Texas situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avant, R.V. Jr.; Bowmer, W.J.

1986-01-01

The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority was formed in 1981 to address the Texas low-level radioactive waste problem consistent with the direction of P.L. 96-573. The Authority has completed technical tasks, including source term evaluations, preliminary conceptual designs, economic assessments, and long-range planning, and has work in progress on facility design, site selection, operating procedures, and licensing. Site selection has been the major technical activity and will be completed in 1987 after on-site evaluations of potential sites. The Authority expects to have its site licensed and operating in 1992. Texas has been the leader in site selection. Political concerns and the uncertainty of the national agenda led Texas policy makers to slow down the state's progress. The lessons learned through the Texas situation should be instructive to other states and compacts and may well be a prediction of events for these other groups. This paper discusses the background and status of Texas development activities, future plans, and lessons learned

78 FR 279 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-03

... conjunction with a state stakeholder meeting being held by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on......... Houston, TX Clear Lake City-County 5 p.m.-8 p.m Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane, Houston, Texas...

NATO Conference on Manpower Planning and Organization Design

CERN Document Server

Niehaus, Richard

1978-01-01

This volume is the proceedings of the conference entitled "Manpower Planning and Organization Design" which was held in Stresa, Italy, 20-24 June 1977. The Conference was sponsored by the NATO Scientific Affairs Division and organized jointly through the Special Programs Panels on Human Factors and on Systems Science. Two Conference Directors were appointed with overall responsibilities for the programme and for policy, and they were assisted in their tasks by a small advisory panel consisting of Professor A. Charnes (University of Texas), Professor W.W. Cooper (Carnegie Mellon University, now at Harvard University) and Dr. F.A. Heller (TavistQck Institute of Human Relations). Professor R. Florio of Bergamo kindly agreed to become Administrative Director and, as such, was responsible for all the local arrangements. The Conference Directors were further assisted by "national points of contact" appointed from each of the member countries of NATO. These national representatives played a substantial part in the s...

WE-G-BRA-05: IROC Houston On-Site Audits and Parameters That Affect Performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kry, S; Dromgoole, L; Alvarez, P; Lowenstein, J; Molineu, A; Taylor, P; Followill, D

2015-01-01

Purpose: To highlight the IROC Houston on-site dosimetry audit program, and to investigate the impact of clinical conditions on the frequency of errors/recommendations noted by IROC Houston. Methods: The results of IROC Houston on-site audits from 2000-present were abstracted and compared to clinical parameters, this included 409 institutions and 1020 linacs. In particular, we investigated the frequency of recommendations versus year, and the impact of repeat visits on the number of recommendations. We also investigated the impact on the number of recommendations of several clinical parameters: the number and age of the linacs, the linac/TPS combination, and the scope of the QA program. Results: The number of recommendations per institution (3.1 average) has shown decline between 2000 and present, although the number of recommendations per machine (0.89) has not changed. Previous IROC Houston site visits did not Result in fewer recommendations on a repeat visit, but IROC Houston tests have changed substantially during the last 15 years as radiotherapy technology has changed. There was no impact on the number of recommendations based on the number of machines at the institution or the age of a given machine. The fewest recommendations were observed for Varian-Eclipse combinations (0.71 recs/machine), while Elekta- Pinnacle combinations yielded the most (1.62 recs/machine). Finally, in the TG-142 era (post-2010), those institutions that had a QA recommendation (n=77) had significantly more other recommendations (1.83 per institution) than those that had no QA rec (n=12, 1.33 per institution). Conclusion: Establishing and maintaining a successful radiotherapy program is challenging and areas of improvement can routinely be identified. Clinical conditions such as linac-TPS combinations and the establishment of a good QA program impact the frequency of errors/deficiencies identified by IROC Houston during their on-site review process

WE-G-BRA-05: IROC Houston On-Site Audits and Parameters That Affect Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kry, S; Dromgoole, L; Alvarez, P; Lowenstein, J; Molineu, A; Taylor, P; Followill, D [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To highlight the IROC Houston on-site dosimetry audit program, and to investigate the impact of clinical conditions on the frequency of errors/recommendations noted by IROC Houston. Methods: The results of IROC Houston on-site audits from 2000-present were abstracted and compared to clinical parameters, this included 409 institutions and 1020 linacs. In particular, we investigated the frequency of recommendations versus year, and the impact of repeat visits on the number of recommendations. We also investigated the impact on the number of recommendations of several clinical parameters: the number and age of the linacs, the linac/TPS combination, and the scope of the QA program. Results: The number of recommendations per institution (3.1 average) has shown decline between 2000 and present, although the number of recommendations per machine (0.89) has not changed. Previous IROC Houston site visits did not Result in fewer recommendations on a repeat visit, but IROC Houston tests have changed substantially during the last 15 years as radiotherapy technology has changed. There was no impact on the number of recommendations based on the number of machines at the institution or the age of a given machine. The fewest recommendations were observed for Varian-Eclipse combinations (0.71 recs/machine), while Elekta- Pinnacle combinations yielded the most (1.62 recs/machine). Finally, in the TG-142 era (post-2010), those institutions that had a QA recommendation (n=77) had significantly more other recommendations (1.83 per institution) than those that had no QA rec (n=12, 1.33 per institution). Conclusion: Establishing and maintaining a successful radiotherapy program is challenging and areas of improvement can routinely be identified. Clinical conditions such as linac-TPS combinations and the establishment of a good QA program impact the frequency of errors/deficiencies identified by IROC Houston during their on-site review process.

Air quality impacts of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Texas: evaluating three battery charging scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Tammy M; King, Carey W; Webber, Michael E; Allen, David T

2011-01-01

The air quality impacts of replacing approximately 20% of the gasoline-powered light duty vehicle miles traveled (VMT) with electric VMT by the year 2018 were examined for four major cities in Texas: Dallas/Ft Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) charging was assumed to occur on the electric grid controlled by the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and three charging scenarios were examined: nighttime charging, charging to maximize battery life, and charging to maximize driver convenience. A subset of electricity generating units (EGUs) in Texas that were found to contribute the majority of the electricity generation needed to charge PHEVs at the times of day associated with each scenario was modeled using a regional photochemical model (CAMx). The net impacts of the PHEVs on the emissions of precursors to the formation of ozone included an increase in NO x emissions from EGUs during times of day when the vehicle is charging, and a decrease in NO x from mobile emissions. The changes in maximum daily 8 h ozone concentrations and average exposure potential at twelve air quality monitors in Texas were predicted on the basis of these changes in NO x emissions. For all scenarios, at all monitors, the impact of changes in vehicular emissions, rather than EGU emissions, dominated the ozone impact. In general, PHEVs lead to an increase in ozone during nighttime hours (due to decreased scavenging from both vehicles and EGU stacks) and a decrease in ozone during daytime hours. A few monitors showed a larger increase in ozone for the convenience charging scenario versus the other two scenarios. Additionally, cumulative ozone exposure results indicate that nighttime charging is most likely to reduce a measure of ozone exposure potential versus the other two scenarios.

Transportation Security Institute: recruiting next generation professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

"The Center for Transportation Training and Research (CTTR), as part of Texas Southern University (TSU), served as host for the 2012 Transportation Security Institute (TSI) in Houston and surrounding area. The 2012 Houston TSI focuses on the mission ...

Summary of the International Conference on Software and System Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuhrmann, Marco; O'Connor, Rory V.; Perry, Dewayne E.

2016-01-01

The International Conference on Software and Systems Process (ICSSP), continuing the success of Software Process Workshop (SPW), the Software Process Modeling and Simulation Workshop (ProSim) and the International Conference on Software Process (ICSP) conference series, has become the established...... premier event in the field of software and systems engineering processes. It provides a leading forum for the exchange of research outcomes and industrial best-practices in process development from software and systems disciplines. ICSSP 2016 was held in Austin, Texas, from 14-15 May 2016, co......-located with the 38th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE). The theme of mICSSP 2016 was studying "Process(es) in Action" by recognizing that the AS-Planned and AS-Practiced processes can be quite different in many ways including their ows, their complexity and the evolving needs of stakeholders...

Long-term meteorologically independent trend analysis of ozone air quality at an urban site in the greater Houston area.

Science.gov (United States)

Botlaguduru, Venkata S V; Kommalapati, Raghava R; Huque, Ziaul

2018-04-19

The Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area of Texas has a history of ozone exceedances and is currently classified under moderate nonattainment status for the 2008 8-hr ozone standard of 75 ppb. The HGB area is characterized by intense solar radiation, high temperature, and humidity, which influence day-to-day variations in ozone concentrations. Long-term air quality trends independent of meteorological influence need to be constructed for ascertaining the effectiveness of air quality management in this area. The Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter technique used to separate different scales of motion in a time series, is applied in the current study for maximum daily 8-hr (MDA8) ozone concentrations at an urban site (EPA AQS Site ID: 48-201-0024, Aldine) in the HGB area. This site located within 10 miles of downtown Houston and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, was selected for developing long-term meteorologically independent MDA8 ozone trends for the years 1990-2016. Results from this study indicate a consistent decrease in meteorologically independent MDA8 ozone between 2000-2016. This pattern could be partially attributed to a reduction in underlying NO X emissions, particularly that of lowering nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) levels, and a decrease in the release of highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOC). Results also suggest solar radiation to be most strongly correlated to ozone, with temperature being the secondary meteorological control variable. Relative humidity and wind speed have tertiary influence at this site. This study observed that meteorological variability accounts for a high of 61% variability in baseline ozone (low-frequency component, sum of long-term and seasonal components), while 64% of the change in long-term MDA8 ozone post-2000 could be attributed to NO X emissions reduction. Long-term MDA8 ozone trend component was estimated to be decreasing at a linear rate of 0.412 ± 0.007 ppb/yr for the years 2000-2016, and 0.155�

The Houston Ship Channel security: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Han Q.; Bellamy, P. A.; Pei, S. S. S.

2007-04-01

The Houston Ship Channel (HSC) is a 50-mile long shipping channel that contains many private ports including the Port of Houston Authority. It has a uniquely critical role with respect to the US petroleum energy supply. The HSC security is currently planned for significant enhancement under the auspices of the Harris County and the Houston-based Port Strategic Security Council. The ultimate objective is to comprehensively address the HSC threat matrix. This paper describes the technical effort in support of this program. The HSC security is a complex system of systems that includes the physical control access system, the command, control, communication, and information (C4I) system, and the telecom infrastructure. The strategy is to coordinate the improvements of different components to achieve a high-impact net effectiveness. A key element is a planned high-capacity backbone optical network for integrating the C4I of many different HSC administrative-jurisdictional authorities, which will allow unified situational awareness for a more effective cooperation and coordination. Enhancement of surveillance and intrusion protection is crucial. A feasibility study was conducted for the HSC assuming common surveillance technologies including visible/IR camera, radar, and sonar. The method includes survey and theoretical modeling to detect threats of concern in the HSC natural environment. The result indicates that the HSC unique river-like geography offers both advantages and challenges. The narrow channel allows ease of waterside surveillance, but likely incurs high cost for its great length. In addition, landside security is also important owing to its location amidst urban-industrial zone. Lastly, limitation of the various technologies is discussed by considering the broader challenges of the intrusion problem.

Test Report Emission Test Program EPA Information Collection Request for Delayed Coking Units 736 Coker Unit

Science.gov (United States)

ARI Environmental, Inc. (ARI) was retained by Houston Refining LP (HRO) to conduct an emission test program at their refinery located in Houston, Texas. The testing was conducted on on the 736 Delayed Coking Unit (DCU) in response to EPA's ICR.

Houston Community College (HCC)-Mobile Go Center Program

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Daniel; Sterling, Cheryl; Grays, Shantay R.

2010-01-01

The Houston Community College Mobile Go Center brings college enrollment assistance to the doorstep of our community. It operates in a variety of settings, offering college-going material and person-to-person assistance at numerous city events. Services include assistance with academic advising, completing the FAFSA, college application process,…

33 CFR 3.40-28 - Sector Houston-Galveston Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sector Houston-Galveston Marine....40-28 Sector Houston-Galveston Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur. Sector Houston-Galveston's office is located in Galena Park, TX. A subordinate unit...

Ozone production by corona discharges during a convective event in DISCOVER-AQ Houston

Science.gov (United States)

Kotsakis, Alexander; Morris, Gary A.; Lefer, Barry; Jeon, Wonbae; Roy, Anirban; Minschwaner, Ken; Thompson, Anne M.; Choi, Yunsoo

2017-07-01

An ozonesonde launched near electrically active convection in Houston, TX on 5 September 2013 during the NASA DISCOVER-AQ project measured a large enhancement of ozone throughout the troposphere. A separate ozonesonde was launched from Smith Point, TX (∼58 km southeast of the Houston site) at approximately the same time as the launch from Houston and did not measure that enhancement. Furthermore, ozone profiles for the descent of both sondes agreed well with the ascending Smith Point profile, suggesting a highly localized event in both space and time in which an anomalously large enhancement of 70-100 ppbv appeared in the ascending Houston ozonesonde data. Compared to literature values, such an enhancement appears to be the largest observed to date. Potential sources of the localized ozone enhancement such as entrainment of urban or biomass burning emissions, downward transport from the stratosphere, photochemical production from lightning NOx, and direct ozone production from corona discharges were investigated using model simulations. We conclude that the most likely explanation for the large ozone enhancement is direct ozone production by corona discharges. Integrating the enhancement seen in the Houston ozone profile and using the number of electrical discharges detected by the NLDN (or HLMA), we estimate a production of 2.48 × 1028 molecules of ozone per flash which falls within the range of previously recorded values (9.89 × 1026-9.82 × 1028 molecules of ozone per flash). Since there is currently no parameterization for the direct production of ozone from corona discharges we propose the implementation of an equation into a chemical transport model. Ultimately, additional work is needed to further understand the occurrence and impact of corona discharges on tropospheric chemistry on short and long timescales.

Developing a collaboration with the Houston independent school district: testing the generalizability of a partnership model.

Science.gov (United States)

Poduska, Jeanne; Gomez, Mary Jane; Capo, Zeph; Holmes, Venita

2012-07-01

Moving evidence-based practices into real-world settings is a high priority for education and public health. This paper describes the development of a partnership among the Houston Independent School District, the American Institutes of Research, and the Houston Federation of Teachers to support research on and program sustainability for the Good Behavior Game, a team-based classroom behavior management strategy that has shown positive impact in randomized field trials. The conceptual framework guiding partnership development is presented, followed by an application of the framework in Houston. Lessons learned and implications for the next stage of research and practice are then discussed.

The History of the Austin College Building and Old Main at Sam Houston State University

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Erin; Shields, Samantha

2017-01-01

Austin Hall and Old Main serve as the heart of what is now Sam Houston State University. The buildings' rich histories help one to understand how Sam Houston State University and its proud teacher education heritage came to be. To begin with Austin Hall's story, the University's original building has a unique and interesting tale that journeys…

International Conference Approximation Theory XV

CERN Document Server

Schumaker, Larry

2017-01-01

These proceedings are based on papers presented at the international conference Approximation Theory XV, which was held May 22–25, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. The conference was the fifteenth in a series of meetings in Approximation Theory held at various locations in the United States, and was attended by 146 participants. The book contains longer survey papers by some of the invited speakers covering topics such as compressive sensing, isogeometric analysis, and scaling limits of polynomials and entire functions of exponential type. The book also includes papers on a variety of current topics in Approximation Theory drawn from areas such as advances in kernel approximation with applications, approximation theory and algebraic geometry, multivariate splines for applications, practical function approximation, approximation of PDEs, wavelets and framelets with applications, approximation theory in signal processing, compressive sensing, rational interpolation, spline approximation in isogeometric analysis, a...

Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: cause, effect, and management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berry S

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Shauna Berry,1 Weijie V Lin,2 Ama Sadaka,1 Andrew G Lee1–7 1Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; 3Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA; 4Department of Ophthalmology, 5Department of Neurology, 6Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; 7Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA Abstract: Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION is the most common form of ischemic optic neuropathy and the second most common optic neuropathy. Patients are generally over the age of 50 years with vasculopathic risk factors (eg, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea. The exact mechanism of NAION is not fully understood. In addition, several treatment options have been proposed. This article summarizes the current literature on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of NAION. Keywords: anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, ischemic optic neuropathy

Modeling the uncertainty of several VOC and its impact on simulated VOC and ozone in Houston, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shuai; Choi, Yunsoo; Roy, Anirban; Li, Xiangshang; Jeon, Wonbae; Souri, Amir Hossein

2015-11-01

A WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ modeling system was used to study Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions and their impact on surface VOC and ozone concentrations in southeast Texas during September 2013. The model was evaluated against the ground-level Automated Gas Chromatograph (Auto-GC) measurement data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The comparisons indicated that the model over-predicted benzene, ethylene, toluene and xylene, while under-predicting isoprene and ethane. The mean biases between simulated and observed values of each VOC species showed clear daytime, nighttime, weekday and weekend variations. Adjusting the VOC emissions using simulated/observed ratios improved model performance of each VOC species, especially mitigating the mean bias substantially. Simulated monthly mean ozone showed a minor change: a 0.4 ppb or 1.2% increase; while a change of more than 5 ppb was seen in hourly ozone data on high ozone days, this change moved model predictions closer to observations. The CMAQ model run with the adjusted emissions better reproduced the variability in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) formaldehyde (HCHO) columns. The adjusted model scenario also slightly better reproduced the aircraft HCHO concentrations from NASA's DISCOVER-AQ campaign conducted during the simulation episode period; Correlation, Mean Bias and RMSE improved from 0.34, 1.38 ppb and 2.15 ppb to 0.38, 1.33 ppb and 2.08 ppb respectively. A process analysis conducted for both industrial/urban and rural areas suggested that chemistry was the main process contributing to ozone production in both areas, while the impact of chemistry was smaller in rural areas than in industrial and urban areas. For both areas, the positive chemistry contribution increased in the sensitivity simulation largely due to the increase in emissions. Nudging VOC emissions to match the observed concentrations shifted the ozone hotspots

University of Houston: Engagement, Workforce, and Economic Development

Science.gov (United States)

Schott, Marshall E.

2012-01-01

At the University of Houston (UH), the arrival of a new chancellor/president in 2007 resulted in a strategic environmental scan to determine areas where the university's efforts should be focused over the next ten years. Several major initiatives were launched, including one that sought to make UH a major energy university. The decision to embrace…

Tight integration of computerized procedures with plant information at the South Texas Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brtis, J.S.; Green, T.

1996-01-01

This paper describes a unique undertaking that is underway at Houston Lighting and Power's South Texas Project (STP). The paper presents an information upgrade project that uses expert system technologies to computerize design change procedures and to tightly integrate the resulting on-line, interactive procedures with the on-line information that design change activities use and generate. This effort will show how procedure computerization can leverage the large investments in plant data. The expected benefits include reduced costs and improved quality of design change work, plus a significant reduction in the burden of configuration management that comes from design changes. Both process computerization and the integration of process with data are being implemented at STP. This work is part of a major migration of information from a mainframe to a LAN platform. This paper will be of greatest interest to those involved in: (1) configuration management, (2) coordinating information to support design change procedures, (3) plant information management, and (4) business process reengineering

Pramana – Journal of Physics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Author Affiliations. E C G Sudarshan1 I M Duck2. Department of Physics, Center for Particle Theory, University of Texas, Austin TX 78731, USA; Physics Department, T.W. Bonner Laboratory, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251, USA ...

Operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499, Houston Lighting and Power Company et.al., Matagorda County, Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-08-01

The final environmental impact statement (EPA No. 860376F) on a proposal to issue operating licenses for units 1 and 2 of the South Texas Project describes the two pressurized waters reactors that will produce 1250 MWe per unit. A closed-cycle will use water from the Colorado River for cooling. The site will include prime farmland. The study finds no significant effect on aquatic productivity of the river and no disruptions of the terrestrial biota. Economic benefits will include about 1800 new jobs, which will raise tax revenues and spur the local economy. Area marsh lands and wildlife habitat will suffer. The risk of exposure to accidental radiation is considered very low. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensing require the impact study

Proximity of Residence to Bodies of Water and Risk for West Nile Virus Infection: A Case-Control Study in Houston, Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa S. Nolan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available West Nile virus (WNV, a mosquito-borne virus, has clinically affected hundreds of residents in the Houston metropolitan area since its introduction in 2002. This study aimed to determine if living within close proximity to a water source increases one’s odds of infection with WNV. We identified 356 eligible WNV-positive cases and 356 controls using a population proportionate to size model with US Census Bureau data. We found that living near slow moving water sources was statistically associated with increased odds for human infection, while living near moderate moving water systems was associated with decreased odds for human infection. Living near bayous lined with vegetation as opposed to concrete also showed increased risk of infection. The habitats of slow moving and vegetation lined water sources appear to favor the mosquito-human transmission cycle. These methods can be used by resource-limited health entities to identify high-risk areas for arboviral disease surveillance and efficient mosquito management initiatives.

Treasured Texas Theaters

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Anita

2012-01-01

Dallas artist Jon Flaming's deep love of Texas is evident in his paintings and sculpture. Although he has created one sculptural Texas theater, his work primarily showcases old Texas barbershops, vacant homes, and gas stations. In this article, the author describes how her students, inspired by Flaming's works, created three-dimensional historical…

Can Texas' Physicians Be as Diverse as Texas?

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Sean

2017-07-01

The United States and Texas have a chronic shortage of doctors, but the shortage of minority physicians is even more acute. To address this, and the health disparities that come with it, Texas medical schools are working to increase minority enrollment, but challenges remain.

Maternal Mortality in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Baeva, Sonia; Archer, Natalie P; Ruggiero, Karen; Hall, Manda; Stagg, Julie; Interis, Evelyn Coronado; Vega, Rachelle; Delgado, Evelyn; Hellerstedt, John; Hankins, Gary; Hollier, Lisa M

2017-05-01

A commentary on maternal mortality in Texas is provided in response to a 2016 article in Obstetrics & Gynecology by MacDorman et al. While the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force agree that maternal mortality increased sharply from 2010 to 2011, the percentage change or the magnitude of the increase in the maternal mortality rate in Texas differs depending on the statistical methods used to compute and display it. Methodologic challenges in identifying maternal death are also discussed, as well as risk factors and causes of maternal death in Texas. Finally, several state efforts currently underway to address maternal mortality in Texas are described. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Limited mobility of dioxins near San Jacinto super fund site (waste pit) in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas due to strong sediment sorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Louchouarn, Patrick; Seward, Shaya M; Cornelissen, Gerard; Arp, Hans Peter H; Yeager, Kevin M; Brinkmeyer, Robin; Santschi, Peter H

2018-02-20

Sediments from a waste pit in Houston Ship Channel (HSC) were characterized using a number of molecular markers of natural organic matter fractions (e.g., pyrogenic carbon residues, PAHs, lignins), in addition to dioxins, in order to test the hypothesis that the dispersal and mobility of dioxins from the waste pit in the San Jacinto River is minimal. Station SG-6, sampled at the site of the submerged waste pit, had the highest dioxin/furan concentrations reported for the Houston Ship Channel/Galveston Bay (HSC/GB) system (10,000-46,000 pg/g), which translated into some of the highest reported World Health Organization Toxic Equivalents (TEQs: 2000-11,000 pg/g) in HSC sediments. Using a multi-tracer approach, this study confirmed our hypothesis that sludges from chlorinated pulps are a very likely source of dioxins/furans to this pit. However, this material also contained large quantities of additional hydrophobic organic contaminants (PAHs) and pyrogenic markers (soot-BC, levoglucosan), pointing to the co-occurrence of petroleum hydrocarbons and combustion byproducts. Comparison of dioxin/furan signatures in the waste pit with those from sediments of the HSC and a control site suggests that the remobilization of contaminated particles did not occur beyond the close vicinity of the pit itself. The dioxins/furans in sediments outside the waste pit within the HSC are rather from other diffuse inputs, entering the sedimentary environment through the air and water, and which are comprised of a mixture of industrial and municipal sources. Fingerprinting of waste pit dioxins indicates that their composition is typical of pulp and paper sources. Measured pore water concentrations were 1 order of magnitude lower than estimated values, calculated from a multiphase sorption model, indicating low mobility of dioxins within the waste pit. This is likely accomplished by co-occurring and strong sorbing pyrogenic and petrogenic residues in the waste pit, which tend to keep

11th Workshop on Self-Organizing Maps

CERN Document Server

Mendenhall, Michael; O'Driscoll, Patrick

2016-01-01

This book contains the articles from the international conference 11th Workshop on Self-Organizing Maps 2016 (WSOM 2016), held at Rice University in Houston, Texas, 6-8 January 2016. WSOM is a biennial international conference series starting with WSOM'97 in Helsinki, Finland, under the guidance and direction of Professor Tuevo Kohonen (Emeritus Professor, Academy of Finland). WSOM brings together the state-of-the-art theory and applications in Competitive Learning Neural Networks: SOMs, LVQs and related paradigms of unsupervised and supervised vector quantization. The current proceedings present the expert body of knowledge of 93 authors from 15 countries in 31 peer reviewed contributions. It includes papers and abstracts from the WSOM 2016 invited speakers representing leading researchers in the theory and real-world applications of Self-Organizing Maps and Learning Vector Quantization: Professor Marie Cottrell (Universite Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, France), Professor Pablo Estevez (University of Chile and ...

Request for Support for the Conference on Super Intense Laser Atom Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todd Ditmire

2004-01-01

The Conference on Super Intense Laser Atom Physics (SILAP) was held in November 2003 in Dallas, Texas. The venue for the meeting was South Fork Ranch in the outskirts of Dallas. The topics of the meeting included high harmonic generation and attosecond pulse generation, strong field interactions with molecules and clusters, particle acceleration, and relativistic laser atom interactions

The impact of declining vaccination coverage on measles control: a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

abp

2013-07-22

Jul 22, 2013 ... Chukwuemeka Anthony Umeh1,&, Hycienth Peterson Ahaneku2. 1 Hospitals Management Board, Bayelsa state Nigeria, 2Department of Epidemiology, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas,. USA. &Corresponding author: Chukwuemeka AnthonyUmeh, Hospitals Management Board, ...

Efficacy of fenbendazole and levamisole treatments in captive Houston toads (Bufo [Anaxyrus] houstonensis).

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Catherine M; Johnson, Cassidy B; Howard, Lauren L; Crump, Paul

2014-09-01

Effective disease monitoring and prevention is critical to the success of captive amphibian care. Nematodes, including the genera Rhabdias and Strongyloides, are known to contribute to mortality in captive amphibians and have been identified in the Houston Zoo's endangered Houston toad (Bufo [Anaxyrus] houstonensis) captive assurance colony. Five years of fecal data for the toad colony were compiled and analyzed in order to investigate the efficacy of two anthelminthic medications, fenbendazole (FBZ) and levamisole (LMS), which were used to control nematode infections. Both FBZ (dusted onto food items) and topical LMS (6.5 to 13.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of nematode eggs, larvae, and adults observed by fecal parasitologic examination. There were no significant differences between treatments, and egg reappearance periods were difficult to compare as a result of low sample size. No adverse effects from either anthelminthic treatment were observed. Both topical LMS and oral FBZ appear to be safe and efficacious treatments for the reduction of the internal nematode burden in captive Houston toads.

76 FR 56491 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Tombs, Temples and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-13

... exhibition ``Tombs, Temples and Warriors: China's Imperial Legacy,'' imported from abroad for temporary... the exhibit objects at the Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California, from on or about October 1, 2011, until on or about March 4, 2012, at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Houston, Texas, from on or...

The Evolution of a Multi-Instructional Teaching Center (MITC) in a Metropolitan University System.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, David P.; Hayes, Edward J.; Hugetz, Edward T.; Ivancevich, John M.; Smith, Don N.; Woods, Molly R.

1998-01-01

The University of Houston (Texas) and its four campuses have adopted a "co-opetition" approach to create a multi-instructional teaching center to deliver educational programs and courses in the Houston metropolitan area. It has been found that citizens, legislators, administrators, faculty, and students all benefit, without sacrificing…

Furthering Medical Education in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Varma, Surendra K; Jennings, John

2016-02-01

Medical education in Texas is moving in the right direction. The Texas Medical Association has been a major partner in advancing medical education initiatives. This special symposium issue on medical education examines residency training costs, the Next Accreditation System, graduate medical education in rural Texas, Texas' physician workforce needs, the current state of education reform, and efforts to retain medical graduates in Texas.

Translating Comparative Effectiveness Research Into Practice: Effects of Interventions on Lifestyle, Medication Adherence, and Self-care for Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and Obesity Among Black, Hispanic, and Asian Residents of Chicago and Houston, 2010 to 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashid, Jamila R; Leath, Brenda A; Truman, Benedict I; Atkinson, Donna Durant; Gary, Lisa C; Manian, Nanmathi

In the United States, racial/ethnic minorities account for disproportionate disease and death from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity; however, interventions with measured efficacy in comparative effectiveness research are often not adopted or used widely in those communities. To assess implementation and effects of comparative effectiveness research-proven interventions translated for minority communities. Mixed-method assessment with pretest-posttest single-group evaluation design. US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, research contractor, and advisory board; health centers, including a federally qualified community health center in Chicago, Illinois; and public housing facilities for seniors in Houston, Texas. A total of 97 black, Hispanic, and Asian participants with any combination of health care provider-diagnosed type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or obesity. Virtual training institutes where intervention staff learned cultural competency methods of adapting effective interventions. Health educators delivered the Health Empowerment Lifestyle Program (HELP) in Chicago; community pharmacists delivered the MyRx Medication Adherence Program in Houston. Participation rates, satisfaction with interventions during January to April 2013, and pre- to postintervention changes in knowledge, diet, and clinical outcomes were analyzed through July 2013. In Chicago, 38 patients experienced statistically significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c and systolic blood pressure, increased knowledge of hypertension management, and improved dietary behaviors. In Houston, 38 subsidized housing residents had statistically nonsignificant improvements in knowledge of self-management and adherence to medication for diabetes and hypertension but high levels of participation in pharmacist home visits and group education classes. Adaptation, adoption, and implementation of HELP and MyRx demonstrated important postintervention changes among racial

Public health assessment for French Limited, Crosby, Harris County, Texas, Region 6. CERCLIS No. TXD980514814. addendum. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The French Limited Site is a former petroleum based waste disposal site located in Harris County about 20 miles northeast of Houston, Texas. Although there is evidence of past exposure to site contaminants, the site currently poses no apparent public health hazard. Since part of the remediation process involves aerating the lagoon, future inhalation exposure to volatile organic compounds through inhalation is possible. Modeling data, based on fenceline measurements taken during lagoon aeration, were used to estimate contaminant concentrations in each of the surrounding communities. The ambient air concentrations predicted by the model, for each of the communities, are upper-bound estimates and greatly overestimate actual ambient air levels. Based on the predicted values, the residents in the surrounding communities have no apparent increased lifetime risk of developing cancer from exposure to these contaminants

Texas motorcycle crash countermeasure workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contracted with the Texas A&M : Transportation Institute (TTI) to develop a 5-year strategic plan for improving motorcycle safety : in the State of Texas. The Texas Strategic Action Plan for Motorcycl...

Second International Conference on Near-Field Optical Analysis: Photodynamic Therapy and Photobiology Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Bulgher, Debra L. (Editor); Morrison, Dennis

2002-01-01

The International NASA/DARPA Photobiology Conference held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston/TX demonstrated where low level laser therapy (LLLT), respectively low intensity light activated biostimulation (LILAB) and nanotechnological applications employing photobiomodulation techniques will presumably go in the next ten years. The conference was a continuation of the 1st International Conference on Nearfield Optical Analysis organized by Andrei Sommer (ENSOMA Lab, University of Ulm, Germany) in November 2000 at Castle Reisenburg, Germany, which started with a group of ten scientists from eight different countries. The 1st conference was co-sponsored by the American Chemical Society to evaluate the molecular mechanism of accelerated and normal wound healing processes. The 2nd conference was co-sponsored by DARPA, NASA-JSC and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Despite the short time between events, the 2nd conference hosted 40 international experts form universities, research institutes, agencies and the industry. The materials published here are expected to become milestones forming a novel platform in biomedical photobiology. The multidisciplinary group of researchers focused on LLLT/LILAB-applications under extreme conditions expected to have beneficial effects particularly in space, on submarines, and under severe battlefield conditions. The group also focused on novel technologies with possibilities allowing investigating the interaction of light with biological systems, molecular mechanisms of wound healing, bone regeneration, nerve regeneration, pain modulation, as well as biomineralization and biofilm formulation processes induced by nanobacteria.

Operation of south Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499, Houston Lighting and Power Company et. al., Matagorda County, Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-03-01

The draft version of the environmental impact statement, EPA No. 860106D, deals with licensing a startup of Units 1 and 2 of the South Texas Project, both pressurized water reactors. The plant will permanently eliminate over 3000 acres of farmland and affect another 6000 acres of neighboring farmland. It will discharge cooling water into the Colorado River. Mitigation plans call for 1700 acres of bottom land to become a wildlife preserve and for no use of herbicides in grazing areas. Positive impacts will be increased employment for the area with a corresponding increase in revenues. Negative impacts may be changes in marsh productivity and species composition. There may be a loss of habitat for the American alligator. Risks associated with the accidental release of radiation are rated as very low. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensing provide legal mandates

78 FR 66008 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

... 12 cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; District of Columbia; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; New York City, New York; Philadelphia... advertisements displayed on social networking sites such as Facebook and dating and sex-seeking sites such as...

Sense

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foged, Isak Worre; Pasold, Anke

2013-01-01

COMPETITION SPONSORS SKIN is generously sponsored by Buro Happold through engineering support and the A. Zahner Co. is the competition’s fabrication sponsor. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TEX-FAB is generously supported in its mission of collecting, disseminating and generating information on digital fab...... fabrication within the Texas region by the University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at San Antonio....

"In the middle of an orange grove, across the street from the tortilla factory": The Science Academy of South Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Canter, Anna Rudolph

2004-12-01

The Science Academy of South Texas, one of four magnet schools in The South Texas Independent School District (STISD), opened in 1989 to bring educational opportunities in mathematics and science to students in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. STISD serves three counties and offers enrollment to any student who applies from any of the twenty-eight feeder districts. The Science Academy is the only mathematics and science magnet school in the Rio Grande Valley. Over years, Science Academy has developed partnerships with major colleges and universities in Houston, Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. University partnerships have provided funding for programs at the school and have created continuing summer study programs for Science Academy students. Graduates have been accepted to and/or attended some of the most prestigious colleges and universities across the United States, despite personal challenges including low socioeconomic status, English as their second language, and being the first in their family to attend college. This historical study seeks to answer two basic questions. How has the Science Academy faced its academic, political, and social challenges over the years? What factors appear to have contributed to its establishment, survival, and success? Chapter One, "Significance of the Study and Research Methods" describes the study's significance within the scholarly literature and the research methods used for this study. Chapter Two, "The Science Academy of South Texas" presents the history of STISD and the events which precipitated Science Academy's establishment. Chapter Three, "The Administration, Faculty and Staff of Science Academy," discusses administration and faculty of the Science Academy. Its focus is Science Academy teachers and their educational beliefs as well as the administrators and staff and their beliefs. Chapter Four, "Curriculum Continuity and Change at the Science Academy," focuses on the curriculum history of Science Academy and

International Conference Approximation Theory XIV

CERN Document Server

Schumaker, Larry

2014-01-01

This volume developed from papers presented at the international conference Approximation Theory XIV,  held April 7–10, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. The proceedings contains surveys by invited speakers, covering topics such as splines on non-tensor-product meshes, Wachspress and mean value coordinates, curvelets and shearlets, barycentric interpolation, and polynomial approximation on spheres and balls. Other contributed papers address a variety of current topics in approximation theory, including eigenvalue sequences of positive integral operators, image registration, and support vector machines. This book will be of interest to mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists working in approximation theory, computer-aided geometric design, numerical analysis, and related approximation areas.

Research Article (PLOS ONE) Efficacy of a low-cost bubble CPAP ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-01-29

Jan 29, 2014 ... Department of Respiratory Care, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.. Correspondence to: Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum (rkortum@rice.edu). Abstract. Background. Respiratory failure is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure ...

Application of the Streamflow Prediction Tool to Estimate Sediment Dredging Volumes in Texas Coastal Waterways

Science.gov (United States)

Yeates, E.; Dreaper, G.; Afshari, S.; Tavakoly, A. A.

2017-12-01

Over the past six fiscal years, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has contracted an average of about a billion dollars per year for navigation channel dredging. To execute these funds effectively, USACE Districts must determine which navigation channels need to be dredged in a given year. Improving this prioritization process results in more efficient waterway maintenance. This study uses the Streamflow Prediction Tool, a runoff routing model based on global weather forecast ensembles, to estimate dredged volumes. This study establishes regional linear relationships between cumulative flow and dredged volumes over a long-term simulation covering 30 years (1985-2015), using drainage area and shoaling parameters. The study framework integrates the National Hydrography Dataset (NHDPlus Dataset) with parameters from the Corps Shoaling Analysis Tool (CSAT) and dredging record data from USACE District records. Results in the test cases of the Houston Ship Channel and the Sabine and Port Arthur Harbor waterways in Texas indicate positive correlation between the simulated streamflows and actual dredging records.

21 CFR 808.93 - Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Texas. 808.93 Section 808.93 Food and Drugs FOOD... and Local Exemptions § 808.93 Texas. (a) The following Texas medical device requirement is enforceable... that, in enforcing this requirement, Texas apply the definition of “used hearing aid” in § 801.420(a)(6...

More U.S. production changes hands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Land, R.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that more U.S. oil and gas production is acquiring new owners as some operators scale back operations and others see opportunities for growth. It's part of a continuing program of adjustment to a depressed economy in the petroleum industry. In the latest announcements: Forest Oil Corp., Denver, agree to acquire Transco Energy Co. subsidiary Transco Exploration ampersand Production Co. (Tepco), Houston, for $45 million; Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp., Oklahoma City, agreed to buy essentially all the U.S. oil and gas operations of Dekalb Energy Co., Denver; Black Stone Minerals, a Texas partnership managed by Black Stone Holdings Partnership, Houston, agreed to pay $15 million to Santa Fee Energy Resources Inc. and Santa Fe Energy Partners LP, both of Houston, for royalty and undeveloped mineral interests in 493,000 acres in east Texas and Louisiana

Typhus in Texas

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Dr. Kristy Murray, an associate professor in pediatrics and assistant dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, discusses increased cases of typhus in southern Texas.

In-situ leaching opens new uranium reserves in Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, L.

1975-01-01

A commercial in-situ uranium leaching operation that is quite probably the largest ever built started up in April, 10 mi southwest of George West, Tex. Producing from a pattern of 66 injection wells and 46 extraction wells occupying an area of less than 3 acres, the Clay West mine and plant are expected to reach design capacity of 250,000 lb per year of yellowcake by the end of the summer. By late May, results were sufficiently favorable to make the owners think seriously about an early expansion. Built at a cost of $7 million by joint ventures Atlantic Richfield (50 percent owner and operator), Dalco (25 percent), and US Steel (25 percent), the Clay West mine may be only the first of several mines to extract U 3 O 8 from a uranium province that stretches from north of Houston to Brownsville, at the southernmost tip of the state. Westinghouse subsidiary Wyoming Minerals is building a 250,000-lb-per-year plant near Bruni, with startup planned before the end of 1975, and Mobil Oil is setting up a pilot-scale plant in the same area. A number of other companies are reported to be actively interested in development of in-situ uranium leaching in Texas. (U.S.)

Tracking Central Hypovolemia with ECG in Humans: Cautions for the Use of Heart Period Variability in Patient Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and †Department of Health and Kinesiology , The University of Texas at San Antonio...higher in trauma patients both in prehospital and intensive care unit settings, suggesting that these metrics may not be useful for reliable and

Texas Yehaa !!!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjellberg, Kurt

2001-01-01

Indtryk fra et besøg på SLA, Special Libraries Associations årlige konference, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 9.-13. juni 2001. "An Information Odyssey: Seizing the Competitive Advantage"......Indtryk fra et besøg på SLA, Special Libraries Associations årlige konference, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 9.-13. juni 2001. "An Information Odyssey: Seizing the Competitive Advantage"...

75 FR 68398 - Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad, LLC-Acquisition and Operation Exemption-Texas, Oklahoma...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-05

... & Eastern Railroad, LLC--Acquisition and Operation Exemption--Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad Company Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad, LLC (TOE), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire from Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad Company and to operate...

The relationships between sensation seeking and a spectrum of e-cigarette use behaviors: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses specific to Texas adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Kathleen R; Harrell, Melissa B; Pérez, Adriana; Loukas, Alexandra; Wilkinson, Anna V; Springer, Andrew E; Creamer, MeLisa R; Perry, Cheryl L

2017-10-01

Sensation seeking is strongly associated with cigarette use in adolescents. However, few studies have investigated its relationship with adolescent e-cigarette use. This study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sensation seeking and a variety of e-cigarette use behaviors among Texas adolescents. This study utilized two waves of data collected 6months apart through the Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance System (TATAMS) in 2014-2015 (n=2,488/N=461,069). TATAMS employs a complex probability-sampling design and is representative of students in 6th, 8th and 10th grades from five counties surrounding the four largest cities in Texas (Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin). Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sensation seeking and susceptibility to e-cigarette use, ever e-cigarette use, and current (past 30day) e-cigarette use. In the cross-sectional analyses, higher mean sensation seeking scores were associated with higher odds of both susceptibility to e-cigarette use and ever e-cigarette use (AOR=1.25, 95% CI=1.07, 1.47; AOR=1.24, 95% CI=1.08, 1.43, respectively). For the longitudinal analyses, only the association between higher mean sensation seeking scores and transition to ever e-cigarette use remained statistically significant (AOR=1.45, 95% CI=1.01, 2.08). There were no significant associations between sensation seeking and current e-cigarette use in either the cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. Higher sensation seeking scores were consistently and significantly related to experimentation with e-cigarette use among Texas adolescents. Future interventions (e.g., communication campaigns) should target high sensation seeking adolescents to reduce initiation of e-cigarette use among this population. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

78 FR 19985 - Modification of VOR Federal Airways V-68, V-76, V-194, and V-548 in the Vicinity of Houston, TX

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-03

..., and V-548 in the Vicinity of Houston, TX AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION... airways V-68, V-76, V-194, and V-548 in the vicinity of Houston, TX. The FAA is taking this action to... vicinity of Houston, TX. Specifically, the FAA amends V-68 and V-76 to reflect the Hobby VOR/DME 289[deg...

75 FR 45695 - Final Federal Agency Actions on Trans-Texas Corridor 35 (TTC-35) in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-03

...-Texas Corridor 35 (TTC-35) in Texas AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT. ACTION: Notice... proposed transportation project, TTC-35, extending from the Texas- Oklahoma line to the City of Laredo, generally paralleling existing I- 35 in the State of Texas. DATES: By this notice, the FHWA is advising the...

The Effects of Higher Education/Military Service on Achievement Levels of Police Academy Cadets.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Thomas Allen

This study compared levels of achievement of three groups of Houston (Texas) police academy cadets: those with no military service but with 60 or more college credit hours, those with military service and 0 hours of college credit, and those with military service and 1 to 59 hours of college credit. Prior to 1991, police cadets in Houston were…

33 CFR 165.804 - Snake Island, Texas City, Texas; mooring and fleeting of vessels-safety zone.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Snake Island, Texas City, Texas... Guard District § 165.804 Snake Island, Texas City, Texas; mooring and fleeting of vessels—safety zone. (a) The following is a safety zone: (1) The west and northwest shores of Snake Island; (2) The...

Discrepancies between modeled and observed nocturnal isoprene in an urban environment and the possible causes: A case study in Houston

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Lijun; Choi, Yunsoo; Czader, Beata; Li, Xiangshang; Pan, Shuai; Roy, Anirban; Souri, Amir Hossein; Estes, Mark; Jeon, Wonbae

2016-11-01

Air quality simulations were conducted using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model for nocturnal isoprene in September 2013 using the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Emissions Inventory of 2011 (NEI, 2011). The results were evaluated against measurements collected at eight Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Automated Gas Chromatographs (AutoGCs) monitoring stations. The comparisons demonstrated two distinctive behaviors: overestimation before midnight (20:00-23:00 p.m. local time) versus underestimation after midnight (00:00-06:00 a.m.). Analyses identify the uncertainties in nitrate radical (NO3) concentration and vertical mixing as the possible minor factors contributing to the underestimation, and the underestimated wind speed as the major factor contributing to the overestimation. Further analysis links isoprene underestimation to the uncertainties in the nocturnal isoprene anthropogenic emissions in the NEI (2011) over industrial areas in Houston. This can be substantiated by the fact that the observed nighttime isoprene concentrations increased when the wind direction veered back from southeast to northeast, placing the stations downwind of industrial facilities. A sensitivity run with adjusted anthropogenic isoprene emissions in the later part of the night (i.e., the emissions were multiplied by the hourly underestimation factors ranging from 3.81 to 14.82) yielded closer isoprene predictions after midnight with slightly improved model mean (0.15 to 0.20 ppb), mean error (- 0.10 to - 0.04 ppb), mean absolute error (0.18 to 0.15 ppb), root mean squared error (RMSE, 0.27 to 0.25 ppb), and index of agreement (IOA, 0.66 to 0.68). The insignificant improvement was likely due to the uncertainties in the location of the high-peaked anthropogenic emissions. The impacts of the nighttime-adjusted isoprene emissions on the isoprene oxidation products, organic nitrate and ozone, were found to be minimal. This

Joint Armaments Conference, Exhibition and Firing Demonstration. Volume 1. Monday - Tuesday

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-20

Systems Conference Dallas, Texas May 2010 Support Equipment Design J75189 Ground Handling Adapter J75196 Mount Rail J75199 Gun Transfer Adapter J75208...AP and HE Flex Chutes Primary Container Cover (HE) w/ Indexing Conveyor MK44 30mm Bushmaster II Gun and Dual Feeder 6NDIA Gun and Missile Systems... Transfer Program Manager ARDEC Tuesday , May 18, 2010 KEYNOTE ADDRESS · BrigGen Michael M. Brogan, USMC, Commander, Marine Corps Systems

Texas Disasters II: Utilizing NASA Earth Observations to Assist the Texas Forest Service in Mapping and Analyzing Fuel Loads and Phenology in Texas Grasslands

Science.gov (United States)

Brooke, Michael; Williams, Meredith; Fenn, Teresa

2016-01-01

The risk of severe wildfires in Texas has been related to weather phenomena such as climate change and recent urban expansion into wild land areas. During recent years, Texas wild land areas have experienced sequences of wet and dry years that have contributed to increased wildfire risk and frequency. To prevent and contain wildfires, the Texas Forest Service (TFS) is tasked with evaluating and reducing potential fire risk to better manage and distribute resources. This task is made more difficult due to the vast and varied landscape of Texas. The TFS assesses fire risk by understanding vegetative fuel types and fuel loads. To better assist the TFS, NASA Earth observations, including Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Specrtoradiometer (MODIS) data, were analyzed to produce maps of vegetation type and specific vegetation phenology as it related to potential wildfire fuel loads. Fuel maps from 2010-2011 and 2014-2015 fire seasons, created by the Texas Disasters I project, were used and provided alternating, complementary map indicators of wildfire risk in Texas. The TFS will utilize the end products and capabilities to evaluate and better understand wildfire risk across Texas.

EVALUATION OF GOAT PRODUCTION IN THE HUMID GULF COAST OF TEXAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jackson Mante Dzakuma

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Our research activities are designed to support increased economic opportunities and improved quality of life for rural American farmers.  The objective of this paper is to examine our research efforts and determine where we can be more productive and sustainable.  Goat research activities using  Tennessee Stiff-legged (TS, Spanish (SP, Nubian (NU and Boer (BR breeds in different production systems at the International Goat Research Center at Prairie View A&M University,  located on the northeastern corridor of the Gulf Coast region of Texas, approximately 45 miles from Houston, have been examined.  From a diallel crossing experiment we recommended the use of terminal sire TS on the cross of NUxSP females. Goats that were fed at intermediate level of a ration (70% of ad libitum were significantly more efficient (P< 0.05 in converting feed to gain. Comparison of intensive and pasture rearing systems indicated that pasture raised SP kids were significantly heavier (P< 0.05 than intensively raised SP kids, while the opposite was true for TS and BR kids. It would appear that on pasture, the SP kids grew faster than the TS kids. Between breeds, growth performance was higher for the BR and TS breeds in the intensive system, while growth performance was higher for the SP in the pasture system.  It would appear that the SP breed is more adapted to production under pasture (or extensive production system. Even though the TS breed is smaller, under intensive system it grows more efficiently (P< 0.05 than the SP, an intermediate size breed. Under conditions existing in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, breeds that are adapted to the environment are recommended for use in initiating goat production programs. Tremendous potential exist to make a living with goats in this region.

University of Houston Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Bering, E. A., III; Talbot, R. W.; Hampton, D. L.; Molders, N.; Millan, R. M.; Halford, A. J.; Dunbar, B.; Morris, G. A.; Prince, J.; Gamblin, R.; Ehteshami, A.; Lehnen, J. N.; Greer, M.; Porat, I.; Alozie, M.; Behrend, C. C.; Bias, C.; Fenton, A.; Gunawan, B.; Harrison, W.; Martinez, A.; Mathur, S.; Medillin, M.; Nguyen, T.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nowling, M.; Perez, D.; Pham, M.; Pina, M.; Thomas, G.; Velasquez, B.; Victor, L.

2017-12-01

The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) is a NASA program to engage undergraduate students in rigorous scientific research, for the purposes of innovation and developing the next generation of professionals for an array of fields. The program is student led and executed from initial ideation to research to the design and deployment of scientific payloads. The University of Houston has been selected twice to participate in the USIP programs. The first program (USIP_UH I) ran from 2013 to 2016. USIP_UH II started in January of 2016, with funding starting at the end of May. USIP_UH I (USIP_UH II) at the University of Houston was (is) composed of eight (seven) research teams developing six (seven), distinct, balloon-based scientific instruments. These instruments will contribute to a broad range of geophysical sciences from Very Low Frequency recording and Total Electron Content to exobiology and ozone profiling. USIP_UH I had 12 successful launches with 9 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2015, and 4 piggyback flights with BARREL 3 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2015. USIP_UH II had 8 successful launches with 5 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2017, 3 piggyback flights with BARREL 4 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2016, and 1 flight each from CSBF and UH. The great opportunity of this program is capitalizing on the proliferation of electronics miniaturization to create new generations of scientific instruments that are smaller and lighter than ever before. This situation allows experiments to be done more cheaply which ultimately allows many more experiments to be done.

Transforming Developmental Education in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Developmental Education, 2014

2014-01-01

In recent years, with support from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded various developmental education initiatives, including research and evaluation efforts, to help Texas public institutions of higher education provide more effective programs and services to underprepared students. Based on evaluation…

TEXAS MIGRANT LABOR, THE 1964 MIGRATION.

Science.gov (United States)

Good Neighbor Commission of Texas, Austin.

THE MAJORITY OF TEXAS MIGRANTS LIVE IN SOUTH TEXAS AND APPROXIMATELY 95 PERCENT OF THEM ARE OF MEXICAN EXTRACTION. MOST OF THE OTHER FIVE PERCENT ARE EAST TEXAS NEGROES. THE MECHANIZATION OF COTTON HARVESTING AND THE EXPIRATION OF THE "BRACERO PROGRAM" IN 1964 HAVE CAUSED MORE TEXAS MIGRANTS TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE OF THE STATE. DURING 1964,…

Preventive Dentistry Conference - Public Health Aspects of Preventive Dentistry, 3-4 March 1983, Fort Sam Houston, Texas,

Science.gov (United States)

1983-04-01

abscess . 2. Restorable teeth which have had previous emergency endodontic treatment. d. Periodontics : Advanced progressive periodontal disease with... periodontal disease. Table 2 illustrates statistics typical of studies showing close to 70 percent of the emergencies are in these three potentially...caries, periodontal disease, and to some extent treatment services as they existed in a cross section of the North Carolina population in 1960-63 and to

Changing Teacher Practices: Proceedings of a National Conference (Austin, Texas, October 1981).

Science.gov (United States)

Defino, Maria E., Ed.; Carter, Heather, Ed.

In this report of a working conference, experts in the teacher education field considered the adequacy of current research on teaching practices and obstacles in the implementation of changes based on research findings. In "How Useful Are the Findings from the Research on Teaching," Jane A. Stallings discussed findings from research on teaching…

40 CFR 52.2285 - Control of evaporative losses from the filling of gasoline storage vessels in the Houston and San...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Control of evaporative losses from the filling of gasoline storage vessels in the Houston and San Antonio areas. 52.2285 Section 52.2285... of gasoline storage vessels in the Houston and San Antonio areas. (a) Definitions: (1) Gasoline means...

Treatment Planning System Calculation Errors Are Present in Most Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core-Houston Phantom Failures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerns, James R; Stingo, Francesco; Followill, David S; Howell, Rebecca M; Melancon, Adam; Kry, Stephen F

2017-08-01

The anthropomorphic phantom program at the Houston branch of the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC-Houston) is an end-to-end test that can be used to determine whether an institution can accurately model, calculate, and deliver an intensity modulated radiation therapy dose distribution. Currently, institutions that do not meet IROC-Houston's criteria have no specific information with which to identify and correct problems. In the present study, an independent recalculation system was developed to identify treatment planning system (TPS) calculation errors. A recalculation system was commissioned and customized using IROC-Houston measurement reference dosimetry data for common linear accelerator classes. Using this system, 259 head and neck phantom irradiations were recalculated. Both the recalculation and the institution's TPS calculation were compared with the delivered dose that was measured. In cases in which the recalculation was statistically more accurate by 2% on average or 3% at a single measurement location than was the institution's TPS, the irradiation was flagged as having a "considerable" institutional calculation error. The error rates were also examined according to the linear accelerator vendor and delivery technique. Surprisingly, on average, the reference recalculation system had better accuracy than the institution's TPS. Considerable TPS errors were found in 17% (n=45) of the head and neck irradiations. Also, 68% (n=13) of the irradiations that failed to meet the IROC-Houston criteria were found to have calculation errors. Nearly 1 in 5 institutions were found to have TPS errors in their intensity modulated radiation therapy calculations, highlighting the need for careful beam modeling and calculation in the TPS. An independent recalculation system can help identify the presence of TPS errors and pass on the knowledge to the institution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 42436 - Houston Pipe Line Company LP-Bammel Storage, Docket No. PR10-51-000, et. al.; Notice of Baseline...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Houston Pipe Line Company LP--Bammel Storage, Docket No. PR10-51- 000, et. al.; Notice of Baseline Filings July 14, 2010. Houston Pipe Line..., 2010, respectively the applicants listed above submitted their baseline filing of its Statement of...

33 CFR 161.35 - Vessel Traffic Service Houston/Galveston.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...; Gulf ICW and Galveston-Freeport Cut-Off from Mile 346 to Mile 352; Texas City Channel; Texas City...′ N 94°47.0′ W Red Fish Bar 4000 29°29.8′ N 94°51.9′ W Bayport Channel 4000 29°36.7′ N 94°57.2′ W... Galveston Bay Entrance Channel LB 11 and 12 29° 20.6′ N; 94° 44.6′ W E Bolivar Land Cut Mile 349...

Public Outreach of the South Texas Health Physic Society and Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, R. O.

2003-01-01

In a cooperative effort of the members of the South Texas Chapter of the Heath Physics Society (STC-HPS) and the Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department, great efforts have been made to reach out and provide educational opportunities to members of the general public, school age children, and specifically teachers. These efforts have taken the form of Science Teacher Workshops (STW), visits to schools all over the state of Texas, public forums, and many other educational arenas. A major motivational factor for these most recent efforts can be directly tied to the attempt of the State of Texas to site a low-level radioactive waste facility near Sierra Blanca in West Texas. When the State of Texas first proposed to site a low level radioactive waste site after the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 was passed, many years of political struggle ensued. Finally, a site at Sierra Blanca in far West Texas was selected for study and characterization for a disposal site for waste generated in the Texas Compact states of Maine, Vermont and Texas. During this process, the outreach to and education of the local public became a paramount issue

Forests of east Texas, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Kerry Dooley

2018-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in east Texas based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Southern Research Station (SRS) in cooperation with Texas A&M Forest Service. The 254 counties of Texas are consolidated into seven FIA survey units—Southeast (unit 1),...

Sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pence D.B.

2001-06-01

Full Text Available There are no published reports of domestic or sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas. The aim of the present survey was to determine the presence of Trichinella species in selected representative species of potential wildlife reservoirs in southern Texas. In 1998-99, tongues of 211 wild mammals were collected in southern Texas: 154 coyotes (Canis latrans, three bobcats (Lynx rufus, 32 racoons (Procyon lotor, 1 3 opossum (Didelphis marsupialis, four ocelots (Leopardus pardalis and five wild boars (Sus scrofa. Presence of Trichinella sp. larvae was investigated by artificial digestion and larvae of positive samples were identified at the species level by a multiple-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Nine (5.8 % coyotes had trichinellosis ; in the muscles of seven of these coyotes, the larvae were identified as Trichinella murrelli. This is the first report of sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas.

Houston’s Urban Forest, 2015

Science.gov (United States)

David J. Nowak; Allison R. Bodine; Robert E. Hoehn; Christopher B. Edgar; Gretchen Riley; Dudley R. Hartel; Kerry J. Dooley; Sharon M. Stanton; Mark A. Hatfield; Thomas J. Brandeis; Tonya W. Lister

2017-01-01

An analysis of the urban forest in Houston, Texas, reveals that this area has an estimated 33.3 million live trees with tree canopy that covers 18.4 percent of the city. Roughly 19.2 million of the city’s trees are located on private lands. The most common tree species are yaupon, Chinese tallowtree, Chinese privet, Japanese privet, and sugarberry. Trees in Houston...

Optical Elastography of Systemic Sclerosis Skin

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX The University of Texas Health Science ...o What was the impact on society beyond science and technology? Nothing to Report. 5.CHANGES/PROBLEMS: o Changes in approach and reasons for...Sclerosis Patient-Derived Data Role: PI Time Commitment: 0.24 calendar mos Supporting Agency: Momenta Pharmaceuticals , Inc Name and Address of the

Typhus in Texas

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2017-07-06

Dr. Kristy Murray, an associate professor in pediatrics and assistant dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, discusses increased cases of typhus in southern Texas.  Created: 7/6/2017 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 7/6/2017.

An updated understanding of Texas bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae species presence and potential distributions in Texas, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L. Beckham

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Texas is the second largest state in the United States of America, and the largest state in the contiguous USA at nearly 700,000 sq. km. Several Texas bumble bee species have shown evidence of declines in portions of their continental ranges, and conservation initiatives targeting these species will be most effective if species distributions are well established. To date, statewide bumble bee distributions for Texas have been inferred primarily from specimen records housed in natural history collections. To improve upon these maps, and help inform conservation decisions, this research aimed to (1 update existing Texas bumble bee presence databases to include recent (2007–2016 data from citizen science repositories and targeted field studies, (2 model statewide species distributions of the most common bumble bee species in Texas using MaxEnt, and (3 identify conservation target areas for the state that are most likely to contain habitat suitable for multiple declining species. The resulting Texas bumble bee database is comprised of 3,580 records, to include previously compiled museum records dating from 1897, recent field survey data, and vetted records from citizen science repositories. These data yielded an updated state species list that includes 11 species, as well as species distribution models (SDMs for the most common Texas bumble bee species, including two that have shown evidence of range-wide declines: B. fraternus (Smith, 1854 and B. pensylvanicus (DeGeer, 1773. Based on analyses of these models, we have identified conservation priority areas within the Texas Cross Timbers, Texas Blackland Prairies, and East Central Texas Plains ecoregions where suitable habitat for both B. fraternus and B. pensylvanicus are highly likely to co-occur.

PREFACE: XVth International Conference on Calorimetry in High Energy Physics (CALOR2012)

Science.gov (United States)

Akchurin, Nural

2012-12-01

reconstruction and trigger of jets, missing transverse energy, electrons, photons, and taus. Pile-up, anomalous signals, and noise mitigation techniques were also discussed in the conference. On the last day, several future R&D initiatives were presented: highly granular CALICE with different technology options and plans for the dual-readout DREAM projects were the main topics. Although these approaches are quite different conceptually, future experiments will certainly benefit from their innovations. Concluding remarks by the chair of the organizing committee, Nural Akchurin (TTU), summarized the highlights of the conference and invited proposals to host the CALOR2014 conference in Europe, as the conference venue rotates between the Americas, Europe, and Asia every two years. We strived hard to keep the cost of this conference as low as possible without sacrificing the scientific mission. I am delighted to report that we were able to provide support for six junior colleagues to participate in this conference. I am also grateful to the institutions, industrial partners, and agencies that provided the support that made a lot possible: Texas Tech University, the University of New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the US Department of Energy, CAEN, and the Wiener Plein & Baus, Corp. I also would like to thank the session conveners who organized sessions and reviewed the papers. The members of the local organizing committee were instrumental to the success of this conference: their experience and attention to detail were invaluable. Most of all, I extend my appreciation to the conference participants and to all my other colleagues who continue to enrich the field of calorimetry through their hard work and creativity. The future is bright. Nural Akchurin Chair of the Organizing Committee International Advisory Committee: Mikhail Danilov, ITEP Moscow Marcella Diemoz, INFN Roma I Antonio Ereditato, Univ. of Bern Franco L. Fabbri, INFN Frascati Tomio Kobayashi, ICEPP Tokyo Michele

Ecological Baseline, Fort Hood, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

1980-08-01

cedar eTm (Uiimus crassifolia), Texas ash (Fraxinus texansis), and Texas persimmon ( Diospyros texana). Conversely, the two predominant tree species...Ilex decidua), Mex- ican buckeye (Ungnadia spjeciosa), and Texas persimmon ( Diospyros texana). Vines included greenbrier (Smilax bona-nox) and white...Hedgehey Cactus (Echinocereus sp.) has been observed on Fort Hood. Due to the brief period of flowering for this genus , the individual species were not

Water supply and needs for West Texas

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation focused on the water supplies and needs of West Texas, Texas High Plains. Groundwater is the most commonly used water resources on the Texas High Plains, with withdrawals from the Ogallala Aquifer dominating. The saturation thickness of the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas is such that t...

Tribute to the legend Mr. Veterinary Public Health, Professor James ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The author was also destined during his Sabbatical Leave to have an interactive interview session with Prof James Steele after attending the 20th Annual James Steele lecture/ 99th birthday Dinner of Professor James Steele 4th and 6th April 2012 at the Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA. The interview ...

75 FR 21534 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-26

... improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Texas program and... during regular business hours at the following location: Surface Mining and Reclamation Division... locations listed above under ADDRESSES. Texas proposes to revise its regulation at 16 Texas Administrative...

Addressing a silent killer - The International Conference on Betel Quid and Areca Nut

Science.gov (United States)

The Center for Global Health, National Cancer Institute, in coordination with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research , The University of Texas at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Oral Cancer Research Coordinating Center, University of Malaya, Taiwan Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and with the generous support of the Malaysia Ministry of Health, hosted the International Conference on Betel Quid and Areca Nut in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on April 27-28, 2016.

76 FR 50708 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

..., renewals, and significant revisions. Texas intends to revise its program to improve operational efficiency. This document provides the times and locations that the Texas program and proposed amendments to that... business hours at the following location: Railroad Commission of Texas, 1701 North Congress Ave., Austin...

78 FR 11579 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-19

... Interest and Compliance Information (Underground Mining). Texas proposed to delete old language in Sec. 12.... Therefore, we approve Texas' deletion. Texas proposed to delete old language in Sec. 12.156 regarding the... proposed to add new language regarding certifying and updating existing permit information, permit...

The True Voice of Whitney Houston: Commodification, Authenticity, and African American Superstardom

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooijman, J.

2014-01-01

Taking its title from the 1994 AT&T commercial starring Whitney Houston, this article examines how Houston’s voice has functioned in the construction of her star persona from her 1985 debut album to her premature death on 11 February 2012, recognising three phases: the formative years (1985-1991);

Is the Texas Pecan Checkoff Program Working?

OpenAIRE

Moore, Eli D.; Williams, Gary W.

2008-01-01

The Texas Pecan Board was established in 1998 to administer the Texas Pecan Checkoff Program and is financed through a one-half cent per pound assessment on grower pecan sales. The Board spends the assessment collections on a variety of advertising campaigns in an attempt to expand demand for Texas pecans, both improved and native varieties, and increase the welfare of Texas pecan growers. This study presents an evaluation of the economic effectiveness of the Texas Pecan Checkoff Program in e...

Chagas disease risk in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Sahotra; Strutz, Stavana E; Frank, David M; Rivaldi, Chissa-Louise; Sissel, Blake; Sánchez-Cordero, Victor

2010-10-05

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a serious public health concern in many areas of Latin America, including México. It is also endemic in Texas with an autochthonous canine cycle, abundant vectors (Triatoma species) in many counties, and established domestic and peridomestic cycles which make competent reservoirs available throughout the state. Yet, Chagas disease is not reportable in Texas, blood donor screening is not mandatory, and the serological profiles of human and canine populations remain unknown. The purpose of this analysis was to provide a formal risk assessment, including risk maps, which recommends the removal of these lacunae. The spatial relative risk of the establishment of autochthonous Chagas disease cycles in Texas was assessed using a five-stage analysis. 1. Ecological risk for Chagas disease was established at a fine spatial resolution using a maximum entropy algorithm that takes as input occurrence points of vectors and environmental layers. The analysis was restricted to triatomine vector species for which new data were generated through field collection and through collation of post-1960 museum records in both México and the United States with sufficiently low georeferenced error to be admissible given the spatial resolution of the analysis (1 arc-minute). The new data extended the distribution of vector species to 10 new Texas counties. The models predicted that Triatoma gerstaeckeri has a large region of contiguous suitable habitat in the southern United States and México, T. lecticularia has a diffuse suitable habitat distribution along both coasts of the same region, and T. sanguisuga has a disjoint suitable habitat distribution along the coasts of the United States. The ecological risk is highest in south Texas. 2. Incidence-based relative risk was computed at the county level using the Bayesian Besag-York-Mollié model and post-1960 T. cruzi incidence data. This risk is concentrated in south Texas. 3. The

Chagas disease risk in Texas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahotra Sarkar

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a serious public health concern in many areas of Latin America, including México. It is also endemic in Texas with an autochthonous canine cycle, abundant vectors (Triatoma species in many counties, and established domestic and peridomestic cycles which make competent reservoirs available throughout the state. Yet, Chagas disease is not reportable in Texas, blood donor screening is not mandatory, and the serological profiles of human and canine populations remain unknown. The purpose of this analysis was to provide a formal risk assessment, including risk maps, which recommends the removal of these lacunae. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The spatial relative risk of the establishment of autochthonous Chagas disease cycles in Texas was assessed using a five-stage analysis. 1. Ecological risk for Chagas disease was established at a fine spatial resolution using a maximum entropy algorithm that takes as input occurrence points of vectors and environmental layers. The analysis was restricted to triatomine vector species for which new data were generated through field collection and through collation of post-1960 museum records in both México and the United States with sufficiently low georeferenced error to be admissible given the spatial resolution of the analysis (1 arc-minute. The new data extended the distribution of vector species to 10 new Texas counties. The models predicted that Triatoma gerstaeckeri has a large region of contiguous suitable habitat in the southern United States and México, T. lecticularia has a diffuse suitable habitat distribution along both coasts of the same region, and T. sanguisuga has a disjoint suitable habitat distribution along the coasts of the United States. The ecological risk is highest in south Texas. 2. Incidence-based relative risk was computed at the county level using the Bayesian Besag-York-Mollié model and post-1960 T. cruzi incidence data. This

77 FR 18738 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-28

... improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Texas program and... location: Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, Railroad Commission of Texas, 1701 North Congress Avenue... available for you to read at the locations listed above under ADDRESSES. Texas proposes to revise its...

27 CFR 9.155 - Texas Davis Mountains.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) “Fort Davis, Texas,” 1985. (2) “Mount Livermore, Texas—Chihuahua,” 1985. (c) Boundary. The Texas Davis... follows Highway 166 in a southwesterly direction onto the Mt. Livermore, Texas-Chihuahua, U.S.G.S. map; (6... Grapevine Canyon on the Mt. Livermore, Texas-Chihuahua, U.S.G.S. map; (14) The boundary then proceeds in a...

Modeling the Impact of CINO2 on Ozone Formation in the Houston Area

Science.gov (United States)

During the summer of 2006, nitryl chloride (ClNO2) mixing ratios of over 1 ppb were measured in the Houston urban area. Nitryl chloride is potentially important to atmospheric chemistry in urban environments because its photolysis products include both NO2 a...

Use of trees by the Texas ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) in eastern Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Josh B. Pierce; Robert R. Fleet; Lance McBrayer; D. Craig Rudolph

2008-01-01

We present information on the use of trees by Elaphe obsoleta (Texas Ratsnake) in a mesic pine-hardwood forest in eastern Texas. Using radiotelemetry, seven snakes (3 females, 4 males) were relocated a total of 363 times from April 2004 to May 2005, resulting in 201 unique locations. Snakes selected trees containing cavities and used hardwoods and...

Rotorwash Operational Footprint Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

I-13. Francis, J. K., and Gillespie, A., “Relating Gust Speed to Tree Damage in Hurricane Hugo , 1989,” Journal of Arboriculture, November 1993...statement has been Rotorwash Operational Footprint Modeling 72 found to be correct. In many parts of the United States, the requirements for hurricane ...On August 18, 1983, Hurricane Alicia struck downtown Houston, Texas. Researchers were allowed into downtown Houston the following day to help survey

Ready Texas: Stakeholder Convening. Proceedings Report

Science.gov (United States)

Intercultural Development Research Association, 2016

2016-01-01

With the adoption of substantial changes to Texas high school curricula in 2013 (HB5), a central question for Texas policymakers, education and business leaders, families, and students is whether and how HB5 implementation impacts the state of college readiness and success in Texas. Comprehensive research is needed to understand the implications…

Texas pavement preservation center four-year summary report.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-07-04

The Texas Pavement Preservation Center (TPPC), in joint collaboration with the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) of the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) of Texas A&M University, promotes the use of pav...

75 FR 9018 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-26

... warehousing and packaging distribution business located in Houston, Texas. The efficiency and safety of their..., data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing in connection with these...

Draft environmental statement related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). Houston Lighting and Power Company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-03-01

This Draft Environmental Statement contains the second assessment of the environmental impact associated with the operation of the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Title 10 of the ''Code of Federal Regulations,'' Part 51, as amended, of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. This statement examines the environmental impacts, environmental consequences and mitigating actions, and environmental and economic benefits and costs associated with station operation. Land use and terrestrial and aquatic ecological impacts will be small. No operational impacts to historic and archaeological sites are anticipated. The effects of routine operations, energy transmission, and periodic maintenance of rights-of-way and transmission facilities should not jeopardize any populations of endangered or threatened species. No significant impacts are anticipated from normal operational releases of radioactivity. The risk of radiation exposure associated with accidental release of radioactivity is very low. Socioeconomic impacts of the project are anticipated to be minimal. The action called for is the issuance of an operating license for South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2

9th International Conference on 3D Radiation Dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

IC3DDose 2016 - 9th International Conference on 3D Radiation Dosimetry Preface It was a great pleasure to welcome participants to IC3DDose 2016, the 9th International Conference on 3D Radiation Dosimetry, held from 7–10 November 2016 in Galveston, Texas. The series of conferences has evolved considerably during its history. At the first conference, DOSGEL’99, the discussion centered around gel dosimetry. Held in Lexington, Kentucky in 1999, it was timed to coincide with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. It was my honour to organize that first conference, and it was once again my honour to organize the 9th conference in the series now known as IC3DDose which was held in Galveston, Texas. As was the case with recent IC3DDose conferences, the topic has broadened considerably beyond gel dosimetry. Not only have newer 3D volumetric dosimeters appeared on the scene, but novel electronic dosimetry systems and software that generate quasi-3D dose information have also. These changes have tracked advances in radiation oncology as techniques such as IMRT, VMAT, and IGRT have become almost ubiquitous. At the same time, dynamic treatments including gating and tracking now enjoy widespread use. Novel treatment technologies have appeared with perhaps the most disruptive being combined MR imaging-treatment units such as the ViewRay MR-cobalt unit and the Elekta/Philips MR-Linac. The potential benefits offered by 3D dosimetry were explored, compared and evaluated during IC3DDose 2016. Novel and improved readout techniques, some of which take advantage of the contemporary treatment environment and new QA systems and procedures, as well as other aspects of clinical dosimetry were well represented in the program. Over the past several years, the importance of safety in radiation therapy has been highlighted. The benefits of 3D dosimetry in contributing to safe and accurate treatments cannot be overstated. The

78 FR 27342 - Radio Broadcasting Services; Moran, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-10

... Broadcasting Services; Moran, Texas AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY... service at Moran, Texas. Channel 281A can be allotted at Moran, Texas, in compliance with the Commission's... parties should serve petitioner as follows: Katherine Pyeatt, 215 Cedar Springs Rd., 1605, Dallas, Texas...

75 FR 51852 - Notice of Intent To Grant Partially Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-23

... Shear Stress and Gravity'' to Regenetech, Inc., having its principal place of business in Houston, Texas... notice, NASA receives written objections including evidence and argument that establish that the grant of...

78 FR 51750 - NASA Asteroid Initiative Idea Synthesis Workshop

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-21

... streaming forums dedicated to the workshop plenary sessions and focused track sessions. Check In Workshop... main doors (3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, Texas 77058). Media News media interested in attending are...

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Author Affiliations. Sankar Kumar Nath1 Khemraj Shukla1 Madhav Vyas2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India. Schlumberger Limited, Houston, Texas 77077, USA.

Proceedings of the 1999 Oil and Gas Conference: Technology Options for Producer Survival

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None available

2000-04-12

The 1999 Oil & Gas Conference was cosponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Fossil Energy, Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC) and National Petroleum Technology Office (NPTO) on June 28 to 30 in Dallas, Texas. The Oil & Gas Conference theme, Technology Options for Producer Survival, reflects the need for development and implementation of new technologies to ensure an affordable, reliable energy future. The conference was attended by nearly 250 representatives from industry, academia, national laboratories, DOE, and other Government agencies. Three preconference workshops (Downhole Separation Technologies: Is it Applicable for Your Operations, Exploring and developing Naturally Fractured Low-Permeability Gas Reservoirs from the Rocky Mountains to the Austin Chalk, and Software Program Applications) were held. The conference agenda included an opening plenary session, three platform sessions (Sessions 2 and 3 were split into 2 concurrent topics), and a poster presentation reception. The platform session topics were Converting Your Resources Into Reserves (Sessions 1 and 2A), Clarifying Your Subsurface Vision (Session 2B), and High Performance, Cost Effective Drilling, Completion, Stimulation Technologies (Session 3B). In total, there were 5 opening speakers, 30 presenters, and 16 poster presentations.

9 CFR 72.5 - Area quarantined in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Area quarantined in Texas. 72.5... AGRICULTURE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS TEXAS (SPLENETIC) FEVER IN CATTLE § 72.5 Area quarantined in Texas. The area quarantined in Texas is the quarantined area...

Technical Training seminar: Texas Instruments

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

Monday 6 November TECHNICAL TRAINING SEMINAR 14:00 to 17:30 - Training Centre Auditorium (bldg. 593) Texas Instruments Technical Seminar Michael Scholtholt, Field Application Engineer / TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (US, D, CH) POWER - A short approach to Texas Instruments power products Voltage mode vs. current mode control Differentiating DC/DC converters by analyzing control and compensation schemes: line / load regulation, transient response, BOM, board space, ease-of-use Introduction to the SWIFT software FPGA + CPLD power solutions WIRELESS / CHIPCON Decision criteria when choosing a RF platform Introduction to Texas Instruments wireless products: standardized platforms proprietary platforms ( 2.4 GHz / sub 1 GHz) development tools Antenna design: example for 2.4 GHz questions, discussion Industrial partners: Robert Medioni, François Caloz / Spoerle Electronic, CH-1440 Montagny (VD), Switzerland Phone: +41 24 447 0137, email: RMedioni@spoerle.com, http://www.spoerle.com Language: English. Free s...

77 FR 72431 - Application for a Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain Pipeline Facilities on the Border...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-05

... principle place of business at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1600, Houston Texas, 77002. Plains LPG is a subsidiary... with regard to whether issuing a new Presidential Permit reflecting the corporate succession and...

77 FR 72430 - Application for a Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain Pipeline Facilities on the Border...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-05

... business at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1600, Houston Texas, 77002. Plains LPG is a subsidiary of Plains All... whether issuing a new Presidential Permit reflecting the corporate succession and authorizing Plains LPG...

The State of Texas Children: Texas KIDS COUNT Annual Data Book--The Importance of Investing in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Deviney, Frances; Phillips, Pace; Dickerson, Carrie; Tibbitt, Laura

2011-01-01

On February 4, the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) released the 18th annual Texas KIDS COUNT data book, "The State of Texas Children 2011." The annual data book and free data warehouse provide the latest look at more than 80 different measures of child well-being in Texas and every county in the state. This year, the opening…

Non-invasive Transdermal Two-dimensional Mapping of Cutaneous Oxygenation with Rapid-drying Liquid Bandage

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

azatetrabenzoporphyrins-new red laser diode -compatible indicators for optical oxygen sensing,” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2(2), 366–374 (2010). 17. C. S...Detachment, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, 3698 Chambers Pass, Suite B, JBSA –Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-7767, USA 4Harvard University...NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 8

Hourly air pollution concentrations and their important predictors over Houston, Texas using deep neural networks: case study of DISCOVER-AQ time period

Science.gov (United States)

Eslami, E.; Choi, Y.; Roy, A.

2017-12-01

Air quality forecasting carried out by chemical transport models often show significant error. This study uses a deep-learning approach over the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area to overcome this forecasting challenge, for the DISCOVER-AQ period (September 2013). Two approaches, deep neural network (DNN) using a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and Restricted Boltzmann Machine (RBM) were utilized. The proposed approaches analyzed input data by identifying features abstracted from its previous layer using a stepwise method. The approaches predicted hourly ozone and PM in September 2013 using several predictors of prior three days, including wind fields, temperature, relative humidity, cloud fraction, precipitation along with PM, ozone, and NOx concentrations. Model-measurement comparisons for available monitoring sites reported Indexes of Agreement (IOA) of around 0.95 for both DNN and RBM. A standard artificial neural network (ANN) (IOA=0.90) with similar architecture showed poorer performance than the deep networks, clearly demonstrating the superiority of the deep approaches. Additionally, each network (both deep and standard) performed significantly better than a previous CMAQ study, which showed an IOA of less than 0.80. The most influential input variables were identified using their associated weights, which represented the sensitivity of ozone to input parameters. The results indicate deep learning approaches can achieve more accurate ozone forecasting and identify the important input variables for ozone predictions in metropolitan areas.

CBTE: The Ayes of Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Houston, W. Robert; Howsam, Robert B.

1974-01-01

A heated controversy occurred when the Texas State Board of Education mandated competency based teacher education (CBTE) for all of the State's 66 teacher preparatory institutions. This is an account of developments in Texas by two major proponents of CBTE. (Author/JF)

The Demographics of Corporal Punishment in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Stephanie

2012-01-01

This dissertation examined the student discipline policies of 1,025 Texas school districts, as well as data from the Texas Education Agency's Academic Excellence Indicator System in order to identify demographic patterns regarding corporal punishment policies in Texas schools. The study also studied the relationship between a district's corporal…

40 CFR 81.344 - Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... AREAS FOR AIR QUALITY PLANNING PURPOSES Section 107 Attainment Status Designations § 81.344 Texas. Texas... County, Deaf Smith County, Dickens County, Donley County, Floyd County, Garza County, Gray County, Hale..., Cochran County, Collingsworth County, Crosby County, Dallam County, Deaf Smith County, Dickens County...

Texas Real Estate Curriculum Workshop Summary Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Robert

The Texas Real Estate Research Center-Texas Education Agency (TRERC-TEA) curriculum workshop was attended by over 40 participants representing 26 Texas community colleges. These participants divided into eight small groups by real estate specialty area and developed curriculum outlines and learning objectives for the following real estate courses:…

Technology across the Curriculum. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Texas Computer Education Association (8th, Dallas, Texas, February 24-27, 1988).

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Computer Education Association, Lubbock.

The theme of this computer education conference was "Technology across the Curriculum." These proceedings include papers on the application of educational technologies in school administration, business education, computer science education, mathematics, science, social studies, English and language arts, elementary education, gifted and…

40 CFR 81.429 - Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Texas. 81.429 Section 81.429 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) DESIGNATION OF... Visibility Is an Important Value § 81.429 Texas. Area name Acreage Public Law establishing Federal land...

Probing the mechanical properties of TNF-α stimulated endothelial cell with atomic force microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sei-Young Lee

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sei-Young Lee1,2, Ana-Maria Zaske3, Tommaso Novellino1,4*, Delia Danila3, Mauro Ferrari1,5*, Jodie Conyers3, Paolo Decuzzi1,6*1Department of Nanomedicine and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; 3CeTIR – Center for Translational Injury Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; 4Department of Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Campus University of Rome, Italy; 5MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 6BioNEM – Center of Bio-Nanotechnology and Engineering for Medicine, University of Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy; *Currently at Department of Nanomedicine and Biomedical Engineering, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, USAAbstract: TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine that regulates the permeability of blood and lymphatic vessels. The plasma concentration of TNF-α is elevated (> 1 pg/mL in several pathologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, pre-eclampsia; in obese individuals; and in trauma patients. To test whether circulating TNF-α could induce similar alterations in different districts along the vascular system, three endothelial cell lines, namely HUVEC, HPMEC, and HCAEC, were characterized in terms of 1 mechanical properties, employing atomic force microscopy; 2 cytoskeletal organization, through fluorescence microscopy; and 3 membrane overexpression of adhesion molecules, employing ELISA and immunostaining. Upon stimulation with TNF-α (10 ng/mL for 20 h, for all three endothelial cells, the mechanical stiffness increased by about 50% with a mean apparent elastic modulus of E ~5 ± 0.5 kPa (~3.3 ± 0.35 kPa for the control cells; the density of F-actin filaments increased in the apical and median planes; and the ICAM-1 receptors were overexpressed compared with

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II alleles which confer susceptibility or protection in the Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobe, Heidi; Ahn, Chul; Arnett, Frank; Reveille, John D.

2014-01-01

Objective To determine human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-class I) and II (HLA-class II) alleles associated with morphea (localized scleroderma) in the Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort by a nested case–control association study. Methods Morphea patients were included from MAC cohort and matched controls from the NIH/NIAMS Scleroderma Family Registry and DNA Repository and Division of Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. HLA- Class II genotyping and SSCP typing was performed of HLA-A, -B, -C alleles. Associations between HLA-Class I and II alleles and morphea as well as its subphenotypes were determined. Results There were 211 cases available for HLA-class I typing with 726 matched controls and 158 cases available for HLA Class-II typing with 1108 matched controls. The strongest associations were found with DRB1*04:04 (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–4.0 P=0.002) and HLA-B*37 conferred the highest OR among Class I alleles (3.3, 95% CI 1.6–6.9, P= 0.0016). Comparison with risk alleles in systemic sclerosis determined using the same methods and control population revealed one common allele (DRB*04:04). Conclusion Results of the present study demonstrate specific HLA Class I and II alleles are associated with morphea and likely generalized and linear subtypes. The associated morphea alleles are different than in scleroderma, implicating morphea is also immunogenetically distinct. Risk alleles in morphea are also associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune conditions. Population based studies indicate patients with RA have increased risk of morphea, implicating a common susceptibility allele. PMID:25223600

The IROC Houston Quality Assurance Program: Potential benefits of 3D dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Followill, D S; Molineu, H A; Lafratta, R; Ibbott, G S

2017-01-01

The IROC Houston QA Center has provided QA core support for NCI clinical trials by ensuring that radiation doses delivered to trial patients are accurate and comparable between participating institutions. Within its QA program, IROC Houston uses anthropomorphic QA phantoms to credential sites. It is these phantoms that have the highest potential to benefit from the use of 3D dosimeters. Credentialing is performed to verify that institutions that are using advanced technologies to deliver complex treatment plans that conform to targets. This makes it increasingly difficult to assure the intended calculated dose is being delivered correctly using current techniques that are 2D-based. A 3D dosimeter such as PRESAGE® is able to provide a complete 3D measured dosimetry dataset with one treatment plan delivery. In our preliminary studies, the 3D dosimeters in our H and N and spine phantoms were found to be appropriate for remote dosimetry for relative dose measurements. To implement 3D dosimetry in IROC Houston’s phantoms, the benefit of this significant change to its current infrastructure would have to be assessed and further work would be needed before bringing 3D dosimeters into the phantom dosimetry program. (paper)

South Texas project, Units 1 and 2: Final environmental statement (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-03-01

The proposed action is the issuance of a construction permit to the Houston Lighting and the Power Company, acting as Project manager on behalf of itself, the City Public Service Board of San Antonio, Central Power and Light Company, and the City of Austin, for the construction of the South Texas Project (STP) Units 1 and 2, located in Matagorda County, Texas. A total of 12,352 acres will be utilized for the STP site. Construction-related activities on the site will disturb about 610 acres not including the 7310 acres of inundated by the STP cooling lake and embankments, which will be constructed in conjunction with the project. Approximately 400 miles of transmission-line corridors will require about 5685 acres of land for the right-of-way. An access road and a railroad spur will affect about 60 acres. Farm to Market Road 521 will be rerouted north around the STP exclusion area. Plant construction will involve extensive community impacts. Two families will be displaced from the site. Traffic on local roads will increase due to construction and commuting activities. The influx of construction workers' families (2100 peak work force) is expected to cause no major housing or school problems. There will be a demand for increased services in Matagorda County. The proposed plan to alter Little Robbins Slough and the resultant 65% reduction in the watershed supplying freshwater inflow to the upper marsh may cause the displacement of numerous freshwater species and reduce its desirability as a nursery for estuarine-dependent organisms. Studies to determine the need for freshwater makeup will be required. 39 figs., 76 tabs

Characterizing the Sources and Processing of Submicron Aerosols at a Coastal Site near Houston, TX, with a Specific Focus on the Impact of Regional Shipping Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, B.; Wallace, H. W., IV; Bui, A.; Flynn, J. H., III; Erickson, M. H.; Griffin, R. J.

2017-12-01

The Texas Gulf Coast region historically has been influenced heavily by regional shipping emissions. However, the effects of the recent establishment of the North American Emissions Control Area (ECA) on aerosol properties in this region are presently unknown. In order to understand better the current sources and processing mechanisms influencing coastal aerosol near Houston, a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was deployed for three weeks at a coastal location during May-June 2016. Total mass loadings of organic and inorganic non-refractory aerosol components during onshore flow periods were similar to those published before establishment of the regulations. Using estimated methanesulfonic acid (MSA) mass loadings and published biogenic MSA:non-sea-salt-sulfate (nss-SO4) ratios, we determined that over 70% of nss-SO4 over the Gulf was from anthropogenic sources, predominantly shipping emissions. Mass spectral analysis indicated that for periods with similar backward-trajectory-averaged meteorological conditions, air masses influenced by shipping emissions have an increased mass fraction of ions related to carboxylic acids and a significantly larger oxygen-to-carbon (O:C) ratio than air masses that stay within the ECA boundary, suggesting that shipping emissions impact marine organic aerosol (OA) oxidation state. Amine fragment mass loadings were positively correlated with anthropogenic nss-SO4 during onshore flow, implying anthropogenic-biogenic interaction in marine OA production. Five OA factors were resolved by positive matrix factorization, corresponding to a hydrocarbon-like OA, a semi-volatile OA, and three different oxygenated organic aerosols ranked by their O:C ratio (OOA-1, OOA-2, and OOA-3). OOA-1 constituted the majority of OA mass during a period likely influenced by aqueous-phase processing and may be linked to local glyoxal/methylglyoxal-related sources. OOA-2 was produced within the Houston urban region and was

78 FR 12010 - Radio Broadcasting Services; Pearsall, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-21

... Broadcasting Services; Pearsall, Texas AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule... (``Petitioner''), licensee of FM Station KSAG, Channel 277A, Pearsall, Texas. Petitioner proposes to amend the... be allotted at Pearsall, Texas, in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation...

Texas, 2008 forest inventory and analysis factsheet

Science.gov (United States)

James Bentley

2011-01-01

This science update summarizes the findings of the first statewide annual inventory conducted by the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in cooperation with the Texas Forest Service of the forest resource attributes in Texas. The 254 counties of Texas are consolidated into seven FIA survey units—southeast (unit 1), the northeast (unit 2), the north...

Texas, 2010 forest inventory and analysis factsheet

Science.gov (United States)

James W. Bentley

2012-01-01

This science update summarizes the findings of the statewide annual inventory conducted by the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in cooperation with the Texas Forest Service of the forest resource attributes in Texas. The 254 counties of Texas are consolidated into seven FIA survey units – southeast (unit 1), northeast (unit 2), north central (unit 3...

ETV REPORT AND VERIFICATION STATEMENT - KASELCO POSI-FLO ELECTROCOAGULATION TREATMENT SYSTEM

Science.gov (United States)

The Kaselco Electrocoagulation Treatment System (Kaselco system) in combination with an ion exchange polishing system was tested, under actual production conditions, processing metal finishing wastewater at Gull Industries in Houston, Texas. The verification test evaluated the a...

TU-G-BRD-06: The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC Houston) QA Center International Activities Outside North America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Followill, D; Kry, S; Molineu, A; Lowenstein, J; Alvarez, P; Taylor, P; Nguyen, H; Hernandez, N; Lujano, C; Nguyen, T; Keith, T; Roll, J; Tailor, A [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To describe the extent of IROC Houston’s (formerly the RPC) QA activities and audit results for radiotherapy institutions outside of North America (NA). Methods: The IROC Houston’s QA program components were designed to audit the radiation dose calculation chain from the NIST traceable reference beam calibration, to inclusion of dosimetry parameters used to calculate tumor doses, to the delivery of the radiation dose. The QA program provided to international institutions includes: 1) remote TLD/OSLD audit of machine output, 2) credentialing for advanced technologies, and 3) review of patient treatment records. IROC Houston uses the same standards and acceptance criteria for all of its audits whether for North American or international sites. Results: IROC Houston’s QA program has reached out to radiotherapy sites in 43 different countries since 2013 through their participation in clinical trials. In the past two years, 2,778 international megavoltage beam outputs were audited with OSLD/TLD. While the average IROC/Inst ratio is near unity for all sites monitored, there are international regions whose results are significantly different from the NA region. In the past 2 years, 477 and 87 IMRT H&N phantoms were irradiated at NA and international sites, respectively. Regardless of the OSLD beam audit results, the overall pass rate (87 percent) for all international sites (no region separation) is equal to the NA sites. Of the 182 international patient charts reviewed, 10.7 percent of the dose calculation points did not meet our acceptance criterion as compared to 13.6 percent for NA sites. The lower pass rate for NA sites results from a much larger brachytherapy component which has been shown to be more error prone. Conclusion: IROC Houston has expanded its QA services worldwide and continues a long history of improving radiotherapy dose delivery in many countries. Funding received for QA audit services from the Korean GOG, DAHANCA, EORTC, ICON and CMIC

TU-G-BRD-06: The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC Houston) QA Center International Activities Outside North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Followill, D; Kry, S; Molineu, A; Lowenstein, J; Alvarez, P; Taylor, P; Nguyen, H; Hernandez, N; Lujano, C; Nguyen, T; Keith, T; Roll, J; Tailor, A

2015-01-01

Purpose: To describe the extent of IROC Houston’s (formerly the RPC) QA activities and audit results for radiotherapy institutions outside of North America (NA). Methods: The IROC Houston’s QA program components were designed to audit the radiation dose calculation chain from the NIST traceable reference beam calibration, to inclusion of dosimetry parameters used to calculate tumor doses, to the delivery of the radiation dose. The QA program provided to international institutions includes: 1) remote TLD/OSLD audit of machine output, 2) credentialing for advanced technologies, and 3) review of patient treatment records. IROC Houston uses the same standards and acceptance criteria for all of its audits whether for North American or international sites. Results: IROC Houston’s QA program has reached out to radiotherapy sites in 43 different countries since 2013 through their participation in clinical trials. In the past two years, 2,778 international megavoltage beam outputs were audited with OSLD/TLD. While the average IROC/Inst ratio is near unity for all sites monitored, there are international regions whose results are significantly different from the NA region. In the past 2 years, 477 and 87 IMRT H&N phantoms were irradiated at NA and international sites, respectively. Regardless of the OSLD beam audit results, the overall pass rate (87 percent) for all international sites (no region separation) is equal to the NA sites. Of the 182 international patient charts reviewed, 10.7 percent of the dose calculation points did not meet our acceptance criterion as compared to 13.6 percent for NA sites. The lower pass rate for NA sites results from a much larger brachytherapy component which has been shown to be more error prone. Conclusion: IROC Houston has expanded its QA services worldwide and continues a long history of improving radiotherapy dose delivery in many countries. Funding received for QA audit services from the Korean GOG, DAHANCA, EORTC, ICON and CMIC

Clean Energy Technology Incubator Initiative Launched in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

- including the State Energy Conservation Office, the General Land Office, the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission, the Texas Energy Coordination Council and the Texas Department of Economic Development from market entry. The alliance is interested in a broad range of company types, from technology-based

Forests of East Texas, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas J. Brandeis

2015-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in east Texas derived from an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program at the Southern Research Station in cooperation with the Texas A&M Forest Service. These estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are...

Forests of east Texas, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

K.J.W. Dooley; T.J. Brandeis

2014-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in east Texas based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Southern Research Station in cooperation with the Texas A&M Forest Service. Forest resource estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and...

The Texas Ten Percent Plan's Impact on College Enrollment

Science.gov (United States)

Daugherty, Lindsay; Martorell, Paco; McFarlin, Isaac, Jr.

2014-01-01

The Texas Ten Percent Plan (TTP) provides students in the top 10 percent of their high-school class with automatic admission to any public university in the state, including the two flagship schools, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M. Texas created the policy in 1997 after a federal appellate court ruled that the state's previous…

Precipitation and Evaporation Trends in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, R. W.

2009-05-01

Texas is a large land area with at least three different climate types. As such it is expected that the results of climate change will not be homogenous. This paper presents results of a study of long trends in Texas precipitation and evaporation using data from the US Historical Climatology Network and the Texas Water Development Board. It shows that the long term trends of these variables is not homogenous and exhibits great variability in both spatial extent and magnitude. This variability must be considered in planning for future water supply or other mitigation projects.

High-level radioactive-waste-disposal investigations in Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.D.

1983-01-01

The Texas Energy and Natural Resources Advisory Council (TENRAC) was designated in 1980 to coordinate the interaction between the State of Texas and the federal government relating to the high-level radioactive waste disposal issue. This report was prepared to summarize the many aspects of that issue with particular emphasis on the activities in Texas. The report is intended to provide a comprehensive introduction for individuals with little or no previous exposure to the issue and to provide a broader perspective for those individuals who have addressed specific aspects of the issue but have not had the opportunity to study it in a broader context. Following the introduction, contents of this report are as follows: (1) general status of major repository siting investigations in the US; (2) detailed review of Texas studies; (3) possible facilities to be sited in Texas; (4) current Texas policy; (5) federal regulations; and (6) federal legislation. 9 figures, 2 tables

Making Texas Restaurants Healthier for Children

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Sylvia Crixell, PhD, RD, Professor of Nutrition at Texas State University, discusses her study which details the success of a community-based program in Texas aimed at combatting childhood obesity by improving children’s menus in restaurants.

Crustal deformation and seismic measurements in the region of McDonald Observatory, West Texas. [Texas and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Dorman, H. J.

1981-01-01

The arrival times of regional and local earthquakes and located earthquakes in the Basin and Range province of Texas and in the adjacent areas of Chihuahua, Mexico from January 1976 to August 1980 at the UT'NASA seismic array are summarized. The August 1931 Texas earthquake is reevaluated and the seismicity and crustal structure of West Texas is examined. A table of seismic stations is included.

Measurement of volatile organic compounds during start-up of bioremediation of French limited superfund site in Crosby Texas using wind dependent whole-air sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pleil, J.D.; Fortune, C.R.; Yoong, M.; Oliver, K.D.

1993-01-01

Whole-air sampling was performed before and after the start-up of the bioremediation of an industrial (primarily petrochemical) waste lagoon in Crosby Texas, near Houston. Four 'Sector Samplers' were deployed at the four corners of the French Limited Superfund Site. These samplers collect air into one of two SUMMA polished canisters depending upon wind direction and speed. When the wind blows at the sampler from across the waste lagoon, air is routed to the 'IN' sector canister, otherwise sample is collected in the 'OUT' sector canister. As such, each sampler provides its own background sample, and, upon gas chromatographic analysis, individual compounds can be associated with the waste lagoon. Five sets of 24-hour sector samples were taken; the first set was collected prior to the start of the bioremediation effort and the remaining four sets were taken sequentially for four 24-hour periods after the start-up of the procedure

78 FR 42700 - Radio Broadcasting Services; Matagorda, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-17

... Broadcasting Services; Matagorda, Texas AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY... FM Channel 252A at Matagorda, Texas. This allotment change is part of a hybrid rule making and FM... 291A at Matagorda, Texas, is located within 320 kilometers (199 miles) of the U.S.-Mexican border...

A review of the South Texas Project probabilistic safety analysis for accident frequency estimates and containment binning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeler, T.A.; Lambright, J.A.; Sype, T.T.; Darby, J.L.; Walsh, B.

1991-08-01

The objective of this review is to evaluate the South Texas Project (STP) Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) for the USNRC. The PSA was reviewed for thoroughness of analysis, accuracy in plant modeling, legitimacy of assumptions, and overall quality of the work. The review is limited to the internal event analysis and the fire sequence analysis. This review is not a quantitative evaluation of the adequacy of the PSA. The adequacy of the PSA depends on the intended uses and must be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the licensee and the NRC. This review identifies strengths, weakness, and areas where additional clarification would assist the NRC in evaluating the PSA for specific regulatory purposes. The licensee, Houston Lighting and Power (HL ampersand P), reviewed a draft version of this report prior to its final release to the USNRC. The responses provided by HL ampersand P are provided in detail in appendices to this report, and they are summarized in the main body of the report. All issues raised during the review were adequately addressed by HL ampersand P in the responses. 27 refs., 4 tabs

Clone of EPA Approved Regulations in the Texas SIP

Science.gov (United States)

changed name to EPA Approved Regulations in the Texas SIP, Add links to:Texas Read Me; Texas SIP History;Current/Previous SIP-Approved Regulations; Delete regulations--now in /node/191099, removed tables

76 FR 67397 - Radio Broadcasting Services; Llano, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

...] Radio Broadcasting Services; Llano, Texas AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed... substituting Channel 242C3 for vacant Channel 293C3, at Llano, Texas. The proposal is part of a contingently... required for the allotment of Channel 242C3 at Llano, Texas, because the proposed allotment is located...

Technology: Window to the Future. Proceedings of the Annual State Conference of the Texas Computer Education Association (9th, Houston, Texas, March 5-7, 1989).

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, George W., Ed.; Grigassy, Mary Louise, Ed.

This proceedings compilation presents papers on administration, computer literacy, computer science, desktop publishing, elementary education, hardware and software, language arts, mathematics, media, music and art, science, social studies, and special education. The 130 papers are arranged alphabetically by author's name and a subject index…

Oceanographic measurements from the Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Texas Automated Buoy System contains daily oceanographic measurements from seven buoys off the Texas coast from Brownsville to Sabine. The Texas General Land...

Shear in high strength concrete bridge girders : technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

Prestressed Concrete (PC) I-girders are used extensively as the primary superstructure components in Texas highway bridges. : A simple semi-empirical equation was developed at the University of Houston (UH) to predict the shear strength of PC I-girde...

77 FR 66574 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-06

... regulations and improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Texas... during regular business hours at the following location: Surface Mining and Reclamation Division... for you to read at the locations listed above under ADDRESSES or at www.regulations.gov . Texas...

77 FR 25949 - Texas Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-02

... regulations and improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Texas... during regular business hours at the following location: Surface Mining and Reclamation Division... locations listed above under ADDRESSES or at www.regulations.gov . Texas proposes to revise its regulation...

MO-F-CAMPUS-T-01: IROC Houston QA Center’s Anthropomorphic Proton Phantom Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lujano, C; Hernandez, N; Keith, T; Nguyen, T; Taylor, P; Molineu, A; Followill, D

2015-01-01

Purpose: To describe the proton phantoms that IROC Houston uses to approve and credential proton institutions to participate in NCI-sponsored clinical trials. Methods: Photon phantoms cannot necessarily be used for proton measurements because protons react differently than photons in some plastics. As such plastics that are tissue equivalent for protons were identified. Another required alteration is to ensure that the film dosimeters are housed in the phantom with no air gap to avoid proton streaming. Proton-equivalent plastics/materials used include RMI Solid Water, Techron HPV, blue water, RANDO soft tissue material, balsa wood, compressed cork and polyethylene. Institutions wishing to be approved or credentialed request a phantom and are prioritized for delivery. At the institution, the phantom is imaged, a treatment plan is developed, positioned on the treatment couch and the treatment is delivered. The phantom is returned and the measured dose distributions are compared to the institution’s electronically submitted treatment plan dosimetry data. Results: IROC Houston has developed an extensive proton phantom approval/credentialing program consisting of five different phantoms designs: head, prostate, lung, liver and spine. The phantoms are made with proton equivalent plastics that have HU and relative stopping powers similar (within 5%) of human tissues. They also have imageable targets, avoidance structures, and heterogeneities. TLD and radiochromic film are contained in the target structures. There have been 13 head, 33 prostate, 18 lung, 2 liver and 16 spine irradiations with either passive scatter, or scanned proton beams. The pass rates have been: 100%, 69.7%, 72.2%, 50%, and 81.3%, respectively. Conclusion: IROC Houston has responded to the recent surge in proton facilities by developing a family of anthropomorphic phantoms that are able to be used for remote audits of proton beams. Work supported by PHS grant CA10953 and CA081647

MO-F-CAMPUS-T-01: IROC Houston QA Center’s Anthropomorphic Proton Phantom Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lujano, C; Hernandez, N; Keith, T; Nguyen, T; Taylor, P; Molineu, A; Followill, D [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To describe the proton phantoms that IROC Houston uses to approve and credential proton institutions to participate in NCI-sponsored clinical trials. Methods: Photon phantoms cannot necessarily be used for proton measurements because protons react differently than photons in some plastics. As such plastics that are tissue equivalent for protons were identified. Another required alteration is to ensure that the film dosimeters are housed in the phantom with no air gap to avoid proton streaming. Proton-equivalent plastics/materials used include RMI Solid Water, Techron HPV, blue water, RANDO soft tissue material, balsa wood, compressed cork and polyethylene. Institutions wishing to be approved or credentialed request a phantom and are prioritized for delivery. At the institution, the phantom is imaged, a treatment plan is developed, positioned on the treatment couch and the treatment is delivered. The phantom is returned and the measured dose distributions are compared to the institution’s electronically submitted treatment plan dosimetry data. Results: IROC Houston has developed an extensive proton phantom approval/credentialing program consisting of five different phantoms designs: head, prostate, lung, liver and spine. The phantoms are made with proton equivalent plastics that have HU and relative stopping powers similar (within 5%) of human tissues. They also have imageable targets, avoidance structures, and heterogeneities. TLD and radiochromic film are contained in the target structures. There have been 13 head, 33 prostate, 18 lung, 2 liver and 16 spine irradiations with either passive scatter, or scanned proton beams. The pass rates have been: 100%, 69.7%, 72.2%, 50%, and 81.3%, respectively. Conclusion: IROC Houston has responded to the recent surge in proton facilities by developing a family of anthropomorphic phantoms that are able to be used for remote audits of proton beams. Work supported by PHS grant CA10953 and CA081647.

Radiation Therapy Deficiencies Identified During On-Site Dosimetry Visits by the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston Quality Assurance Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Kry, Stephen F; Dromgoole, Lainy; Alvarez, Paola; Leif, Jessica; Molineu, Andrea; Taylor, Paige; Followill, David S

2017-12-01

To review the dosimetric, mechanical, and programmatic deficiencies most frequently observed during on-site visits of radiation therapy facilities by the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Quality Assurance Center in Houston (IROC Houston). The findings of IROC Houston between 2000 and 2014, including 409 institutions and 1020 linear accelerators (linacs), were compiled. On-site evaluations by IROC Houston include verification of absolute calibration (tolerance of ±3%), relative dosimetric review (tolerances of ±2% between treatment planning system [TPS] calculation and measurement), mechanical evaluation (including multileaf collimator and kilovoltage-megavoltage isocenter evaluation against Task Group [TG]-142 tolerances), and general programmatic review (including institutional quality assurance program vs TG-40 and TG-142). An average of 3.1 deficiencies was identified at each institution visited, a number that has decreased slightly with time. The most common errors are tabulated and include TG-40/TG-142 compliance (82% of institutions were deficient), small field size output factors (59% of institutions had errors ≥3%), and wedge factors (33% of institutions had errors ≥3%). Dosimetric errors of ≥10%, including in beam calibration, were seen at many institutions. There is substantial room for improvement of both dosimetric and programmatic issues in radiation therapy, which should be a high priority for the medical physics community. Particularly relevant was suboptimal beam modeling in the TPS and a corresponding failure to detect these errors by not including TPS data in the linac quality assurance process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons from past experiences: Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackburn, T.W. III

1986-01-01

A site selection study was conducted in which technical criteria were developed and potential sites numerically ranked. Three candidate sites were chosen, two in south Texas and one in west Texas. Adamant public opposition to the two sites forced a reevaluation and redirection of the siting process. Three sites on state owned lands in west Texas have been identified under the second site selection study. The following are recommended guidelines to incorporate in any public participation program: use multiple approaches at both the regional and local level; identify the public and their true concerns; approach the public at their level and their style; use a slow, deliberate process, siting cannot be forced; be honest and available; give the public an active part in the decision making process; keep elected officials informed and active and encourage information exchange; and be prepared for surprises. Two ranking exercises were also undertaken and are briefly described. The first ranked eleven major issues in order of perceived importance. The second ranked waste disposal technologies. Detailed information on both ranking exercises can be obtained from the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority

Endangered Species Management Plan for Fort Hood, Texas: FY06-10

Science.gov (United States)

2007-05-01

Texas red oak, post oak, Texas ash (Fraxinus texensis), shin oak, blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), cedar elm ...by Ashe juniper and Texas oak. Other important tree species included live oak, cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Lacey oak (Quercus laceyi), Arizona...0.83 m (Cimprich 2005). Nest substrates include shin oak, Texas red oak, Texas redbud, Ashe juniper, Texas ash, Plateau live oak, cedar elm , rusty

ARCO Chairman forecasts end of oil dominance

Science.gov (United States)

Showstack, Randy

The head of one of the world's biggest oil companies said in February that the era of oil dominating the global energy market is creaking to a close. Future energy needs will be met by a mix of fuels that are less harmful to the environment, he said, and he called for the energy and automobile industries to collaborate on solutions to reduce emissions.“We've embarked on the beginning of the last days of the age of oil,” ARCO Chairman Mike Bowlin said at a Cambridge Energy Research Associates conference in Houston, Texas, where he also described how ARCO is moving toward a new energy model. “Our challenge is not merely to survive today's low prices, but to plan for a future in which hydrocarbons are just one of a wide variety of clean fuels that will build the global economy of the 21st century”.

78 FR 43874 - Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP13-514-000] Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Application On July 2, 2013, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) filed... natural gas facilities no longer in service. As described more fully in the Application, Texas Eastern...

Correction to: Comparison of the Effect of Exercise on Late-Phase LTP of the Dentate Gyrus and CA1 of Alzheimer's Disease Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dao, An T; Zagaar, Munder A; Levine, Amber T; Alkadhi, Karim A

2018-01-01

The original version of this article unfortunately does not include the second affiliating institution of Dr. Munder A. Zagaar. "Department of Pharmacy Pracce and Clinical Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004" should have been included on the paper.

Correction to: Prevention by Regular Exercise of Acute Sleep Deprivation-Induced Impairment of Late Phase LTP and Related Signaling Molecules in the Dentate Gyrus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zagaar, Munder A; Dao, An T; Alhaider, Ibrahim A; Alkadhi, Karim A

2018-01-01

The original version of this article unfortunately does not include the second affiliating institution of Dr. Munder A. Zagaar. "Department of Pharmacy Pracce and Clinical Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004" should have been included on the paper.

Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion: Causative Organisms and Mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-31

enviromental composition as a potential method for reversing microbiologically influenced corrosion, Corrosion (NAC’E) International. Houston. Texas...International fellow and associate editor for Biofouling, The Journal of Bioadhesion and Biofilm Research. J. Lee is a Materials and Corrosion Engineer

Observations of Stratospheric Gravity Waves During the WB57F Aerosol Mission and Modeling with Mesoscale Model 5

Science.gov (United States)

Mahoney, M.; Hicke, J.; Rosenlof, K.; Tuck, A.; Hovde, S.

2000-01-01

On April 11, 1998 WB57F aircraft flew northwest at lower stratospheric altitudes from Houston, Texas, over eastern Wyoming as part of the WB57F Aerosol Mission to sample a vortex filament forecast to pass over that region.

Learning Communities for Students in Developmental Math: Impact Studies at Queensborough and Houston Community Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Weissman, Evan; Butcher, Kristin F.; Schneider, Emily; Teres, Jedediah; Collado, Herbert; Greenberg, David

2011-01-01

Queensborough Community College and Houston Community College are two large, urban institutions that offer learning communities for their developmental math students, with the goals of accelerating students' progress through the math sequence and of helping them to perform better in college and ultimately earn degrees or certificates. They are…

Evaluating the longitudinal risk of social vigilance on atherosclerosis: study protocol for the North Texas Heart Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, John M; Taylor, Daniel J; Uchino, Bert N; Smith, Timothy W; Allison, Matthew; Ahn, Chul; Johnson, Jillian J; Smyth, Joshua M

2017-08-14

Psychosocial factors are increasingly recognised as important determinants of cardiovascular disease risk. The North Texas Heart Study aims to understand the mechanisms responsible for this association with a focus on social vigilance (ie, scanning the environment for social threats). There is also growing interest in supplementing traditional methods (eg, survey assessment of psychosocial risk paired with cross-sectional and longitudinal health outcomes) with daily or repeated momentary assessment of psychosocial factors. However, there are relatively few longitudinal studies directly comparing these approaches with hard endpoints. The North Texas Heart Study proposes a longitudinal measurement burst design to examine psychosocial determinants of subclinical atherosclerosis. A sample of 300 healthy community participants, stratified by age and gender, will complete survey measures, as well as 2 days of ecological momentary assessment at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up. A range of psychosocial and behavioural factors, objective biomarkers, as well as carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) will be assessed at both time points. Unadjusted and adjusted models will evaluate cross-sectional associations and determinants of change in the cIMT. The Institutional Review Board at the study coordinating institute (University of North Texas) has approved this study. Positive, negative or inconclusive primary and ancillary findings will be disseminated in scientific journals and conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

East Texas, 2011 forest inventory and analysis factsheet

Science.gov (United States)

Jason A. Cooper; James W. Bentley

2012-01-01

This science update summarizes the findings of the annual inventory conducted by the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in cooperation with the Texas Forest Service of the forest resource attributes in east Texas. The 254 counties of Texas are consolidated into 7 FIA survey units—southeast (unit 1), northeast (unit 2), north central (unit 3), south (...

75 FR 14359 - FM TABLE OF ALLOTMENTS, Stonewall, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-25

... TABLE OF ALLOTMENTS, Stonewall, Texas AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... allotment of Channel 280A at Stonewall, Texas, as the community's first local transmission service. The..., Texas. It is Commission policy to protect applications against subsequently-filed and conflicting rule...

Distribution of indoor radon concentrations and uranium-bearing rocks in Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudak, P.F.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare regional patterns of indoor radon concentration with uranium-bearing rock zones and county populations in Texas. Zones yielding radon concentrations that are relatively high for Texas include shale and sandstone in northwest Texas; red beds in north-central Texas; felsic volcanic rocks in west Texas; and sandstone, limestone, and igneous rocks in central Texas. Located in northwest Tecas, only five of the 202 counties evaluated have mean indoor radon concentrations above 4.0 pCi l -1 . Two of those counties have populations above the state median of 20115. The highest county mean concentration is 8.8 pCi l -1 . Results of the study suggest that (1) regional geology influences indoor radon concentrations in Texas, (2) statewide, the radon concentrations are relatively low, (3) highly populated counties do not coincide with regions of high indoor radon concentration, and (4) regions that may warrant further monitoring include northwest Texas and, to a lesser degree, west and central Texas. (orig.)

The Myth of the Texas Miracle in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walt Haney

2000-08-01

Full Text Available I summarize the recent history of education reform and statewide testing in Texas, which led to introduction of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS in 1990-91. A variety of evidence in the late 1990s led a number of observers to conclude that the state of Texas had made near miraculous progress in reducing dropouts and increasing achievement. The passing scores on TAAS tests were arbitrary and discriminatory. Analyses comparing TAAS reading, writing and math scores with one another and with relevant high school grades raise doubts about the reliability and validity of TAAS scores. I discuss problems of missing students and other mirages in Texas enrollment statistics that profoundly affect both reported dropout statistics and test scores. Only 50% of minority students in Texas have been progressing from grade 9 to high school graduation since the initiation of the TAAS testing program. Since about 1982, the rates at which Black and Hispanic students are required to repeat grade 9 have climbed steadily, such that by the late 1990s, nearly 30% of Black and Hispanic students were "failing" grade 9. Cumulative rates of grade retention in Texas are almost twice as high for Black and Hispanic students as for White students. Some portion of the gains in grade 10 TAAS pass rates are illusory. The numbers of students taking the grade 10 tests who were classified as "in special education" and hence not counted in schools' accountability ratings nearly doubled between 1994 and 1998. A substantial portion of the apparent increases in TAAS pass rates in the 1990s are due to such exclusions. In the opinion of educators in Texas, schools are devoting a huge amount of time and energy preparing students specifically for TAAS, and emphasis on TAAS is hurting more than helping teaching and learning in Texas schools, particularly with at-risk students, and TAAS contributes to retention in grade and dropping out. Five different sources of evidence about

Houston's Novel Strategy to Control Hazardous Air Pollutants: A Case Study in Policy Innovation and Political Stalemate.

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton, Ken; Linder, Stephen H

2015-01-01

Although ambient concentrations have declined steadily over the past 30 years, Houston has recorded some of the highest levels of hazardous air pollutants in the United States. Nevertheless, federal and state regulatory efforts historically have emphasized compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, treating "air toxics" in Houston as a residual problem to be solved through application of technology-based standards. Between 2004 and 2009, Mayor Bill White and his administration challenged the well-established hierarchy of air quality management spelled out in the Clean Air Act, whereby federal and state authorities are assigned primacy over local municipalities for the purpose of designing and implementing air pollution control strategies. The White Administration believed that existing regulations were not sufficient to protect the health of Houstonians and took a diversity of both collaborative and combative policy actions to mitigate air toxic emissions from stationary sources. Opposition was substantial from a local coalition of entrenched interests satisfied with the status quo, which hindered the city's attempts to take unilateral policy actions. In the short term, the White Administration successfully raised the profile of the air toxics issue, pushed federal and state regulators to pay more attention, and induced a few polluting facilities to reduce emissions. But since White left office in 2010, air quality management in Houston has returned to the way it was before, and today there is scant evidence that his policies have had any lasting impact.

Therapeutic Strategies against Cyclin E1-Amplified Ovarian Cancers

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-01

Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia . 4Department of Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. 5Center for RNAi and Non...exonuclease domain mutations. Mod Pathol. 2015; 28: 505 –514. 7. Rooney MS, Shukla SA, Wu CJ, Getz G, Hacohen N. Molecular and genetic properties of...types. Nature. 2014; 505 :495–501. 33. Wagle N, Berger MF, Davis MJ, Blumenstiel B, Defelice M, Pochanard P, Ducar M, Van Hummelen P, Macconaill LE

7 CFR 319.37-14 - Ports of entry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Inspection Station, 150 Central Sector, Building C-2, Warehouse 3, Carolina, PR 00979. Texas Houston Plant... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREIGN QUARANTINE NOTICES Nursery Stock, Plants, Roots, Bulbs, Seeds...

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-01-27

Jan 27, 2016 ... Author Affiliations. X. Chen1 G. Fossati1 E. Liang1 M. Böttcher2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Astrophysical Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA.

HOUSTON, we’ve got a problem : Introduction program case Houston Galveston Bay Region, Texas (USA)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brand, A.D.; Kothuis, B.L.M.; Kothuis, Baukje; Kok, Matthijs

2017-01-01

Various interesting tools were used and/or developed to stimulate knowledge integration in the Multifunctional Flood Defenses program. This chapter will present a diverse collection of these tools, hopefully stimulating others to consider using some of them in future.

Geotechnical Impacts of Hurricane Harvey Along the Texas, USA Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Smallegan, S. M.; Stark, N.; Jafari, N.; Ravichandran, N.; Shafii, I.; Bassal, P.; Figlus, J.

2017-12-01

As part of the NSF-funded Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association response to Hurricane Harvey, a team of engineers and scientists mobilized to the coastal cities of Texas, USA from 1 to 5 September 2017. Damage to coastal and riverine structures due to erosion by storm surge, waves, and coastal and riverine flooding was assessed in a wide coastal zone between Corpus Christi and Galveston. Making initial landfall near Rockport, Texas on 26 August 2017, Hurricane Harvey was classified as a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with wind speeds exceeding 130 mph and an atmospheric pressure of 938 mbar. The storm stalled over the Houston area, pouring 40 inches of rain on an area encompassing more than 3,000 square miles. Hurricane Harvey, which remained a named storm for 117 hours after initial landfall, slowly moved east into the Gulf of Mexico and made final landfall near Cameron, Louisiana on 30 August. The GEER team surveyed sixteen main sites, extending from Mustang Island in the southwest to Galveston in the northeast and as far inland as Rosenburg. In Port Aransas, beach erosion and undercutting along a beach access road near Aransas Pass were observed. Due to several tide gauge failures in this area, the nearest NOAA tide gauge (#8775870 near Corpus Christi) was used to estimate water levels of 1.35 m, approximately 1.0 m above the predicted tide. In Holiday Beach, anchored retaining walls were inundated, causing backside scour along the entire length and exposing the sheetpile wall anchors. Along the Colorado River at the Highway 35 bridge near Bay City, active riverbank failure was observed and a sheet pile wall was found collapsed. Significant sediment deposits lined the vegetated riverbanks. A USGS stream gage recorded gage heights greater than 45 ft, exceeding the flood stage of 44 ft. Fronting a rubblemound seawall in Surfside Beach, a runnel and ridge formation was observed. Nearby at San Luis Pass, infilled scour

The William Houston Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2002.

Science.gov (United States)

Teague, A M

2004-06-01

The William Houston medal is a prestigious prize awarded to the individual achieving the most outstanding examination performance at the Membership in Orthodontics examination for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Five clinical cases treated by the candidate are presented as part of the final examination; two of these cases are described below. The first a Class III malocclusion, and the second a Class II division 1 malocclusion, were both treated by orthodontic camouflage.

75 FR 57017 - Venice Gathering System, LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-17

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-497-000] Venice Gathering System, LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization September 10, 2010. Take notice that on September 3, 2010, Venice Gathering System, LLC (VGS), 1000 Louisiana, Suite 4300, Houston, Texas 77002...

Triplet repeat DNA structures and human genetic disease

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Laboratory of DNA Structure and Mutagenesis, Center for Genome Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University System Health Sciences Center, 2121 West Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030-3303, USA; Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Genetics, 555 University Avenue, Elm Wing, ...

Mixed Age Grouping for Gifted Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchard, Lorraine L.

1991-01-01

The application of mixed-age grouping at Rainard School (Houston, Texas), a private school for gifted students, is described. Discussed are advantages (such as encouraging cooperation instead of competition), the optimum age spread, the differentiated and individualized curriculum, parent reactions, teacher reactions, and difficulties. (DB)

Heart Rate Variability during Simulated Hemorrhage with Lower Body Negative Pressure in High and Low Tolerant Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA 2 Department of Health and Kinesiology , University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio...reduced HRV (Thayer and Sternberg, 2006).HRVhas been extensively studied in hospital settings such as intensive care units to assess cardiovascular

Fogwater Chemistry and Air Quality in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Corridor

Science.gov (United States)

Kommalapati, R. R.; Raja, S.; Ravikrishna, R.; Murugesan, K.; Collett, J. L.; Valsaraj, K.

2007-05-01

The presence of fog water in polluted atmosphere can influence atmospheric chemistry and air quality. The study of interactions between fog water and atmospheric gases and aerosols are very important in understanding the atmospheric fate of the pollutants. In this Study several air samples and fogwater samples were collected in the heavily industrialized area of Gulf Coast corridor( Houston, TX and Baton Rouge, LA). A total of 32 fogwater samples were collected, comprising of nine fog events in Baton Rouge (Nov 2004 to Feb 2005) and two fog events in Houston (Feb, 2006), during the fog sampling campaigns. These samples were analyzed for pH, total and dissolved carbon, major inorganic ions, organic acids, and aromatics, aldehydes, VOCs, and linear alkanes organic compounds. Fogwater samples collected in Houston show clear influence of marine and anthropogenic environment, while Baton Rouge samples reveal a relatively less polluted environment. Also, a time series observation of air samples indicated that fog event at the monitoring site impacted the air concentrations of the pollutants. This is attributed to presence of surface active organic matter in fog water.

Establishment of a National Wind Energy Center at University of Houston

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Su Su [Univ. of Houston, TX (United States)

2016-10-31

The DOE-supported project objectives are to: establish a national wind energy center (NWEC) at University of Houston and conduct research to address critical science and engineering issues for the development of future large MW-scale wind energy production systems, especially offshore wind turbines. The goals of the project are to: (1) establish a sound scientific/technical knowledge base of solutions to critical science and engineering issues for developing future MW-scale large wind energy production systems, (2) develop a state-of-the-art wind rotor blade research facility at the University of Houston, and (3) through multi-disciplinary research, introducing technology innovations on advanced wind-turbine materials, processing/manufacturing technology, design and simulation, testing and reliability assessment methods related to future wind turbine systems for cost-effective production of offshore wind energy. To achieve the goals of the project, the following technical tasks were planned and executed during the period from April 15, 2010 to October 31, 2014 at the University of Houston: (1) Basic research on large offshore wind turbine systems (2) Applied research on innovative wind turbine rotors for large offshore wind energy systems (3) Integration of offshore wind-turbine design, advanced materials and manufacturing technologies (4) Integrity and reliability of large offshore wind turbine blades and scaled model testing (5) Education and training of graduate and undergraduate students and post- doctoral researchers (6) Development of a national offshore wind turbine blade research facility The research program addresses both basic science and engineering of current and future large wind turbine systems, especially offshore wind turbines, for MW-scale power generation. The results of the research advance current understanding of many important scientific issues and provide technical information for solving future large wind turbines with advanced design

Catahoula formation as a source of sedimentary uranium deposits in east Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ledger, E.B.; Tieh, T.T.

1983-01-01

Volcanic glass-rich mudstone and siltstone samples from the Oligocene/Miocene Catahoula formation of Jasper County, Texas, and coeval volcaniclastic rock samples from Trans-Pecos, Texas, have been compared as to U, Th, Zr, Ti, K, Rb, and Sr contents. Uranium is slightly greater in the distal ash (5.85 ppM U) compared to the Trans-Pecos samples (average 5.41 ppM U). Diagenetic and pedogenetic alteration of Catahoula volcanic glass releases uranium to solution and, under favorable conditions, this uranium may accumulate to form ore bodies. Uranium has been produced from such ore bodies in south Texas, but economic deposits are not known in east Texas. Significant differences between south and east Texas include: (1) a greater amount of volcanic debris delivered to south Texas, both as air-fall ash and stream-transported material, (2) delivery of only air-fill ash to east Texas, (3) the possibility of more petroleum-related reductants such as H 2 S in south Texas, and (4) pervasive glass alteration with subsequent uranium release in south Texas due to late calichification. These differences argue against economic deposits of the south Texas type being found in east Texas. If economic deposits occur they are likely to be far downdip making exploration difficult and expensive

Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of diode lasers and solid state lasers in medicine. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacques, S.L. [Texas Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Cancer Center; Welch, A.J. [Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States); Motamedi, M. [Texas Univ., Galveston, TX (United States). Medical Branch; Rastegar, S. [Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Tittel, F. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Esterowitz, L. [Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)

1992-05-01

The Texas Medical Center in Houston and the nearby UT Medical Branch at Galveston together constitute a major center of medical research activities. Laser applications in medicine are under development with the engineering assistance of the colloborating engineering centers at Rice University, UT-Austin, and Texas A&M Univ. In addition, this collective is collaborating with the Naval Research Laboratory, where new developments in laser design are underway, in order to transfer promising new laser technology rapidly into the medical environment.

Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of diode lasers and solid state lasers in medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacques, S.L. (Texas Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Cancer Center); Welch, A.J. (Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States)); Motamedi, M. (Texas Univ., Galveston, TX (United States). Medical Branch); Rastegar, S. (Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)); Tittel, F. (Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)); Esterowitz, L. (Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States))

1992-05-01

The Texas Medical Center in Houston and the nearby UT Medical Branch at Galveston together constitute a major center of medical research activities. Laser applications in medicine are under development with the engineering assistance of the colloborating engineering centers at Rice University, UT-Austin, and Texas A M Univ. In addition, this collective is collaborating with the Naval Research Laboratory, where new developments in laser design are underway, in order to transfer promising new laser technology rapidly into the medical environment.

Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of diode lasers and solid state lasers in medicine. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacques, S.L. [Texas Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Cancer Center; Welch, A.J. [Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States); Motamedi, M. [Texas Univ., Galveston, TX (United States). Medical Branch; Rastegar, S. [Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Tittel, F. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Esterowitz, L. [Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)

1993-05-01

The Texas Medical Center in Houston and the nearby UT Medical Branch at Galveston together constitute a major center of medical research activities. Laser applications in medicine are under development with the engineering assistance of the collaborating engineering enters at Rice University, UT-Austin, Texas A&M Univ. In addition, this collective is collaborating with the naval Research Laboratory, where new developments in laser design are underway, in order to transfer promising new laser technology rapidly into the medical environment.

Ordered Data Analysis, Models and Health Research Methods : an International Conference in Honor of H.N. Nagaraja for his 60th Birthday

CERN Document Server

Nagaraja, Chaitra; Ng, Hon

2015-01-01

This volume presents an eclectic mix of original research articles in areas covering the analysis of ordered data, stochastic modeling and biostatistics. These areas were featured in a conference held at the University of Texas at Dallas from March 7 to 9, 2014 in honor of Professor H. N. Nagaraja’s 60th birthday and his distinguished contributions to statistics. The articles were written by leading experts who were invited to contribute to the volume from among the conference participants. The volume is intended for all researchers with an interest in order statistics, distribution theory, analysis of censored data, stochastic modeling, time series analysis, and statistical methods for the health sciences, including statistical genetics.

Catahoula Formation as uranium source rock in East Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ledger, E.B.; Tieh, T.T.; Rowe, N.W.

1984-01-01

The Oligocene-Miocene Catahoula Formation of the Texas Gulf coastal plain is a fluvial and lacustrine volcaniclastic unit composed of normal fluvial material mixed with distal rhyolitic air-fall ash. In the lower Texas Gulf coastal plain, it consists of stream-transported detritus from the volcanic source area in Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent Mexico. This volcaniclastic component has altered to release uranium to mineralization processes in the lower Gulf Coast, but there has not been uranium production in the middle and upper Gulf Coast. To evaluate the potential of the upper Texas Gulf coastal plain for uranium ore deposits, a geochemical study was undertaken. The Catahoula Formation was analyzed for U, Th, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, and Ti to estimate the nature of volcanic glass and its abundance and alteration. Concentrations from three key outcrops were compared. They were also compared to samples from a volcanic area in Trans-Pecos Texas, which is chemically appropriate as a source for the volcanic material in the Catahoula Formation. In the lower Texas Gulf coastal plain, where uranium is produced, the glassy volcanic material has been pervasively altered, but in the upper coastal plain much glass remains. Because glass alteration is necessary for uranium release and concentration, the potential is low for large, shallow uranium ore bodies in the upper Texas Gulf coastal plain

Hydrology and hydraulics of Cypress Creek watershed, Texas during Hurricane Harvey and Impact of Potential Mitigation Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

El Hassan, A.; Fares, A.; Risch, E.

2017-12-01

Rain resulting from Hurricane Harvey stated to spread into Harris County late in August 25 and continued until August 31 2017. This high intensity rainfall caused catastrophic flooding across the Greater Houston Area and south Texas. The objectives of this study are to use the USACE Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis model (GSSHA) to: i) simulate the hydrology and hydraulics of Cypress Creek watershed and quantify the impact of hurricane Harvey on it; and ii) test potential mitigation measures, e.g., construction of a third surface reservoir on the flooding and hydrology of this watershed. Cypress Creek watershed area is 733 km2. Simulations were conducted using precipitation from two sources a) the Multisensory Precipitation Estimator radar products (MPE) and Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system. Streamflow was downloaded from the USGS gauge at the outlet of the watershed. The models performance using both precipitation data was very reasonable. The construction of an 8 m high embankment at the south central part of the watershed resulted in over 22% reduction of the peak flow of the stream and also reduction of the depth of inundation across the east part of the watershed. These and other mitigation scenarios will be further discussed in details during the presentation.

Proceedings of the 1993 InterAmerican Petroleum and Gas Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The 1993 InterAmerican Petroleum and Gas Conference (IPGC) took place September 27--28, 1993, in Dallas Texas. The EPGC was sponsored by the US Department of Energy, organized by the East-West Center and hosted by the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man at Southern Methodist University. The IPGC brought together senior oil industry and government representatives from the United States and Latin America to discuss energy security and more efficient resource utilization through improved cooperation and integration of upstream and downstream activities in the United States and Latin America with an emphasis on technology investments and complementary trade strategies. Special attention was given to the growing opportunities for private and foreign investment, trade and joint commercial ventures between US and Latin American companies. The papers included in these proceedings include most of the presentations offered at the conference that addressed a number of key issues including financial challenges of the hydrocarbon sector, regional and national outlook on the world oil market, upstream and downstream outlook, role of natural gas, and environment and infrastructure requirements. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database

East Texas, 2012—Forest Inventory and Analysis Factsheet

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas J. Brandeis; Jason A. Cooper; James W. Bentley

2014-01-01

This science update summarizes the findings of the statewide annual inventory of the forest resource attributes in Texas conducted by the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in cooperation with the Texas A&M Forest Service. The 254 counties of Texas are consolidated into seven FIA survey units—southeast (unit 1), northeast (unit 2), north central (...

Texas LPG fuel cell development and demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2004-07-26

The State Energy Conservation Office has executed its first Fuel Cell Project which was awarded under a Department of Energy competitive grant process. The Texas LPG Fuel Processor Development and Fuel Cell Demonstration Program is a broad-based public/private partnership led by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). Partners include the Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division (AFRED) of the Railroad Commission of Texas; Plug Power, Inc., Latham, NY, UOP/HyRadix, Des Plaines, IL; Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX; the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The team proposes to mount a development and demonstration program to field-test and evaluate markets for HyRadix's LPG fuel processor system integrated into Plug Power's residential-scale GenSys(TM) 5C (5 kW) PEM fuel cell system in a variety of building types and conditions of service. The program's primary goal is to develop, test, and install a prototype propane-fueled residential fuel cell power system supplied by Plug Power and HyRadix in Texas. The propane industry is currently funding development of an optimized propane fuel processor by project partner UOP/HyRadix through its national checkoff program, the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). Following integration and independent verification of performance by Southwest Research Institute, Plug Power and HyRadix will produce a production-ready prototype unit for use in a field demonstration. The demonstration unit produced during this task will be delivered and installed at the Texas Department of Transportation's TransGuide headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Simultaneously, the team will undertake a market study aimed at identifying and quantifying early-entry customers, technical and regulatory requirements, and other challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed in planning commercialization of the units

Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude assayed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, A.K.

1994-01-01

The paper gives an assay of West Texas Intermediate, one of the world's market crudes. The price of this crude, known as WTI, is followed by market analysts, investors, traders, and industry managers around the world. WTI price is used as a benchmark for pricing all other US crude oils. The 41 degree API < 0.34 wt % sulfur crude is gathered in West Texas and moved to Cushing, Okla., for distribution. The WTI posted prices is the price paid for the crude at the wellhead in West Texas and is the true benchmark on which other US crudes are priced. The spot price is the negotiated price for short-term trades of the crude. And the New York Mercantile Exchange, or Nymex, price is a futures price for barrels delivered at Cushing

77 FR 74179 - Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-13

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on November 26, 2012, Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Stingray), 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in the above... Roney, Manager--Regulatory Affairs, Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300...

Attribution of extreme rainfall from Hurricane Harvey, August 2017

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Oldenborgh, Geert Jan; Van Der Wiel, Karin; Sebastian, A.G.; Singh, Roop; Arrighi, Julie; Otto, Friederike; Haustein, Karsten; Li, Sihan; Vecchi, Gabriel; Cullen, Heidi

2017-01-01

During August 25-30, 2017, Hurricane Harvey stalled over Texas and caused extreme precipitation, particularly over Houston and the surrounding area on August 26-28. This resulted in extensive flooding with over 80 fatalities and large economic costs. It was an extremely rare event: the return

Photonic Nanoparticle Doped Architectures for Enhanced Solar to Fuel Photocatalytic Conversion 154060

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-09

redispersed in 15 mL of DI water using ultrasonic vibration . Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (0.3 mmol), indium(III) nitrate hydrate (0.6 mmol), and...2016, May). Keynote Speaker : Research First Look Symposium; Houston, Texas. • T. R. Lee (2016, May). Invited talk: University of California at

Radiation Source Replacement Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffin, Jeffrey W.; Moran, Traci L.; Bond, Leonard J.

2010-12-01

This report summarizes a Radiation Source Replacement Workshop in Houston Texas on October 27-28, 2010, which provided a forum for industry and researchers to exchange information and to discuss the issues relating to replacement of AmBe, and potentially other isotope sources used in well logging.

78 FR 12746 - Intrepid Robotics, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Intrepid Robotics, Inc. AGENCY: Office of the General Counsel, Department of... intent to grant to Intrepid Robotics, Inc., of Houston, Texas, an exclusive license to practice the... received in response to that public notice, before the end of the comment period. Intrepid Robotics, Inc...

75 FR 11229 - Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-10

... Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas, and then reconvene at the hotel for a business session in the afternoon. On... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials; Notice of Meeting The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory...

Crop Science Applications

Science.gov (United States)

The final speaker, Paul Nakata from the USDA Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas, discussed manipulating the plant genome, with emphasis on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. Dating back thousands of years ago, traditional and then mutational breeding was used to influence, for ...

QUANTIFICATION OF SIDEROPHORE AND HEMOLYSIN FROM STACHYBOTRYS CHARTARUM STRAINS, INCLUDING A STRAIN ISOLATED FROM THE LUNG OF A CHILD WITH PULMONARY HEMORRHAGE AND HEMOSIDEROSIS

Science.gov (United States)

A strain of Stachybotrys chartarum was recently isolated from the lung of a pulmonary hemorrhage and hemosiderosis (PH) patient in Texas (designated the Houston strain). This is the first time that S. chartarum has been isolated from the lung of a PH patient. In this study, the ...

Shuttle Program Information Management System (SPIMS) data base

Science.gov (United States)

1983-01-01

The Shuttle Program Information Management System (SPIMS) is a computerized data base operations system. The central computer is the CDC 170-730 located at Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, Texas. There are several applications which have been developed and supported by SPIMS. A brief description is given.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis Meningitis and Myelitis, Texas, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Hammoud, Roukaya; Nayes, Stacy L; Murphy, James R; Heresi, Gloria P; Butler, Ian J; Pérez, Norma

2017-06-01

Infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis roundworms is endemic in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin. A. cantonensis meningitis and myelitis occurred in summer 2013 in a child with no history of travel outside of Texas, USA. Angiostrongyliasis is an emerging neurotropic helminthic disease in Texas and warrants increased awareness among healthcare providers.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2014-15

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2004-05 through 2014-15 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations…

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2015-16

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2005-06 through 2015-16 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations…

Investigation of coal combustion by-product utilization for oyster reef development in Texas bay waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, W.B. Jr.; Ray, S.M.; Landry, A.M. Jr.

1991-01-01

Houston Lighting and Power Company (HL and P), Texas A and M University at Galveston and JTM Industries, Inc. initiated research in May 1988 and coordinated it with state and federal resource protection agencies to investigate the use of certain HL and P coal combustion by-products (CCBP) for enhancing and creating oyster reefs. Initial research involved determining and optimum mix design based on compressive strength, leaching potential, biofouling success, and cost. CCBP material was found to exceed compressive strength criterion (300 psi for at sign 14 days) and was not a significant leaching source. Candidate mix designs and oyster shell controls were exposed to hatchery-reared oyster larvae to determine spat setability and biofouling success. Larvae setting on CCBP substrate developed into spat and grew at a rate comparable to that for larvae on controls. Since all candidate mix designs exhibited excellent biofouling, an optimum design was chosen based on strength and material cost factors. Chemical analyses conducted to determine materials did not significantly contribute to the trace element load in oysters. Development of oyster cultch material was initiated with input from commercial 2.5 to 7.6 cm (1 to 3 inch) diameter pellets which are irregularly shaped and rough textured. These pellets greatly enhance water circulation, provide maximum setting potential for oyster larvae, and maximize the surface area to volume potential of the CCBP material

Texas' forests, 2008

Science.gov (United States)

James W. Bentley; Consuelo Brandeis; Jason A. Cooper; Christopher M. Oswalt; Sonja N. Oswalt; KaDonna Randolph

2014-01-01

This bulletin describes forest resources of the State of Texas at the time of the 2008 forest inventory. This bulletin addresses forest area, volume, growth, removals, mortality, forest health, timber product output, and the economy of the forest sector.

Texas Instruments : Veiligheid is niet iets om over te stemmen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blijswijk, M. van; Pennekamp, E.

1990-01-01

In dit artikel wordt het VGW-beleid bij Texas Instruments beschreven. Hiertoe zijn interviews gehouden met B. Veekamp, hoofd opleidingen bij Texas Instruments Holland BV (TIH) en de J. Stapel, voorzitter van de VGW-commissie. Occupational health and safety policy of Texas Instruments Holland B.V.

Assessing the viability of microorganisms in the ballast water of vessels transiting the North Atlantic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Jamie L; Quigg, Antonietta

2015-12-15

Testing phytoplankton viability within ballast tanks and receiving waters of ballast water discharge remain understudied. Potentially harmful dinoflagellates and diatoms are transported via ballast water to Galveston Bay, Texas (USA), home to three major ports: Houston, Texas City and Galveston. Ballast water from vessels transiting the North Atlantic Ocean was inoculated into treatments representing low and high salinity conditions similar to the Ports of Houston and Galveston respectively. Phytoplankton in ballast water growout experiments were deemed viable and showed growth in low and mid salinities with nutrient enrichment. Molecular methods identified several genera: Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, Gyrodinium, Heterocapsa, Peridinium, Scrippsiella, Chaetoceros and Nitzschia. These phytoplankton genera were previously identified in Galveston Bay except Scrippsiella. Phytoplankton, including those capable of forming harmful algal blooms leading to fish and shellfish kills, are transported to Galveston Bay via ballast water, and are viable when introduced to similar salinity conditions found in Galveston Bay ports. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making Texas Restaurants Healthier for Children

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2014-12-30

Sylvia Crixell, PhD, RD, Professor of Nutrition at Texas State University, discusses her study which details the success of a community-based program in Texas aimed at combatting childhood obesity by improving children’s menus in restaurants.  Created: 12/30/2014 by Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 12/30/2014.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Adebimpe Oyeyemi

elucidates on the scholarship of discovery, the scholarship of application, the scholarship of integration and the scholarship of ... Science and professional education in medicine and health are .... approaches, modification of an existing approach that results in .... Their Teaching to Advance Practice and Improve Students.

Overview: Texas College and Career Readiness Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009

2009-01-01

The Texas College and Career Readiness Standards define what students should know and be able to accomplish in order to succeed in entry-level college courses or skilled workforce opportunities upon graduation from high school. This paper answers the following questions: (1) Who developed the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards?; (2) What…

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2016-17

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2017

2017-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2006-07 through 2016-17 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Student Data System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs.…

Washington Accelerator Conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Highlights of the 1993 Particle Accelerator Conference, held in Washington in May, were picked out in the previous issue (page 18). Talks on the big hadron colliders reflected the sea-change in the accelerator world where the scale, complexity and cost of the front-line projects has slowed the pace of developments (not unlike the scene in particle physics itself). Speaking before the anti-SSC vote in the House of Representatives in June, Dick Briggs reviewed the situation at the SSC Superconducting Supercollider in Ellis County, Texas. The linac building is near completion and the Low Energy Booster will be ready to receive components early next year. Tunnelling for the Main Ring is advancing rapidly with four boring machines in action. Five miles of tunnel have been completed since January and the pace has now stepped up to nearly a mile each week. The superconducting magnet news is good. Following the successful initial string test of a half cell of the magnet lattice, a two-ring full cell with all associated services is being assembled. The mechanical robustness of the magnet design was confirmed when a dipole was taken to 9.7 T when cooled to 1.8 K. In the Magnet Test Lab itself, ten test stands are installed and equipped

Washington Accelerator Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1993-09-15

Highlights of the 1993 Particle Accelerator Conference, held in Washington in May, were picked out in the previous issue (page 18). Talks on the big hadron colliders reflected the sea-change in the accelerator world where the scale, complexity and cost of the front-line projects has slowed the pace of developments (not unlike the scene in particle physics itself). Speaking before the anti-SSC vote in the House of Representatives in June, Dick Briggs reviewed the situation at the SSC Superconducting Supercollider in Ellis County, Texas. The linac building is near completion and the Low Energy Booster will be ready to receive components early next year. Tunnelling for the Main Ring is advancing rapidly with four boring machines in action. Five miles of tunnel have been completed since January and the pace has now stepped up to nearly a mile each week. The superconducting magnet news is good. Following the successful initial string test of a half cell of the magnet lattice, a two-ring full cell with all associated services is being assembled. The mechanical robustness of the magnet design was confirmed when a dipole was taken to 9.7 T when cooled to 1.8 K. In the Magnet Test Lab itself, ten test stands are installed and equipped.

Reference dosimetry data and modeling challenges for Elekta accelerators based on IROC-Houston site visit data.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerns, James R; Followill, David S; Lowenstein, Jessica; Molineu, Andrea; Alvarez, Paola; Taylor, Paige A; Kry, Stephen F

2018-03-14

Reference dosimetry data can provide an independent second check of acquired values when commissioning or validating a treatment planning system (TPS). The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core at Houston (IROC-Houston) has measured numerous linear accelerators throughout its existence. The results of those measurements are given here, comparing accelerators and the agreement of measurement versus institutional TPS calculations. Data from IROC-Houston on-site reviews from 2000 through 2014 were analyzed for all Elekta accelerators, approximately 50. For each, consistent point dose measurements were conducted for several basic parameters in a water phantom, including percentage depth dose, output factors, small-field output factors, off-axis factors, and wedge factors. The results were compared by accelerator type independently for 6, 10, 15, and 18 MV. Distributions of the measurements for each parameter are given, providing the mean and standard deviation. Each accelerator's measurements were also compared to its corresponding TPS calculation from the institution to determine the level of agreement, as well as determining which dosimetric parameters were most often in error. Accelerators were grouped by head type and reference dosimetric values were compiled. No class of linac had better overall agreement with its TPS, but percentage depth dose and output factors commonly agreed well, while small-field output factors, off-axis factors, and wedge factors often disagreed substantially from their TPS calculations. Reference data has been collected and analyzed for numerous Elekta linacs, which provide an independent way for a physicist to double-check their own measurements to prevent gross treatment errors. In addition, treatment planning parameters more often in error have been highlighted, providing practical caution for physicists commissioning treatment planning systems for Elekta linacs. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

An Analysis of Laboratory Safety in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Edward J.; Picucci, Ali Callicoatte; Collins, James W.; Swann, Philip

This paper reports on a survey to discover the types of laboratory accidents that occur in Texas public schools, the factors associated with such accidents, and the practices of schools with regard to current laboratory safety requirements. The purpose of the survey is to better understand safety conditions in Texas public schools and to help…

Confronting the Graduation Rate Crisis in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Losen, Daniel; Orfield, Gary; Balfanz, Robert

2006-01-01

The most accurate method for tracking high school graduation rates is to provide each student with a single lifetime school identification number that would follow him or her throughout his or her entire school career. Texas has this system in place, but this report demonstrates that the official rates Texas has historically reported dramatically…

78 FR 6313 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-30

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on January 14, 2013, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application in... directed to Thomas G. Joyce, Manager, Certificates, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. 1001 Louisiana...

76 FR 12949 - Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-09

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-97-000] Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application On February 22, 2011, Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C...--Regulatory Affairs, Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002, by...

76 FR 12408 - Notice of Intent to Rule on Request To Release Airport Property at Ellington Field Airport...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-07

... To Release Airport Property at Ellington Field Airport, Houston, Texas AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of request to release airport property. SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to... of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21...

PROSPECT (Profiling of Resistance Patterns & Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in Evaluation of Cancers of the Thorax and Therapeutic Target Identification

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.; 2. Instituto de Tecnologia ...States of America, 2 Instituto de Tecnologia Quı́mica e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 3 Department of Thoracic/Head and

Education for All: One Aspect of Alternative Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinds, Josephine T.

2000-01-01

The Houston (Texas) Independent School District instructs 2,500 students annually that are homebound, hospitalized, or in agency settings through a separate campus called Community Services. Five administrators, 130 teachers, and 52 assistants operate the program. Teachers travel to the students and even though they are responsible for preparing…

75 FR 38799 - ETC Tiger Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-06

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-459-000] ETC Tiger Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Application June 25, 2010. Take notice that on June 15, 2010, ETC Tiger Pipeline, LLC (ETC Tiger), 711 Louisiana Street, Suite 900, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application in Docket...

75 FR 1566 - Public Hearings for Reconsideration of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-12

..., Moody Ballroom (located on the ground floor), 8181 Airport Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77061. Telephone... Standards for Ozone'' proposed rule should be addressed to Ms. Susan Lyon Stone, U.S. EPA, Office of Air... Park, NC 27711, telephone: (919) 541-1146, e-mail: stone[email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The...

Hammouda et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2013) 11(2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cadewumi

2Department of Chemistry, Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne Ave, Houston, TX 77004, USA. ... (28%), whereas SFE gave the highest percentage of anethol (72%). ... appetizing, as digestive aid, liqueurs, bread, cheese and an ingredient of ... In the essential oil of sweet fennel, the fenchone content usually does not ...

Effect of 4 weeks of Pilates on the body composition of young girls

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jago, R; Jonker, ML; Missaghian, M; Baranowski, T

Background. There is a need to find ways to increase the physical activity levels and improve the body composition and blood pressure of girls. Methods. Thirty 11-year-old girls were recruited from two after school programs in Houston Texas in Spring 2005. Participants from one program (16) were

76 FR 28819 - Notice of Intent To Grant Partially Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-18

... the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in USPN 6,133,036, Preservation of... Houston, Texas. The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned to the United States of America...; Phone (281) 483-3021; Fax (281) 483-6936. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt G. Hammerle...

78 FR 29388 - Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-20

... practice the inventions described and claimed in USPN 8,338,114, Engineering Human Broncho- Epithelial... rights in these inventions have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the..., NASA Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas 77058, Mail Code AL; Phone (281) 483-3021...

Untitled

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

generalization, PhD Thesis, Rice University, Houston, Texas. Merchant G A 1988 Recursive construction of polynomial with prescribed phase on unit circle. IEEE. Trans. Acoust., Speech Signal Process. ASSP-36: 1531-1533. Merchant GA, Parks T W 1982 Efficient solution of a Toeplitz-plus-Hankel coefficient matrix system.

Title VII Enhancement Project for Compartiendo Culturas/Sharing Cultures 1995-96. Research Report on Educational Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Houston Independent School District, TX. Dept. of Research and Evaluation.

Compartiendo Culturas/Sharing Cultures, a Title VII Two-Way Developmental Bilingual Education Program at the Gary L. Herod Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District (Texas) was designed to end the isolation typically experienced by language minority students in traditional bilingual education and to provide language majority…

El Discurso de Pasado en el Espanol de Houston: Imperfectividad Y Perfectividad Verbal en una Situacion de Contacto (Past Tense in the Discourse of Spanish Speakers in Houston: Use of Preterite and Imperfect in a Language Contact Situation).

Science.gov (United States)

Mrak, N. Ariana

1998-01-01

Investigates whether, due to the language contact situation in Houston in a group of a Mexican-American speakers, the imperfect forms of subordinate language (Spanish) are going through a process of reduction in favor of the forms of the superordinate language (English) when compared to the speech of Spanish monolinguals. (Author/VWL)

Real-time ambient air monitoring adjacent to the Houston ship channel for volatile organic compounds associated with the refinery operations using the trace atmospheric gas analyzer (TAGA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mickunas, D.B.

2009-01-01

An Urban Air Toxic Monitoring Program was developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to help evaluate the potential toxic air pollution in urban areas. The Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) was used to monitor the ambient air for target compounds associated with industrial, motor vehicle, and natural emissions sources in areas adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel in Texas. In this study, the TAGA used triple quadrupole technology to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses for benzene, toluene, xylenes, styrene, 1,3-butadiene, methyl tert-butyl ether, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. The concentrations for the various ion pairs of the target compounds were updated approximately every 2 seconds. The information was incorporated into the geographic information system (GIS) along with the global positioning system (GPS) information for the TAGA location, aerial views of the monitoring area, and meteorological data for the associated region. The information is used to isolate the emission sources and help reduce air pollution. The GPS output helps determine a path-averaged concentration along various routes. Combined with meteorological data, this information can be used in risk assessment to calculate downwind impacts associated with the target compounds under other meteorological conditions and to determine health impacts. It was concluded that the TAGA can provide rapid, accurate and reliable analytical information for monitoring ambient air. 2 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs

Real-time ambient air monitoring adjacent to the Houston ship channel for volatile organic compounds associated with the refinery operations using the trace atmospheric gas analyzer (TAGA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mickunas, D.B. [United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Environmental Response Team; Wood, J.; Weeks, W. [Lockheed Martin Response Engineering and Analytical Contract, Edison, NJ (Canada)

2009-07-01

An Urban Air Toxic Monitoring Program was developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to help evaluate the potential toxic air pollution in urban areas. The Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) was used to monitor the ambient air for target compounds associated with industrial, motor vehicle, and natural emissions sources in areas adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel in Texas. In this study, the TAGA used triple quadrupole technology to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses for benzene, toluene, xylenes, styrene, 1,3-butadiene, methyl tert-butyl ether, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. The concentrations for the various ion pairs of the target compounds were updated approximately every 2 seconds. The information was incorporated into the geographic information system (GIS) along with the global positioning system (GPS) information for the TAGA location, aerial views of the monitoring area, and meteorological data for the associated region. The information is used to isolate the emission sources and help reduce air pollution. The GPS output helps determine a path-averaged concentration along various routes. Combined with meteorological data, this information can be used in risk assessment to calculate downwind impacts associated with the target compounds under other meteorological conditions and to determine health impacts. It was concluded that the TAGA can provide rapid, accurate and reliable analytical information for monitoring ambient air. 2 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs.

The Evolution of Discovery Systems in Academic Libraries: A Case Study at the University of Houston Libraries

Science.gov (United States)

Guajardo, Richard; Brett, Kelsey; Young, Frederick

2017-01-01

For the past several years academic libraries have been adopting discovery systems to provide a search experience that reflects user expectations and improves access to electronic resources. University of Houston Libraries has kept pace with this evolving trend by pursuing various discovery options; these include an open-source tool, a federated…

75 FR 18200 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-09

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR07-12-005] Enterprise..., Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC (Enterprise Texas), filed its Statement of Operating Conditions in compliance... Commission's regulations. Enterprise Texas states that the revisions include modifications consistent with...

75 FR 18496 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR07-12-005] Enterprise..., Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC (Enterprise Texas), filed its Statement of Operating Conditions in compliance... Commission's regulations. Enterprise Texas states that the revisions include modifications consistent with...

Organizational Behavior Analysis Focusing on the University of Texas System

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, Bobby K.

2011-01-01

This project analyzes the organizational behavior of the University of Texas System. The University of Texas System is comprised of nine academic and six health institutions. The University of Texas System has over 85,000 employees; the student enrollment is 202,240 with a budget of $2.25 billion dollars. This project has a total of four parts and…

Texas turns on lignite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, T.

1992-01-01

The paper describes the author's involvement with the Texas Mining and Reclamation Association (TMRA) and some of its activities. The mission of TMRA is to solidify the needs and opinions of the various mining sectors into one voice which can be heard on the vital matters of balance between mineral production, environmental protection, economic strength and public welfare. To make this voice effective, TMRA will present the mining industry - and its value to the Texas economy and lifestyle - to the public, educators and students, regulatory officials, legislators and to the media to enhance their understanding. TMRA will promote the active participation of its members in association affairs and strive for integrity, clarity and vision throughout all its operations and activities

Texas Bull Nettle (Cnidoscolus texanus) Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrester, Mathias B

2017-06-01

Texas bull nettle (Cnidoscolus texanus) is covered in bristly hairs similar to stinging nettle. Contact with the plant may result in intense dermal pain, burning, itching, cellulitis, and allergic reaction. This study characterizes C texanus exposures reported to a large state-wide poison center system. Cases were C texanus exposures reported to Texas poison centers during 2000-2015. The distribution of cases was determined for patient demographics, exposure circumstances, and patient outcome. A total of 140 C texanus exposures were identified. Twenty percent of the patients were aged ≤5 years, 21% were 6 to 12 years, 5% were 13 to 19 years, and 51% were ≥20years; and 51% of the patients were male. Eighty-one percent of the exposures occurred at the patient's own residence, 11% in a public area, 2% at another residence, and 1% at school. Seventy-eight percent of the patients were managed on site, 13% were already at or en route to a health care facility, and 6% were referred to a health care facility. Eighty-eight percent of the exposures resulted in dermal effects: irritation or pain (56%), erythema or flushing (31%), edema (27%), pruritus (24%), rash (19%), puncture or wound (19%), and hives or welts (11%). C texanus exposures reported to Texas poison centers were most likely to be unintentional and occur at the patient's own residence. The outcomes of the exposures tended not to be serious and could be managed successfully outside of health care facilities. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 73618 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. PR11-92-001] Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing Take notice that on November 22, 2011, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC (Enterprise Texas) filed a revised Statement of Operating Conditions to comply with a...

Paleocene coal deposits of the Wilcox group, central Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Hook, Robert W.; Warwick, Peter D.; SanFilipo, John R.; Schultz, Adam C.; Nichols, Douglas J.; Swanson, Sharon M.; Warwick, Peter D.; Karlsen, Alexander K.; Merrill, Matthew D.; Valentine, Brett J.

2011-01-01

Coal deposits in the Wilcox Group of central Texas have been regarded as the richest coal resources in the Gulf Coastal Plain. Although minable coal beds appear to be less numerous and generally higher in sulfur content (1 percent average, as-received basis; table 1) than Wilcox coal deposits in the Northeast Texas and Louisiana Sabine assessment areas (0.5 and 0.6 percent sulfur, respectively; table 1), net coal thickness in coal zones in central Texas is up to 32 ft thick and more persistent along strike (up to 15 mi) at or near the surface than coals of any other Gulf Coast assessment area. The rank of the coal beds in central Texas is generally lignite (table 1), but some coal ranks as great as subbituminous C have been reported (Mukhopadhyay, 1989). The outcrop of the Wilcox Group in central Texas strikes northeast, extends for approximately 140 mi between the Trinity and Colorado Rivers, and covers parts of Bastrop, Falls, Freestone, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Milam, Navarro, Robertson, and Williamson Counties (Figure 1). Three formations, in ascending order, the Hooper, Simsboro, and Calvert Bluff, are recognized in central Texas (Figure 2). The Wilcox Group is underlain conformably by the Midway Group, a mudstone-dominated marine sequence, and is overlain and scoured locally by the Carrizo Sand, a fluvial unit at the base of the Claiborne Group.

Family Structure and Eating Disorders: The Family Environment Scale and Bulimic-Like Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Carol A.

1991-01-01

Family variables derived from the Family Environment Scale are examined using data from 174 college women at a Pacific Northwest university and 2 universities in Houston (Texas) with varying degrees of bulimia. Subjects' self-reports indicate family dysfunctions, but the study illustrates the complexity of the family's role in bulimia. (SLD)

78 FR 57663 - Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-19

... the inventions described and claimed in USPN 6,485,963, Growth Stimulation of Biological Cells and... rights in these inventions have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the..., NASA Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas 77058, Mail Code AL; Phone (281) 483-3021...

76 FR 35480 - Notice of Intent To Grant Partially Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-17

... license in the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in USPN 6,047,216... these inventions have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator... Chief Counsel, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas 77058, Mail Code AL; Phone (281) 483-3021; Fax (281...

76 FR 12399 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Paris: Life & Luxury”

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-07

... the exhibition ``Paris: Life & Luxury,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the... objects at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California, from on or about April 26, 2011, until on or about August 7, 2011, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, from on or about [[Page 12400

How Students Transform a "Stuffy Building with a Bunch of Rules."

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, W. Christine

1998-01-01

Describes a program to reinforce the art-history curriculum; establish a volunteer habit; and impact students' self-esteem, communication, and leadership skills through service learning. Discusses student training and service as docents at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Texas), and comments on the skills that they acquire through the…

Black-Brown Relations and Stereotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mindiola, Tatcho Jr.; Niemann, Yolanda Flores; Rodriguez, Nestor

This book analyzes how African and Hispanic Americans perceive and interact with one another, highlighting black-brown relations in Houston, Texas, one of the largest cities with a majority ethnic population and one in which Hispanic Americans outnumber African Americans. Using results from several sociological studies, the book examines: how each…

78 FR 16531 - Certain Electronic Devices for Capturing and Transmitting Images, and Components Thereof...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-15

... section 337. The Notice of Institution named as respondents Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California; High Tech Computer Corp. a/k/a HTC Corp. of Taoyuan, Taiwan; HTC America, Inc. of Bellevue, Washington; and Exedea, Inc. of Houston, Texas. On February 12, 2013, the ALJ issued the subject ID, terminating the...

78 FR 58529 - Floridian Natural Gas Storage Company, LLC; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-24

... Natural Gas Storage Company, LLC; Notice of Application Take notice that on September 4, 2013, Floridian Natural Gas Storage Company, LLC (Floridian Gas Storage), 1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 4361, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in Docket No. CP13-541-000 an application under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act...

The Manager's Role in Financial Reporting: A Risk Consultant's Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Reginald L.

2007-01-01

This article presents an interview with Ray Gonzalez, a risk consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP, in Houston, Texas, about the financial reporting responsibilities of top, middle, and frontline managers in large and medium-size firms. This interview spotlights the necessity for timely and accurate reporting of financial information relating to…

77 FR 22773 - Texas Eastern Transmission, L.P.; Notice of Response

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-17

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [ Docket No. RP12-318-001] Texas Eastern... order of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the above- captioned proceeding Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) submits its response to show cause why it should not be required to file...

Tornado from Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Vail, Kathleen

1996-01-01

Santa Fe School Superintendent Yvonne Gonzales, the "Texas Tornado," was hired to fix a 40% student-dropout rate and a white/Hispanic gap in achievement test scores. Gonzales is an avid integrationist; relies on humor, appeasement, and persuasion tactics; and has alienated some school employees by increasing central office…

Instructional Technology Practices in Developmental Education in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Martirosyan, Nara M.; Kennon, J. Lindsey; Saxon, D. Patrick; Edmonson, Stacey L.; Skidmore, Susan T.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of technology integration in developmental education in Texas higher education. Analyzing survey data from developmental education faculty members in 70 2- and 4-year colleges in Texas, researchers identified instructor-reported best instructional technology practices in developmental…

Texas coral snake (Micrurus tener) bites.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, David L; Borys, Douglas J; Stanford, Rhandi; Kjar, Dean; Tobleman, William

2007-02-01

The clinical features of bites from Texas coral snakes (Micrurus tener) have not been well studied. Our goal was to review the largest number of victims of Texas coral snakebites to determine their characteristics, effects, treatment, and outcome. Retrospective case series of Micrurus tener exposures reported to the Texas Poison Center Network from 2000 to 2004. Eighty-two patients were included in the analysis. Most (57.3%) were 18 to 49-year-old men. Almost 90% had local swelling, pain, erythema, or paresthesias. Only 7.3% had systemic effects, and none of these were severe. Over half received coral snake antivenin, and 15.9% were given opioids for pain. No patient died and no patient required mechanical ventilation due to hypoventilation from the snakebite. There were more local findings and less severe systemic effects than previously reported. Antivenin is not needed for most of these patients, and opioids may be administered safely.

Nuclear energy in Texas: major issues and policy recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

On December 15, 1978 the Texas Energy Advisory Council (TEAC) adopted the Texas Energy Policy, 1978 Update. The Council recognized the great complexity of technical, economic, social, and political issues which have an impact on nuclear power, and therefore decided that a special committee was needed to examine in greater detail the nuclear energy issues facing Texas. This report summarizes the work of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear energy. Topics discussed include: biological affects of low levels of radiation; transportation of radioactive material in Texas; uranium mining and milling; severance tax on uranium mining; alternate reactor designs and fuel cycles; financing nuclear plant construction; cost of disposing of nuclear wastes and decommissioning nuclear plants; low-level wastes; disposal of high-level wastes; commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing; and transmutation of radioactive wastes

Gas-processing profit margin series begins in OGJ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, K.J.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on the bases and methods employed by the WK (Wright, Killen and Co, Houston) profit-margin indicator for U.S. gas-processing plants. Additionally, this article reviews the historical profitability of the gas-processing industry and key factors affecting these trends. Texas was selected as the most representative for the industry, reflecting the wide spectrum of gas-processing plants. The profit performance of Texas' gas plants is of special significance because of the large number of plants and high volume of NGL production in the region

Salt formations offer disposal alternative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funderburk, R.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses how three U.S. firms are spending millions to permit and build underground disposal sites in salt formations. These companies claim salt is the ideal geological medium for holding hazardous wastes. Two Texas locations and one in Michigan have been targeted as future sites for hazardous waste disposal. The Michigan site, outside Detroit, is a former salt mine 2,000 feet beneath the Ford Motor Co. (Detroit) assembly works in Dearborn. Both Texas sites are atop salt domes---one east and one west of Houston

76 FR 13610 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. PR10-14-002; PR11-92-000] Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing Take notice that on March 1, 2011, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC (Enterprise Texas) filed a revised Statement of Rates to its Statement of Operating...

Defense Base Realignment and Closure Budget Data for Naval Air Stations Dallas, Texas, and Memphis, Tennessee, Realigning to Carswell Air Reserve Base, Texas

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Granetto, Paul

1994-01-01

.... This report provides the results of the audit of 16 projects, valued at $122 million, for the realignment of the Naval Air Stations Memphis, Tennessee, and Dallas, Texas, to Carswell Air Reserve Base, Texas...

Organic composition of fogwater in the Texas-Louisiana gulf coast corridor

Science.gov (United States)

Raja, Suresh; Raghunathan, Ravikrishna; Kommalapati, Raghava R.; Shen, Xinhua; Collett, Jeffrey L.; Valsaraj, Kalliat T.

Fogwater and air samples were collected in Baton Rouge between November 2004-February 2005 and during February 2006 at Houston. Organic compounds present in the fog samples were detected, quantified and then grouped into different compound classes based on molecular size, solubility and polarity using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and ion chromatography. Organic compounds were grouped as n-alkanes, aromatics and polycyclic aromatics, carbonyls, alcohols, amides and esters. Organic compounds in fog and air samples in Houston indicated clear urban/industrial anthropogenic origin, while compounds detected in Baton Rouge fog and air samples showed a mix of both agricultural and urban/industrial anthropogenic inputs. Among the various polycyclic aromatic compounds detected, the total concentration of naphthalene and its derivatives was 2.8 μg m -3 in Houston and 0.08 μg m -3 in Baton Rouge air. Analysis of concentrations of organic compounds pre- and post- fog revealed that compounds with low vapor pressure had higher scavenging efficiency in fog sampled at the two locations. Concentrations of organic compounds in fog samples were higher than those predicted by conventional air-water Henry's law equilibrium. Observed higher concentrations in the aqueous phase were modeled accounting for surface adsorption and accumulation of gas phase species and the presence of humic-like substances in fogwater.

Teacher Certification and Academic Growth among English Learner Students in the Houston Independent School District. REL 2018-284

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz de Castilla, Verónica

2018-01-01

Aware of the challenges set before the Houston Independent school District by rapid growth in the numbers of English learner students, and a critical shortage of teachers with bilingual certification for more than a decade, members of Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest's English Learners Research Alliance sought information that districts…

Work and Family Programs in Texas State Agencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Work and Family Clearinghouse, Austin.

A survey of work and family policies in state-supported organizations in Texas was conducted for the Texas Workforce Commission's Work and Family Clearinghouse. Survey questions addressed the prevalence, perceived need, and future direction of dependent care programs and flexible work arrangements (FWA). Key findings in dependent care include: (1)…

Monitoring work zone safety and mobility impacts in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-01

In this report, Texas Transportation Institute researchers identify key work zone safety and mobility : performance measures that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) should target as part of a work : zone monitoring program within a distri...

Long-term changes in river system hydrology in Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Zhang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Climate change and human actives are recognized as a topical issue that change long-term water budget, flow-frequency, and storage-frequency characteristics of different river systems. Texas is characterized by extreme hydrologic variability both spatially and temporally. Meanwhile, population and economic growth and accompanying water resources development projects have greatly impacted river flows throughout Texas. The relative effects of climate change, water resources development, water use, and other factors on long-term changes in river flow, reservoir storage, evaporation, water use, and other components of the water budgets of different river basins of Texas have been simulated in this research using the monthly version of the Water Rights Analysis Package (WRAP modelling system with input databases sets from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ and Texas Water Development Board (TWDB. The results show that long-term changes are minimal from analysis monthly precipitation depths. Evaporation rates vary greatly seasonally and for much of the state appear to have a gradually upward trend. River/reservoir system water budgets and river flow characteristics have changed significantly during the past 75 years in response to water resources development and use.

Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society, Volume 71 (2000, Austin, Paper.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larry D. Banks

2000-11-01

Full Text Available This annual bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society is a unique contribution specifically focused upon the history of Texas archaeology in a format that no others have done previously. The volume contains 150 pages, the majority of which consists of interviews (146 pages conducted by the first State Archaeologist of Texas, Curtis Tunnell. In 1968 Tunnell conceived of the idea of obtaining personal interviews from individuals whom he considered his heroes for their pioneering efforts in Texas archeology. This volume entails the first publication of such information, but more will certainly follow. The remaining four pages comprise two different reviews of other publications important in their own right to those interested in Southern Plains archeology of Texas. These two reviews by Timothy K Pertulla and David T. Hughes, respectively, are of The Coronado Expedition to Tierra Nueva: The 1540·1542 Route Across the Southwest by Richard Flint and Shirley Cushing flint, and GaffCreek: Artifact Collection Strategy and Occupation Prehistory on the Southern High Plains, Texas County. Oklahoma. The section by Tunnell titled "In Their Own Words: Stories from Some Pioneer Texas Archeologists" contains numerous previously unpublished photographs of people, sites and artifacts referred to the texts.

Mississippian depositional history of the Texas Panhandle: A reappraisal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruppel, S.C.

1988-01-01

Recent lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of subsurface Mississippian rocks of the Texas Panhandle indicates that previous interpretations of the sequence and timing of depositional events in the area need revision. Early Mississippian (Kinderhookian to Osagean) deposition in the area was restricted to the northeastern Panhandle (Anadarko Basin). The Texas Arch, a Devonian structure, remained positive and effectively limited sediment accumulation throughout the remainder of the area at this time. Major inundation of the southern Panhandle did not occur until the Meramecian. At that time shallow platform conditions developed in the area of the submerged Texas Arch; carbonate buildups formed locally on the outer ramp along the previous margin of the Arch. This marine transgression correlates with drowning of platform margins throughout the midcontinent region. The Texas Arch continued intermittently to control deposition until the end of the Mississippian Period. 20 refs., 2 figs

75 FR 8051 - Petal Gas Storage, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-23

... Storage, L.L.C.; Notice of Application February 12, 2010. Take notice that on January 29, 2010, Petal Gas Storage, L.L.C. (Petal), 1100 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas, 77002, filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission an abbreviated application pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), as...

77 FR 64972 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-24

... Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on October 10, 2012, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in the above captioned docket an application pursuant to sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for a...

Evaluation of the Fourth and Final Year of the Even Start--Padres y Progreso Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Carla J.; And Others

The Even Start--Padres y Progreso program was a nationally funded program in Houston (Texas) designed to prepare young children to enter school not only by offering early childhood education, but also assisting their families with adult literacy/English as a second language, parenting skills training, and employment skills training. The program…

Still Reforming after All These Years

Science.gov (United States)

McKenzie, William

2014-01-01

This article presents an interview with Terry Grier, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Texas's largest district. Before taking this post, he had been a principal or superintendent for most of three decades and remains a reformer five years into his leadership. Grier has maintained his passion for improving schools…

Children Ask Questions about West African Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Abercrombie, Denice; Cochran, Mathilda; Mims, Margaret

1997-01-01

Presents a collection of questions that fifth-grade students asked about African artwork and answers provided by staff from the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. Observes that students' interest in important visual aspects of the art creates lead-ins to more detailed discussions of West African art and culture. (DSK)

76 FR 52696 - Notice of Intent To Grant Partially Exclusive License

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-23

... license in the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in USPN 6,133,036... principal place of business in Madison, New Jersey. The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned... Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas 77058, Mail Code AL; Phone (281) 483-3021; Fax (281) 483...

77 FR 48198 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Faking It: Manipulated...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-13

... exhibition ``Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop,'' imported from abroad for temporary... exhibit objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, from on or about October 11, 2012... February 17, 2013, until on or about May 5, 2013, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, from on or about...

IADC Vulnerability Report, IT32-13

Science.gov (United States)

Christiansen, E. L.; Miller, J. E.; Hyde, Jimx

2016-01-01

This section provides hypervelocity impact test data for two types of batteries: Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) and Nickel Hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries. The impact tests were directed by the NASA Johnson Space Center Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) group in Houston Texas, and were performed at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF).

In-House Automation of a Small Library Using a Mainframe Computer.

Science.gov (United States)

Waranius, Frances B.; Tellier, Stephen H.

1986-01-01

An automated library routine management system was developed in-house to create system unique to the Library and Information Center, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas. A modular approach was used to allow continuity in operations and services as system was implemented. Acronyms and computer accounts and file names are appended.…

Traumatic Loss and Natural Disaster: A Case Study of a School-Based Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Science.gov (United States)

Clettenberg, Stacey; Gentry, Judy; Held, Matthew; Mock, Lou Ann

2011-01-01

This article tracks the trajectory and impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the communities of Houston/Harris County, Texas, USA, the schools, children, and families; along with the community partnerships that addressed the trauma and upheaval. Following the influx of individuals and families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita…