WorldWideScience

Sample records for facility palestine texas

  1. The evaluation of cutoff rigidities and reentrant albedo calculations for Palestine, Dallas, and Midland, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shea, M.A.; Smart, D.F.

    1975-01-01

    By using the trajectory-tracing technique, cutoff rigidities for Palestine, Dallas, and Midland, Texas, have been calculated as a function of various zenith and azimuth angles. Extensive analysis of the trajectory calculations shows that there is a systematic uncertainty involved in computing the lowest allowed rigidity, and this uncertainty may be a significant fraction of the penumbral width. Continuation of the trajectory-tracing process below the Stormer cutoff allows an evaluation of the reentrant albedo, showing that the average invariant latitude of the guiding center of the trajectory at the albedo origin is the same as the average invariant latitude of the guiding center of the particle trajectory at the detection point. No significant difference in the cutoff rigidities for these locations is found when the external magnetic fields present in the magnetosphere are added to the geomagnetic field of internal origin

  2. Geohydrology of the Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine salt domes in the northeast Texas salt-dome basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carr, J.E.; Halasz, S.J.; Peters, H.B.

    1980-01-01

    The salt within these domes has penetrated as much as 20,000 feet of Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata, and presently extends to within 120 to 800 feet of the land surface. The salt penetrates or closely underlies major freshwater and salinewater aquifers within the basin. To provide a safe repository for radioactive wastes within one or more of these domes, a thorough understanding of the geohydrology needs to be obtained, and the hydrologic stability of the domes needs to be established for the expected life of the storage facility. Dissolution may exist at all four candidate salt domes, possibly through contact with Cretaceous or Tertiary aquifers, or through fault systems in the vicinity of the domes. Strata overlying and surrounding Palestine and Keechi Salt Domes have been arched into steeply-dipping folds that are complexly faulted. Similar conditions exist at Oakwood and Mount Sylvan Domes, except that the Tertiary strata have been only moderately disturbed. Additional problems concerning the hydrologic stability of Oakwood and Palestine Salt Domes have resulted from the disposal of oil-field salinewater in the cap rock at the Oakwood Dome and previous solution mining of salt at the Palestine Dome

  3. Understanding Excess Emissions from Industrial Facilities: Evidence from Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zirogiannis, Nikolaos; Hollingsworth, Alex J; Konisky, David M

    2018-03-06

    We analyze excess emissions from industrial facilities in Texas using data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Emissions are characterized as excess if they are beyond a facility's permitted levels and if they occur during startups, shutdowns, or malfunctions. We provide summary data on both the pollutants most often emitted as excess emissions and the industrial sectors and facilities responsible for those emissions. Excess emissions often represent a substantial share of a facility's routine (or permitted) emissions. We find that while excess emissions events are frequent, the majority of excess emissions are emitted by the largest events. That is, the sum of emissions in the 96-100th percentile is often several orders of magnitude larger than the remaining excess emissions (i.e., the sum of emissions below the 95th percentile). Thus, the majority of events emit a small amount of pollution relative to the total amount emitted. In addition, a small group of high emitting facilities in the most polluting industrial sectors are responsible for the vast majority of excess emissions. Using an integrated assessment model, we estimate that the health damages in Texas from excess emissions are approximately $150 million annually.

  4. Water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine salt domes, northeast Texas salt-dome basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carr, J.E.; Halasz, S.J.; Liscum, F.

    1980-11-01

    This report contains water-quality data for aquifers, streams, and lakes in the vicinity of Keechi, Mount Sylvan, Oakwood, and Palestine Salt Domes in the northeast Texas salt-dome basin. Water-quality data were compiled for aquifers in the Wilcox Group, the Carrizo Sand, and the Queen City Sand. The data include analyses for dissolved solids, pH, temperature, hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. Water-quality and streamflow data were obtained from 63 surface-water sites in the vicinity of the domes. These data include water discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen. Samples were collected at selected sites for analysis of principal and selected minor dissolved constituents

  5. History of Neurosurgery in Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darwazeh, Rami; Darwazeh, Mazhar; Sun, Xiaochuan

    2017-08-01

    Palestinian neurosurgery started with Dr. Antone Tarazi as the first Palestinian neurosurgeon. Before that, there was no organized neurosurgery specialty, and general surgeons performed neurosurgical procedures. Here we review the history of neurosurgery and neurosurgical applications in Palestine, evaluate some limitations of the current system, and discuss major challenges to improving this system. We collected information from various sources in either English or Arabic. The development of neurosurgery and neurosurgical training in Palestine began in 1960 with the first center established in Jerusalem, which provided much-needed neurosurgical services and training in the fields of neurosurgery and neurology. Palestine has produced a number of its own neurosurgeons and has promoted further progress by establishing the Palestinian Neurosurgical Society in 2014. Today, there are 34 neurosurgeons (including 1 female neurosurgeon) and 17 residents providing expert care in 17 centers across Palestine, along with 1 neurosurgical residency program. Neurosurgery in Palestine has faced many challenges, some of which have been overcome. However, there remain many challenges, which will require much time and effort to surmount. Political stabilization is a significant factor in the progress of neurosurgery in Palestine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Legal Reform, De-colonization and State-building in Palestine ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Legal Reform, De-colonization and State-building in Palestine. Demands for legal reform have come from both inside and outside Palestine. Inside Palestine, legal reform is seen as a prerequisite for democracy and good governance. Outside, legal reform is perceived as integral to the continued peace process with Israel.

  7. Life-Cycle Cost Study for a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, B.C.; Walter, P.L.; Baird, R.D.

    1999-01-01

    This report documents the life-cycle cost estimates for a proposed low-level radioactive waste disposal facility near Sierra Blanca, Texas. The work was requested by the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority and performed by the National Low-Level Waste Management Program with the assistance of Rogers and Associates Engineering Corporation

  8. WaDImena Research Project Palestine Building a Participatory ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Ifad

    Wastewater Reclamation and Reuse in Palestine. Maher Abu-Madi, Ziad Mimi, and Nadine Sinokrot. Institute of Environmental and Water Studies, Birzeit University, Palestine ... All stakeholders have positive knowledge and perceptions.

  9. West Nile Virus: Seroprevalence in Animals in Palestine and Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azmi, Kifaya; Tirosh-Levy, Sharon; Manasrah, Mu'taz; Mizrahi, Rotem; Nasereddin, Abed; Al-Jawabreh, Amer; Ereqat, Suheir; Abdeen, Ziad; Lustig, Yaniv; Gelman, Boris; Schvartz, Gili; Steinman, Amir

    2017-08-01

    West Nile virus (WNV) epidemiological situation in Israel and Palestine, due to their unique location, draws attention following to the global spread of West Nile fever (WNF). Although much information is available from Israel on clinical cases and prevalence of WNV, clinical cases are rarely reported in Palestine, and prevalence is not known. The objectives of this study were to determine WNV seroprevalence in various domestic animals in Palestine and to reevaluate current seroprevalence, force of infection, and risk factors for WNV exposure in horses in Israel. Sera samples were collected from 717 animals from Palestine and Israel (460 horses, 124 donkeys, 3 mules, 50 goats, 45 sheep, and 35 camels). Two hundred and ten horses were sampled twice. The level of WNV antibodies was determined using commercial Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Kit. Seroprevalence in equids was 73%. Seroprevalence in Israel (84.6%) was significantly higher than in Palestine (48.6%). Seroprevalence in horses (82.6%) was significantly higher than in donkeys and mules (39.3%). Multivariable statistical analysis showed that geographical area, landscape features (altitude), environmental factors (land surface temperature during the day [LSTD]), species, and age significantly influenced WNV seroprevalence. Fourteen of 95 (14.7%) sheep and goats and 14/35 camels (40%) sampled in Palestine were seropositive for WNV. Of the horses that were sampled twice, 82.8% were seropositive for WNV at the first sampling, and all remained seropositive. Three of the seronegative horses, all from Palestine, converted to positive when resampled (8.5%). The results indicate that domestic animals in Palestine were infected with WNV in the past, and the seroconversion indicates that WNV was circulating in Palestine in the summer of 2014. Control measures to prevent human infection should be implemented in Palestine. Anti WNV antibodies in domestic animals suggest that those species can be used as

  10. ANALYSIS OF UNEMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES IN PALESTINE BETWEEN 2000 AND 2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed SALAMA

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the challenges of unemployment in Palestine between 2000 and 2015. The study aims to understand the trends and sources of unemployment in Palestine. Using the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS data, trend analysis was used to understand the trends of unemployment in both parts of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip between 2000 and 2015. The Results showed that there is a downward trend in the unemployment rate in West Bank and an upward trend appears on the unemployment rate in Gaza Strip. The constraints during the second Intifada and the Siege on Gaza Strip are the main factors that affected on unemployment between 2000 and 2015. The economic growth difference in both parts of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip can be one of the reasons that affecting on unemployment besides the other reasons. Some solutions are introduced for unemployment challenge in Palestine beside the solution of lack of independence issue.

  11. Economics of Higher Education under Occupation: The Case of Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam Abd Al-Qadir Alfoqahaa

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Through some extremely difficult experiences, education in general and Higher Education in particular has remained a constant focus of resources in Palestine.  Due to the ongoing occupation of Palestine, Palestinian universities could not expect to contribute significantly to economic development in the same way as other institutions around the world. However, the establishment and development of universities in Palestine meant that Palestine was investing in Palestinians, and, for reasons discussed in this paper, the development represented a clear breakthrough to be celebrated throughout Palestinian society. Most of the previous studies on the Economics of Higher Education (HE have not explicitly dealt with the Economics of Higher Education under occupation, especially in Palestine, neglecting much of the broader context and strategic impact of Palestinian Higher Education. This research investigates in depth Palestinian HE socio-economic outcomes for Palestinians, bringing to the light the meaning of HE under occupation that goes beyond mere economic impact to include its impact on Palestinians' human capital, dignity, and national identity reflecting the unique case of Palestine. This research reveals that from very early on it was clear that Palestinian Higher Education could not give the economy a boost, but that universities did give people a pride in Palestine, which, given the conditions of a brutal military occupation that increasingly separated one Palestinian from the next, amounted to quite a significant achievement. It demonstrated the central role Palestinian HE plays in the life of Palestinians as it is goes beyond means of economic growth to means of survival, building human capital, and maintaining people's dignity and national identity.

  12. Low infant mortality among Palestine refugees despite the odds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khader, Ali; Sabatinelli, Guido

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Objective To present data from a 2008 infant mortality survey conducted in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and analyse infant mortality trends among Palestine refugees in 1995–2005. Methods Following the preceding birth technique, mothers who were registering a new birth were asked if the preceding child was alive or dead, the day the child was born and the date of birth of the neonate whose birth was being registered. From this information, neonatal, infant and early child mortality rates were estimated. The age at death for early child mortality was determined by the mean interval between successive births and the mean age of neonates at registration. Findings In 2005–2006, infant mortality among Palestine refugees ranged from 28 deaths per 100 000 live births in the Syrian Arab Republic to 19 in Lebanon. Thus, infant mortality in Palestine refugees is among the lowest in the Near East. However, infant mortality has stopped decreasing in recent years, although it remains at a level compatible with the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4. Conclusion Largely owing to the primary health care provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other entities, infant mortality among Palestine refugees had consistently decreased. However, it is no longer dropping. Measures to address the most likely reasons – early marriage and childbearing, poor socioeconomic conditions and limited access to good perinatal care – are needed. PMID:21479095

  13. Workers' Education in Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elayassa, Wajih

    2013-01-01

    Due to the political context and the restrictions placed on general freedoms and trade union activities, workers' education in Palestine remained informal and largely reliant on oral memory until the early 1990s. For decades, it was an integral part of political education. Workers' education only became a stand-alone field after the establishment…

  14. Analysis of the sphere of health related physical culture in Palestine

    OpenAIRE

    Xадер, Самер

    2015-01-01

    Analysis of scientific literature dealing with health related physical culture status in Palestine has been made in order to determine the factors influencing fitness-technologies implementation. Historical, sociocultural, political, religious, economic conditions determining the current level and the prospects of health related physical culture development in Palestine have been determined.

  15. The Power of Reflective Writing for Early Childhood Teachers in Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahles, Buad

    2015-01-01

    This research aimed to highlight the power of reflective writing for early childhood teachers in Palestine, seven teachers in Palestine participated in this qualitative study, they were asked to write their reflections for 18 months. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and reflective writing journals. Data was analyzed using…

  16. A Review of The Statehood of Palestine from The Perspective of International Law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Kongxiang

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available According to the United Nations’ partition plan of Israel-Palestine, Palestinians enjoy autonomy. But with Israel’s invasion by force, thousands of Palestinian people have been displaced and made homeless. In its Advisory Opinion, “the legitimacy of the building of an isolation wall in the occupied Palestinian territories”, the ICJ confirmed that the Palestinians enjoy the people’s right to self-determination. Also, a tit-for-tat legal struggle was launched in the UNSC and the GA, the UNESCO, the ICC and other agencies concerning the issue of Palestinian’s national identity. In September 2011, Palestine applied to become a formal member state in the UN, and failed to get the Security Council’s support due to the US and Israel’s blockade. Shortly thereafter, Palestine was allowed to join the UNESCO. On November 29, 2012, Palestine upgraded its status to “Non-Member Observer” through the GA’s votes. The focus of Palestine’s national identity is on whether Palestine obtains the desired qualification of the United Nations Member States.

  17. 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

  18. Electricity and Empire in 1920s Palestine under British Rule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamir, Ronen

    2016-12-01

    This article examines some techno-political aspects of the early years of electrification in British-ruled 1920s Palestine. It emphasizes the importance of local technical, topographical and hydrological forms of knowledge for understanding the dynamics of electrification. Situating the analysis in a general colonial context of electrification, the study shows that British colonial rulers lagged behind both German firms and local entrepreneurs in understanding the specific conditions pertaining to electrification in Palestine. Subsequently, the study shows that the British had limited control of the actual electrification process and its declared/professed developmental purposes, thereby complicating assumptions about electrification as a tool of the Empire/tool of empire. Finding some similarities between the cases of electrifying Palestine and India, the article's findings may shed further light on the importance of micro-politics of knowledge for understanding the trajectory of electrification in the colonies.

  19. Lifelines: faces and breaths from Palestine

    CERN Multimedia

    2015-01-01

    The “Lifelines” drawing exhibition, which evokes the culture and atmosphere of Palestine, is on display in the Main Building from now until 5 April. Income from the sale of drawings will contribute to funding specialised training for the young artist behind the drawings.   "François Englert and Peter Higgs" by 17-year-old Islam Mahmoud Sweity. Islam Mahmoud Sweity is a 17-year-old artist living in Beit Awwa, a small village in Palestine. Her talent in capturing people’s feelings and reproducing them on paper has already led to her participating in many local exhibitions and reaching the finals of the Palestinian TV show “Best Talent” in 2013. Sweity’s 21 artworks include portraits of women and men, friends of the artist. You will also recognise Mandela and, surprisingly, even physics Nobel Prize laureates Englert and Higgs! The portraits have also inspired two poems: one by physicist and ...

  20. An Analysis of The Islamic and Conventional Banking Profitability in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohmad Tawfiq Abusharbeh

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: An Analysis of the Islamic and Conventional Banking Profitability in Palestine. The research paper examines the performance of profitability of Islamic banks against conventional banks for the period of 2005 to 2010. Two alternative measurements of banking profitability such as Return on Equity (ROE and Return on Assets (ROA are used to examine whether there is any differences of profit rate between Islamic, local and foreign conventional banks. The study concludes that Islamic banks generally provide the similar profit rate compared to local banks, however Islamic banks provide lower profit rate compared to foreign banks. Finally the findings also suggest that there is no statistical significant difference in mean return between the Islamic banks, local and foreign banks in Palestine. The study recommends the critical needs for Islamic regulation in order to improve the role of Islamic banking industry in Palestine.

  1. Strangers in a strange land: Egyptians in southern Palestine during the Bronze Age

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachael Sparks

    2002-10-01

    Full Text Available When the Institute of Archaeology was formally established in 1937, it became responsible for housing Sir Flinders Petrie’s collection of archaeological material from Palestine. This unique inheritance has great value as a research collection, as its curator demonstrates here in her discussion of interaction between Egypt and Palestine in the Bronze Age.

  2. On Political Islam in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Egor A. Stepkin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: This article deals with analyzing the place and the political Islam occupies on the Palestinian territories. The author tries to prove that despite the “Arab spring” and growing popularity of Islamism in the neighbor Arab countries its popular support among Palestinians is low. The main reason for this is Israeli total control of political, economic and - partially - social processes taking place in the West Bank. Position of the officials in Ramallah who together with Tel-Aviv strictly contain spread of Islamism throughout the West Bank also has a strong suppressing effect. Central Palestinian leadership may be called one of the few secular political establishments that are still in power in the Arab countries. The main explanation for this is the desire to make a positive effect on the international community, which Palestine totally depends on in political and financial terms. Also one should keep in mind secular beliefs of the current political elite in Palestine. President Mahmoud Abbas with his counterparts from FATAH and PLO represent old type of Arab nationalist politicians, almost all of who were stripped from power after the beginning of “Arab spring” in 2011. Finally, Palestinian society itself still feels united by the idea of national liberation from the Israeli occupation. This helps Palestinians to put aside the issue of religious self-identification. According to the surveys, most of Palestinians still rank their national identity number while describing their identity, while religion comes only second (despite the strong stable tendency for growing Islamization of their views. The only Palestinian enclave where political Islam has gained ground is isolated Gaza Strip. However ruling there “Islamic Resistance Movement” (HAMAS, despite declared anti-Zionism and Islamism, in reality show pragmatic readiness for certain coordination of its actions with Israel and central government in Ramallah. Nowadays one can

  3. Construction and characterization of the redesigned PGAA facility at The University of Texas at Austin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Revay, Zs.; Harrison, R.K.; Alvarez, E.; Biegalski, S.R.; Landsberger, S.

    2007-01-01

    The prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) facility at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) has been redesigned and reconstructed. As a result of the new shielding of the system, the neutron (at all energies) and gamma-ray backgrounds have been reduced by more than an order of magnitude, considerably improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the characteristic peaks. The prompt gamma peaks from the construction materials have also been decreased, providing better detection limits for elements. The calibration of the new system is shown in detail. All these efforts significantly improved the sensitivity and reliability of the chemical analyses performed in the facility. The characteristics of the improved PGAA system are also presented

  4. 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...

  5. As if they do not exist. Images of (belonging and of owning Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irit Neidhardt

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Films from or about Palestine are frequently programmed at international film festivals. They are sometimes released in cinemas and quite often presented in special screenings at various institutions all over the Western World. Due to the scarcity of screens and the boycott of Israel, they are seen to a lesser extend in Arab countries. Compared to screenings of other Arab films or the presentation of movies from other former colonies and mandatory territories, Western audiences often react highly emotional to the images from Palestine. In debates questions for a better understanding of the films’ subject or context are barely ever asked. Rather the foreign spectators seem to have a sense of belonging and to claim the right for co-determination. Where do these emotional ties originate from? In recent years a large number of films shot in Palestine during the late Ottoman period and the British mandate were made accesssible online, mainly by the Steven Spielberg Film Archive in Jerusalem and the British War Museum in London. Libraries like the Library of Congress in Washington digitized parts of their photographic collections. Based on them as well as on the films I work with as distributor and programmer for Arab film series, in this article I look at images on and from Palestine and ask for what purpose, in which context and by whom they were made and distributed.

  6. Solar energy facility at North Hampton Recreation Center, Dallas, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-01-01

    The solar energy facility located at the North Hampton Park Recreation and Health Center, Dallas, Texas is presented. The solar energy system is installed in a single story (two heights), 16,000 sq ft building enclosing a gymnasium, locker area, and health care clinic surrounded by a recreational area and athletic field. The solar energy system is designed to provide 80 percent of the annual space heating, 48 percent of the annual space cooling, and 90 percent of the domestic hot water requirements. The system's operation modes and performance data acquisition system are described. The system's performance during the months of June, July, August, September, and October of 1979 are presented and show a negative savings of energy. Experience to date indicates however that the system concept has promise of acceptable performance. It is concluded that if proper control and sequencing components was maintained, then the system performance would improve to an acceptable level.

  7. Gender Gap in Returns to Schooling in Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daoud, Yousef

    2005-01-01

    This study provides estimates of the private returns to schooling in Palestine utilizing eight quarterly labor force surveys for 1999 and 2001. This period was chosen to investigate the differential impact of the Israeli closure policy on Palestinian male and female workers. Although gross enrollment ratios for males and females reveal little to…

  8. [What is the link between the sister of the "Titanic" and the history of medicine in Palestine?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, Zalman

    2006-06-01

    On 21st November 1916, the Royal Navy Hospital ship 'Britannic' (the sister ship of the 'Titanic') was torpedoed near the island of Kea in the Aegean Sea. Captain Dr. John Cropper, aged 52, was one of 30 people who drowned of the 1100 on board. Dr. Cropper was born in 1864, at Guisborough, England. He obtained his medical degree from Cambridge University in 1891. After his marriage to Anne Ellen Walker in 1895, the Church Missionary Society sent him on a medical mission to Palestine. Dr. Cropper stayed in Palestine for about 10 years working in Acre, Nablus, Ramallah and Jerusalem. He published his experiences in 35 articles and letters in English medical periodicals, more than anyone else did in Palestine at that time. In those publications, he described various operations that he carried out and observations on infectious diseases, most of which were the first descriptions from that remote and unhealthy country. His prominent research was in the field of malaria - the most common and important disease in Palestine during that period. It was less than two years after Grassi's discovery of the role of Anopheles mosquitoes as the vector of human malaria that Dr. Cropper carried out surveys of larval and adult mosquitoes in correlation with malarial distribution in Palestine. Dr. Cropper was the first who routinely examined slides microscopically in Palestine and correctly diagnosed the type of malaria. Dr. Cropper was also the first in Palestine to suggest antimalarial measures aimed directly at the mosquito vector and paid attention to ecological aspects such as breeding places and the daily behavior of adult mosquitoes. Dr. Cropper noted the common antimalarial measurements of that time, such as covering of wells, planting of Eucalyptus trees to drain swamps and the routine use of quinine as a preventive medicine, but he wrote that those measures were not effective under the local conditions. He suggested that the only effective measures must be aimed against the

  9. 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.

  10. [The organization of Jewish dentists in pre-Israel Palestine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keren-Kratz, M

    2016-04-01

    The first modern dental institutes were established in Europe and in the USA during the 1840s. At that period there wasn't a single qualified doctor in Palestine, not to mention a professional dentist. A couple of decades later, as the number of Christian pilgrims grew, some modern hospitals were established and a few non-Jewish dentists opened their clinics in Jerusalem, which was then and in the following decades, the region's largest city. In Europe, dentistry became a popular profession among Jews in general and among Jewish women in particular. The first Jewish dentist settled in Jerusalem in the mid-1880s. Other dentists were slow to arrive and their number began to grow only after the turn of the 20th century. Their professional education varied from those who were trained as apprentices by other dentists to those which studied a couple of years in an academic dental school. The devastation caused by WWI prompted American-Zionist organizations to send a special medical unit to Palestine in 1918. Along medical supplies it also brought a small group of doctors and dentists. The two American dentists that decided to remain in Palestine took upon themselves to spread their medical and scientific knowledge. They also organized the dentists, whose number grew considerably during the 1920s, and called the authorities to regulate the dental profession. In 1926 the British authorities issued a decree regulating all medical professions. It demanded that dental practitioners will be licensed after proving their previous studies and professional knowledge. In 1931, local dentists' organizations decided to establish the Palestine Dental Association. Five years later it was accepted as a member by the International Dental Federation (FDI) and was recognized by the local authorities. Since the 1930s, prominent Jewish dentists from abroad were invited to come to Palestine to lecture, and local dentists participated in international conferences. This prompted the first

  11. 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

  12. Palestine refugees in the contemporary context: a view from UNRWA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Abu Zayd

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Serious deprivations feature regularly in the lives ofPalestinians and Palestine refugees. Among them,measures restricting or prohibiting the movement ofpeople and goods stand out as particularly severe – andare in blatant contravention of human rights provisions.

  13. Financial assurance for decontamination and decommissioning: a Texas perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, C.D.; Etter, S.D.; Dziuk, T.W.

    1986-01-01

    The Texas Department of Health (TDH) has the regulatory responsibility to ensure that funds are available for decontamination, decommissioning, and reclamation of uranium recovery facilities in Texas. Uranium recovery licensees are required to post financial security with the Agency for that purpose. Texas uranium facilities include (1) conventional surface mining and milling plants, including tailings ponds, and (2) in situ solution mining plants, each with somewhat different cost elements for decontamination, decommissioning, reclamation, and closure. Cost estimates for decontamination, decommissioning, and reclamation, along with a facility closure plan, are initially submitted to the Agency by the licensees. These are verified and compared with detailed independent cost estimates prepared by Agency staff. Significant differences between the two estimates are examined and resolved by negotiation and/or recalculation to the satisfaction of the state. The Texas philosophy for maintaining financial security permits flexibility in the closure plan without jeopardizing or compromising the ultimate long-term objectives of closure. Review of closure plans incorporates new technological developments In contrast, financial security is established expeditiously by applying the best available cost data to necessarily conservative estimates of the work involved. Financial security cost estimates are subject to annual review and adjustment

  14. Adapting UASB technology for sewage treatment in Palestine and Jordan

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mahmoud, N.A.; Zeeman, G.; Lier, van J.B.

    2008-01-01

    High rate anaerobic technologies offer cost-effective solutions for "sewage" treatment in the temperate climate of Palestine and Jordan. However, local sewage characteristics demand amendments to the conventional UASB reactor design. A solution is found in a parallel operating digester unit that

  15. Gender, Colonialism and Rabbinical Courts in Mandate Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Fishbayn

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The distribution of powers between the state and religious groups plays an important role in shaping how controversies over multicultural toleration and women’s rights under religious law can be resolved. Some structures encourage dialogue while others make it difficult. In Israel, the presence of multiple systems of personal religious law limits the possibilities for the transformation of discriminatory religious laws. There is no civil marriage or divorce in Israel. When the modern State of Israel was created, exclusive power over family law disputes involving Jewish citizens was placed in the hands of rabbinical courts. This arrangement has been called one to retain the ‘status quo’. However, it was not a continuation of Jewish tradition or of the arrangements in place during the long period of Ottoman rule in Palestine. It reflected strengthened powers that had been given to rabbinical courts during the period of the British Mandate for Palestine. This article will trace the ways in which British policies for colonial rule and the interests of Jewish religious leaders coalesced to create a regime of religious family law that is resistant to feminist demands for change.

  16. A molecular epidemiology survey of respiratory adenoviruses circulating in children residing in Southern Palestine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Qurei

    Full Text Available A molecular epidemiology survey was performed in order to establish and document the respiratory adenovirus pathogen profiles among children in Southern Palestine. Three hundred and thirty-eight hospitalized pediatric cases with adenovirus-associated respiratory tract infections were analyzed. Forty four cases out of the 338 were evaluated in more detail for the adenoviruses types present. All of the children resided in Southern Palestine, that is, in city, village and refugee camp environments within the districts of Hebron and Bethlehem. Human adenoviruses circulated throughout 2005-2010, with major outbreaks occurring in the spring months. A larger percent of the children diagnosed with adenoviral infections were male infants. DNA sequence analysis of the hexon genes from 44 samples revealed that several distinct adenovirus types circulated in the region; these were HAdV-C1, HAdV-C2, HAdV-B3 and HAdV-C5. However, not all of these types were detected within each year. This is the first study ever conducted in Palestine of the genetic epidemiology of respiratory adenovirus infections.

  17. Apartheid in the Holy Land: Theological reflections on the Israel and/or Palestine situation from a South African perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerry Pillay

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available I first attempt to draw a comparison between the Israel-Palestine conflict and the South African experience of apartheid. Drawing on other established sources and personal experience, I conclude that, while there may be some differences between the two contexts, in essence, the similar experiences of colonialisation and racialisation makes the apartheid comparison compellingly relevant. I then proceed to theologically explore the themes of justice and reconciliation and what it may mean in the context of Israel-Palestine whilst extracting from the South African experience. The article also offers some reflections on the role of the Church in addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict.

  18. Herbs as a food and medicine source in Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Rabia, Aref

    2005-01-01

    This article describes the broad ethno-botany and folk medicine in Palestine. It presents examples of different edible plants and their use by Palestinians in a host of manners, fresh, cooked and dried, both as foodstuffs and treatment of diseases and medical disorders. Their potential application as cancer chemopreventive agents needs to be a focus of research attention.

  19. 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

  20. Uranium solution mining: comparison of New Mexico with South Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conine, W.D.

    1980-01-01

    In-situ uranium-leaching or solution-mining operations are currently underway in both south Texas and Wyoming. Mobil Oil Corporation is in the process of applying solution-mining technology, such as that developed at the O'Hern facility in south Texas, to uranium orebodies located near Crownpoint, New Mexico. The O'Hern facility uses an alkaline-leach process to bring the uranium to the surface, where it is removed from solution using ion-exchange resin and chemical precipitation. Line-drive and five-spot well field patterns are used to inject and recover the leach solutions. Although details of ore occurrence in New Mexico differ from those in south Texas, laboratory, engineering-design, and field-hydrology tests indicate that solution mining of uranium should be feasible in New Mexico. To determine the commercial feasibility, Mobil is proceeding with the construction of pilot-plant facilities for a 75-gallon-perminute (gpm) test at an orebody near Crownpoint. The pilot test will use five-spot patterns at various spacings for production of uranium-bearing leachate. Initial surface processing will be the same as that used in south Texas

  1. Maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight in offspring in Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gong, Xi; Lin, Yan; Benjamin Zhan, F.

    2017-01-01

    Health effects of close residential proximity to nuclear facilities have been a concern for both the general public and health professionals. Here, a study is reported examining the association between maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight (LBW) in offspring using data from 1996 through 2008 in Texas, USA. A case-control study design was used together with a proximity-based model for exposure assessment. First, the LBW case/control births were categorized into multiple proximity groups based on distances between their maternal residences and nuclear facilities. Then, a binary logistic regression model was used to examine the association between maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight in offspring. The odds ratios were adjusted for birth year, public health region of maternal residence, child's sex, gestational weeks, maternal age, education, and race/ethnicity. In addition, sensitivity analyses were conducted for the model. Compared with the reference group (more than 50 km from a nuclear facility), the exposed groups did not show a statistically significant increase in LBW risk [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81, 1.03) for group 40-50 km; aOR 0.98 (CI 0.84, 1.13) for group 30-40 km; aOR 0.95 (CI 0.79, 1.15) for group 20-30 km; aOR 0.86 (CI 0.70, 1.04) for group 10-20 km; and aOR 0.98 (CI 0.59, 1.61) for group 0-10 km]. These results were also confirmed by results of the sensitivity analyses. The results suggest that maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities is not a significant factor for LBW in offspring. (orig.)

  2. Maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight in offspring in Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gong, Xi; Lin, Yan [University of New Mexico, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Benjamin Zhan, F. [Texas State University, Department of Geography, Texas Center for Geographic Information Science, San Marcos, TX (United States)

    2017-03-15

    Health effects of close residential proximity to nuclear facilities have been a concern for both the general public and health professionals. Here, a study is reported examining the association between maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight (LBW) in offspring using data from 1996 through 2008 in Texas, USA. A case-control study design was used together with a proximity-based model for exposure assessment. First, the LBW case/control births were categorized into multiple proximity groups based on distances between their maternal residences and nuclear facilities. Then, a binary logistic regression model was used to examine the association between maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities and low birth weight in offspring. The odds ratios were adjusted for birth year, public health region of maternal residence, child's sex, gestational weeks, maternal age, education, and race/ethnicity. In addition, sensitivity analyses were conducted for the model. Compared with the reference group (more than 50 km from a nuclear facility), the exposed groups did not show a statistically significant increase in LBW risk [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81, 1.03) for group 40-50 km; aOR 0.98 (CI 0.84, 1.13) for group 30-40 km; aOR 0.95 (CI 0.79, 1.15) for group 20-30 km; aOR 0.86 (CI 0.70, 1.04) for group 10-20 km; and aOR 0.98 (CI 0.59, 1.61) for group 0-10 km]. These results were also confirmed by results of the sensitivity analyses. The results suggest that maternal residential proximity to nuclear facilities is not a significant factor for LBW in offspring. (orig.)

  3. 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

  4. Increasing Neonatal Mortality among Palestine Refugees in the Gaza Strip

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Berg, Maartje M.; Madi, Haifa H.; Khader, Ali; Hababeh, Majed; Zeidan, Wafa’a; Wesley, Hannah; Abd El-Kader, Mariam; Maqadma, Mohamed; Seita, Akihiro

    2015-01-01

    Background The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has periodically estimated infant mortality rates among Palestine refugees in Gaza. These surveys have recorded a decline from 127 per 1000 live births in 1960 to 20.2 in 2008. Methods We used the same preceding-birth technique as in previous surveys. All multiparous mothers who came to the 22 UNRWA health centres to register their last-born child for immunization were asked if their preceding child was alive or dead. We based our target sample size on the infant mortality rate in 2008 and included 3128 mothers from August until October 2013. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to identify predictors of infant mortality. Findings Infant mortality in 2013 was 22.4 per 1000 live births compared with 20.2 in 2008 (p = 0.61), and this change reflected a statistically significant increase in neonatal mortality (from 12.0 to 20.3 per 1000 live births, p = 0.01). The main causes of the 65 infant deaths were preterm birth (n = 25, 39%), congenital anomalies (n = 19, 29%), and infections (n = 12, 19%). Risk factors for infant death were preterm birth (OR 9.88, 3.98–24.85), consanguinity (2.41, 1.35–4.30) and high-risk pregnancies (3.09, 1.46–6.53). Conclusion For the first time in five decades, mortality rates have increased among Palestine refugee newborns in Gaza. The possible causes of this trend may include inadequate neonatal care. We will estimate infant and neonatal mortality rates again in 2015 to see if this trend continues and, if so, to assess how it can be reversed. PMID:26241479

  5. Pupils' Fear in the Classroom: Portraits from Palestine and England

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hargreaves, Eleanore; Affouneh, Saida

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the concept of fear related to the authoritarian classroom and how children express its influence on their learning. Its investigations draw on the comments of four classes of primary-age pupils, two from a school near London, England, and two from boys' and girls' schools in the West Bank, Palestine. It is written by one…

  6. Nuclear physics accelerator facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-12-01

    This paper describes many of the nuclear physics heavy-ion accelerator facilities in the US and the research programs being conducted. The accelerators described are: Argonne National Laboratory--ATLAS; Brookhaven National Laboratory--Tandem/AGS Heavy Ion Facility; Brookhaven National Laboratory--Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) (Proposed); Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility; Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory--Bevalac; Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory--88-Inch Cyclotron; Los Alamos National Laboratory--Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF); Massachusetts Institute of Technology--Bates Linear Accelerator Center; Oak Ridge National Laboratory--Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility; Oak Ridge National Laboratory--Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator; Stanford Linear Accelerator Center--Nuclear Physics Injector; Texas AandM University--Texas AandM Cyclotron; Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL); University of Washington--Tandem/Superconducting Booster; and Yale University--Tandem Van de Graaff

  7. How the University of Texas system responded to the need for interim storage of low-level radioactive waste materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emery, Robert J

    2012-11-01

    Faced with the prospect of being unable to permanently dispose of low-level radioactive wastes (LLRW) generated from teaching, research, and patient care activities, component institutions of the University of Texas System worked collaboratively to create a dedicated interim storage facility to be used until a permanent disposal facility became available. Located in a remote section of West Texas, the University of Texas System Interim Storage Facility (UTSISF) was licensed and put into operation in 1993, and since then has provided safe and secure interim storage for up to 350 drums of dry solid LLRW at any given time. Interim storage capability provided needed relief to component institutions, whose on-site waste facilities could have possibly become overburdened. Experiences gained from the licensing and operation of the site are described, and as a new permanent LLRW disposal facility emerges in Texas, a potential new role for the storage facility as a surge capacity storage site in times of natural disasters and emergencies is also discussed.

  8. Analysis of KROTOS KS-2 and KS-4 steam explosion experiments with TEXAS-VI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ronghua, E-mail: rhchen@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Wang, Jun [Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Su, G.H.; Qiu, Suizheng [State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Corradini, M.L., E-mail: Corradini@engr.wisc.edu [Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • The KS-2 and KS-4 steam explosion experiments were analyzed by TEXAS-VI. • The coarse mixing status up to the explosion triggering time was well predicted by TEXAS-VI. • The predicted dynamic explosion pressure was in good agreement with the experimental results. - Abstract: TEXAS-VI is a transient, three-field, one-dimensional mechanistic model for the steam explosion phenomena. A fuel solidification model and associated fragmentation criteria of the solidifying particle for both the mixing phase and explosion phase were developed and incorporated into TEXAS-VI to account for solidification. In the present study, TEXAS-VI was used to analyze the KS-2 and KS-4 steam explosion experiments, which were performed in the KROTOS facility as part of the OECD-SERENA-2 program. In the simulation, the KROTOS experimental facility was modeled as Eulerian control volumes based on the facility geometry. The molten corium jet was divided up into a series of LaGrangian master particles equal to the initial jet diameter. Both the mixing phase and the explosion phase of the experiments were simulated by TEXAS-VI. Comparison to test data indicates that the fuel jet kinematics and the vapor volume during the mixing phase were well predicted by TEXAS-VI. The TEXAS-VI prediction of the dynamic explosion pressure at different axial locations in the test was also in good agreement with the experimental results. The maximum pressure of KS-2 and KS-4 predicted by TEXAS-VI were 16.7 MPa and 41.9 MPa, respectively. The KS-4 maximum steam explosion pressure predicted by TEXAS-VI was higher than that of KS-2, which was consistent with experiment observation. The observed differences of the dynamic explosion pressure between the KS-2 and KS-4 experiments were also successfully simulated by TEXAS-VI. This suggests that TEXAS-VI is able to analyze the effect of prototypic melt compositions on the steam explosion phenomena. Additional benchmarking and evaluations are ongoing.

  9. An Historical Survey of the British Mandate in Palestine 1920-1948: Policies Contributing to the Jewish/Arab Conflict

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-12-01

    139. 49 Philip Mattar, “The Mufti of Jerusalem and the Politics of Palestine,” The Middle East Journal 42:2 (Spring 1998) p. 234. 24 renewing...German invasion. Again, the symbiotic relationship that had flour ished between the Jews and the British for so many years in Palestine reemerged...Abdullah was the essential factor in the collusion. He was the glue between the Jews and the British that held the deal together. The Syrian Arab

  10. Evaluation of the Incidence and Severity of Olive Leaf Spot caused by Spilocaea oleaginain different olive cultivars in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruba Abuamsha

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Twelve olive (Olea europaea L. cultivars including Nabali Baladi, Nabali Mohassan, Santa Augustino, Nasohi Jaba`a 1, Nasohi Jaba`a 2, Yunani, Talmasani, Chemlali, Arbequino, Frantoio, Coca and Barouni, were sampled for their susceptibility to Spilocaea oleagina the causal agent for Olive leaf spot (OLS disease on olive trees in Palestine. Investigations were carried out to measure the incidence and severity of the disease at Qabatyia station in Jenin district area Susceptible olive cultivars grown commercially in Palestine include Arbequino, Frantoio and ?Barouni’.The “Nabali” is the most dominant and highly susceptible olive cultivar grown in Palestine. Disease incidence varied greatly among the cultivars F=59.4, df=11, 251, p?0.0001 and was correlated with the severity (y = 0.42x + 9.3, P ? 0.0001, R² = 0.84, y = disease severity and x = disease incidence. Disease severity also varied among different cultivars F=13.9, df=11, 251, p?0.0001. Nabali Mohassan was the most affected susceptible while Barouni was most resistant. Progress of disease severity over time fit the logistic function for all cultivars except for highly susceptible cultivars F=1.56, df=6, 83, p?0.169. The assessment method may be useful to screen olive cultivars for OLS resistance in Palestine.

  11. Socioeconomic differences in smoking in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine: A cross-sectional analysis of national surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulrahim, Sawsan; Jawad, Mohammed

    2018-01-01

    The association between education and wealth, as fundamental determinants of health, and smoking is well-established. Yet, social inequalities have received little attention in the expanding field of tobacco research in the Arab region. In this study, we examine inequalities in cigarette smoking by education and wealth in four Arab countries. Utilizing the most recently available population-level data sets (Syria 2009 PAPFAM, Jordan 2012 DHS, Palestine 2010 Family Health Survey, and Lebanon 2004 PAPFAM), we tested the association between cigarette smoking and education and wealth-controlling for age, marital status, and region of residence-for each country, and among men and women depending on data availability. Cigarette smoking prevalence among Arab men is high- 51.3% in Syria, 39.7% in Palestine, and 42.1% in Lebanon; among women, prevalence is 8.4% in Syria, 10.9% in Jordan, and 24.3% Lebanon. Cigarette smoking shows the expected patterns inequalities by education among men in Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon, and among women in Jordan and Lebanon. On the other hand, wealth does not show a clear pattern in its association with cigarette smoking and, in some cases (men in Palestine and women in Syria) the behavioral risk is higher among the wealthiest. Available data from 2004-2012 show that cigarette smoking among men and women in the four Arab countries is predominant among those with limited access to education as a fundamental cause. The weak or absent negative association between wealth and cigarette smoking suggests that access to material resources does not precipitate a reduction in the consumption of tobacco.

  12. Handbook : guidelines for successful location and accommodation of major distribution centers on Texas highways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    Distribution centers (DC) have become more common in Texas over the past decade. As : major generators of large truck traffic, DCs can increase design and maintenance requirements of : Texas highway facilities. This handbook contains guidelines for u...

  13. Common risks affecting time overrun in road construction projects in Palestine: Contractors’ perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Mahamid

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The construction sector is one of the key economic sectors and is the main force motivating the Palestinian national economy. However, it suffers from number of problems that affect time, cost and quality performances. This study aims at identifying the common risks affecting time overrun in road construction projects in the West Bank in Palestine from contractors’ viewpoint. 45 factors that might cause delays of road construction projects were defined through a detailed literature review. A questionnaire survey was performed to rank the considered factors in terms of severity and frequency. The analysis of the survey indicated that the top risks affecting time overrun in road construction projects in Palestine are: financial status of the contractors, payments delay by the owner, political situation, segmentation of the West Bank, poor communication between construction parties, lack of equipment efficiency, and high competition in bids.

  14. Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by patients with psoriasis in the West Bank of Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shawahna, Ramzi; Jaradat, Nidal Amin

    2017-01-03

    Psoriasis is a frequent skin inflammatory disorder that inflicts millions of patients around the globe. To meet their healthcare needs, patients with psoriasis often seek treatment outside the allopathic paradigm. Use of medicinal plants has emerged as one of the most common and preferred modalities of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The aim of this study was to investigate the use of medicinal plants by patients with psoriasis in the West Bank of Palestine. The current study was a questionnaire based cross-sectional descriptive study on the use of medicinal plants by psoriasis patients in the West Bank of Palestine. A sample of 149 patients with psoriasis who were visiting outpatient clinics responded to the questionnaire in face to face interviews. Medicinal plants were used by 81 (54.4%) patients with psoriasis. Patients used 33 medicinal plants belonging to 26 families. Plants belonging to Lamiaceae and Leguminosae were the most commonly used by the study patients. Aloe vera, Trigonella arabica, Catharanthus roseus and Anthemis cotula were the most frequently used medicinal plants to treat psoriasis. Leaves and fruits were the most commonly used parts by the study patients. Paste was the most commonly used form of preparation. The use of medicinal plants was significantly associated with age and monthly household income of the patients. Enhancement of immunity, improving conventional therapy and reduction of side effects were the most commonly self-reported reasons for using medicinal plants. Patients with psoriasis in Palestine seem to use medicinal plants as a CAM modality to manage their psoriasis. Many medicinal plants were commonly used by patients with psoriasis. More randomized clinical trials are needed to demonstrate safety and efficacy for the majority of these medicinal plants reported to be used by patients with psoriasis in Palestine.

  15. 77 FR 70174 - Waterway Suitability Assessment for Expansion of Liquefied Gas Terminals; Houston and Texas City, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-23

    ... Assessment for Expansion of Liquefied Gas Terminals; Houston and Texas City, TX AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... Assessment to the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Sector Houston-Galveston regarding the company's proposed expansion of its Liquefied Hazardous Gas (LHG) facilities in Houston and Texas City, Texas, and increased...

  16. Texas cracking performance prediction, simulation, and binder recommendation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-10-01

    Recent studies show some mixes with softer binders used outside of Texas (e.g., Minnesotas Cold Weather Road Research Facility mixes) have both good rutting and cracking performance. However, the current binder performance grading (PG) system fail...

  17. Governing the reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation : the case study of Jericho, Palestine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Al-Khatib, Nasser; Shoqeir, Jawad A.H.; Özerol, Gül; Majaj, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Wastewater reuse in irrigation provides additional water supply for agriculture and saves freshwater resources for human consumption. Through these benefits, wastewater reuse can significantly alleviate the water scarcity in Palestine and fit to the complexity of the geopolitical context. However,

  18. The social and special effects of siting a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in rural Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murdock, S.H.; Hamm, R.R.

    1987-01-01

    As part of its assessment of the impacts of a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Hudspeth County, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority (TLLRWDA) sponsored an independent study of the social and special impacts of the facility. These impacts include ''standard'' social impacts (such as impacts on social structures and attitudes, values and perceptions and ''special'' social impacts (such as fear, anxiety, concerns related to equity, the health of future generations, etc.). This paper reports the results of this study. Personal interviews with 71 community leaders and 96 randomly selected county residents were conducted during the summer of 1986. The results suggest that the major concern relates to the contamination of ground water, but that suspicion about the equity of the siting process and about the safe management of wastes is extensive, even among the most knowledgeable respondents. Mitigation concerns center on health and safety issues for residents and on potential forms of mitigation for governmental jurisdictions for leaders. Responses were similar for leaders and residents and for persons in different parts of the county

  19. Neutron flux characterization of californium-252 Neutron Research Facility at the University of Texas - Pan American by nuclear analytical technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahid, Kareem; Sanchez, Patrick; Hannan, Mohammad

    2014-03-01

    In the field of nuclear science, neutron flux is an intrinsic property of nuclear reaction facilities that is the basis for experimental irradiation calculations and analysis. In the Rio Grande Valley (Texas), the UTPA Neutron Research Facility (NRF) is currently the only neutron facility available for experimental research purposes. The facility is comprised of a 20-microgram californium-252 neutron source surrounded by a shielding cascade containing different irradiation cavities. Thermal and fast neutron flux values for the UTPA NRF have yet to be fully investigated and may be of particular interest to biomedical studies in low neutron dose applications. Though a variety of techniques exist for the characterization of neutron flux, neutron activation analysis (NAA) of metal and nonmetal foils is a commonly utilized experimental method because of its detection sensitivity and availability. The aim of our current investigation is to employ foil activation in the determination of neutron flux values for the UTPA NSRF for further research purposes. Neutron spectrum unfolding of the acquired experimental data via specialized software and subsequent comparison for consistency with computational models lends confidence to the results.

  20. Research facility access & science education

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosen, S.P. [Univ. of Texas, Arlington, TX (United States); Teplitz, V.L. [Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (United States). Physics Dept.

    1994-10-01

    As Congress voted to terminate the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) Laboratory in October of 1993, the Department of Energy was encouraged to maximize the benefits to the nation of approximately $2 billion which had already been expended to date on its evolution. Having been recruited to Texas from other intellectually challenging enclaves around the world, many regional scientists, especially physicists, of course, also began to look for viable ways to preserve some of the potentially short-lived gains made by Texas higher education in anticipation of {open_quotes}the SSC era.{close_quotes} In fact, by November, 1993, approximately 150 physicists and engineers from thirteen Texas universities and the SSC itself, had gathered on the SMU campus to discuss possible re-uses of the SSC assets. Participants at that meeting drew up a petition addressed to the state and federal governments requesting the creation of a joint Texas Facility for Science Education and Research. The idea was to create a facility, open to universities and industry alike, which would preserve the research and development infrastructure and continue the educational mission of the SSC.

  1. Iguana bites reported to Texas poison centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrester, Mathias B

    2010-09-01

    Although thousands of iguanas are kept as pets in the United States, information on their bites is limited. The intent of this investigation was to describe the pattern of iguana bites reported to Texas poison centers. Iguana bites reported during 1998-2008 were identified. The distribution of cases by various factors was determined. Of 59 total bites, 71% were managed on-site, 17% of the patients were at or en route to a health care facility when the poison center was contacted, and 10% were referred to a health care facility. The medical outcome was no effect in 9% of the cases, minor effect in 24%, moderate effect in 2%, not followed but minimal effects possible in 64%, and unable to follow but potentially toxic in 2%. Most iguana bites reported to Texas poison centers did not result in serious effects and were managed on-site. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Qualifying cogeneration in Texas and Louisiana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jenkins, S.C.; Cabe, R.; Stauffaeher, J.J.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that cogeneration of electricity and useful thermal energy by industrials along the Gulf Coast grew significantly more rapidly than in other parts of the country during and immediately following World War II as a result of the concentration of chemical and plastics processing facilities there. In 1982, Texas passed its version of PURPA, the Public Utility Regulatory Act (PURA) and designated those non-utility generators from which public utilities must purchase electricity as Qualifying Cogenerators. In 1991, there were nearly 7,500 MW of QF power generated for inside-the-fence use or firm capacity sale to utilities, with the two largest utilities in Texas purchasing over half that amount

  3. Toward a best practice model for managed lanes in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-01

    Increasing implementation of managed lanes in the : United States : Katy Freeway Managed Lanes : (KML) offers lessons learned : for other projects : First operational, multilane, : variably priced, managed facility : in Texas : Became oper...

  4. Disbursement of $65 million to the State of Texas for construction of a Regional Medical Technology Center at the former Superconducting Super Collider Site, Waxahachie, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-05-01

    As part of a settlement agreement between the US DOE and the State of Texas, DOE proposes to transfer $65 million of federal funds to the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission (TNLRC) for construction of the Regional Medical Technology Center (RMTC) to be located in Ellis County, Texas. The RMTC would be a state-of-the-art medical facility for proton cancer therapy, operated by the State of Texas in conjunction with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The RMTC would use the linear accelerator assets of the recently terminated DOE Superconducting Super Collider Project to accelerate protons to high energies for the treatment of cancer patients. The current design provides for treatment areas, examination rooms, support laboratories, diagnostic imaging equipment, and office space as well as the accelerators (linac and synchrotron) and beam steering and shaping components. The potential environmental consequences of the proposed action are expected to be minor

  5. Differences in tobacco smoking prevalence and frequency between adolescent Palestine refugee and non-refugee populations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank: cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jawad, Mohammed; Khader, Ali; Millett, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    Evidence is conflicting as to the whether tobacco smoking prevalence is higher in refugee than non-refugee populations. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and frequency of tobacco smoking in Palestine refugee and non-refugee adolescent populations in the Middle East. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank among adolescent Palestine refugees and non-refugees. Age- and sex-adjusted regression models assessed the association between refugee status and current (past-30 day) tobacco use prevalence and frequency. Prevalence estimates for current tobacco smoking were similar between Palestine refugee and non-refugee groups in Jordan (26.7 % vs. 24.0 %), Lebanon (39.4 % vs. 38.5 %), and the West Bank (39.5 % vs. 38.4 %). In Syria, Palestine refugees had nearly twice the odds of current tobacco smoking compared to non-refugees (23.2 % vs. 36.6 %, AOR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.46-2.62). Palestine refugees consumed more cigarettes per month than non-refugees in Lebanon (β 0.57, 95 % CI 0.17-0.97) and Palestine refugees consumed more waterpipe tobacco per month than non-refugees in Syria (β 0.40, 95 % CI 0.19-0.61) and the West Bank (β 0.42, 95 % CI 0.21-0.64). Current tobacco smoking prevalence is in excess of 20 % in both adolescent Palestine refugee and non-refugee populations in Middle Eastern countries, however Palestine refugees may smoke tobacco more frequently than non-refugees. Comparison of simple prevalence estimates may therefore mask important differences in tobacco use patterns within population groups.

  6. Safety-evaluation report related to renewal of the operating license for the Texas A and M University Research Reactor. Docket No. 50-128, License R-83

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-03-01

    This Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Texas A and M University (Texas A and M) for a renewal of operating license number R-83 to continue to operate a research reactor has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is owned and operated by the Texas Engineering and Experiment Station of the Texas A and M University and is located on the campus in College Station, Brazos County, Texas. The staff concludes that the TRIGA reactor facility can continue to be operated by Texas A and M University without endangering the health and safety of the public

  7. Application of GIS-based SCS-CN method in West Bank catchments, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sameer Shadeed

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Among the most basic challenges of hydrology are the prediction and quantification of catchment surface runoff. The runoff curve number (CN is a key factor in determining runoff in the SCS (Soil Conservation Service based hydrologic modeling method. The traditional SCS-CN method for calculating the composite curve number is very tedious and consumes a major portion of the hydrologic modeling time. Therefore, geographic information systems (GIS are now being used in combination with the SCS-CN method. This paper assesses the modeling of flow in West Bank catchments using the GIS-based SCS-CN method. The West Bank, Palestine, is characterized as an arid to semi-arid region with annual rainfall depths ranging between 100 mm in the vicinity of the Jordan River to 700 mm in the mountains extending across the central parts of the region. The estimated composite curve number for the entire West Bank is about 50 assuming dry conditions. This paper clearly demonstrates that the integration of GIS with the SCS-CN method provides a powerful tool for estimating runoff volumes in West Bank catchments, representing arid to semi-arid catchments of Palestine.

  8. Performance evaluation of cable median barrier systems in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-08-01

    Since 2003, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to install : median barriers to prevent cross-median crashes on freeway facilities statewide. In the few years prior to 2003, : virtually all fatalities...

  9. Cultural Changes and Chronology from the Transition Late Bronze to Iron Age in Palestine: New Evidence from Tell Abu al-Kharaz, Jordan Valley

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischer, P. M.

    2012-01-01

    The 12th century BCE was a period of turmoil in the Southern Levant. The Canaanite Late Bronze Age culture - during several hundred years dominated by Egypt - received quite abruptly strong influences from the Eastern Mediterranean. The bearer of these new cultural elements, the so called Sea Peoples who included the Philistines, settled in Palestine after attacking Egypt. The changes that took place in Palestine are best reflected in the material culture which demonstrates Aegean and Cypriote elements. The exact date of their arrival in Palestine is a matter of recurrent discussion but the majority of scholars agree that it happened in the 12th century BCE. Philistine culture is usually associated with the area around today's Gaza. Nevertheless, the current excavations at Tell Abu al- Kharaz in the Transjordanian Jordan Valley provide evidence of Eastern Mediterranean/Philistine culture and a number of radiocarbon dates from first class find contexts. (author)

  10. Nuclear analytical techniques with neutron beams at the Univ. of Texas at Austin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uenlue, K.; Wehring, B.W.

    1996-01-01

    Neutron beams produced by nuclear research reactors can be used for analytical chemical analysis by measuring nuclear radiation produced by neutron capture. Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and neutron depth profiling (NDP) are two such analytical techniques. For the last three decades, these techniques have been applied at a number of research reactors around the world. Within the last 4 yr, we have developed NDP and PGAA facilities at The University of Texas at Austin research reactor, a 1-MW TRIGA Mark II reactor. Brief descriptions of the facilities and summaries of activities for these analytical techniques at the University of Texas at Austin are provided in this paper

  11. Environmental management of the stone cutting industry in Hebron, Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasserdine, K.; Mimi, Z.

    2007-01-01

    Environmental Management of stone cutting industry in Hebron, Palestine, is required to reduce the industry's adverse impacts on the downstream agricultural land and on the drinking water aquifers. This situation required the implementation of an industrial waste water management strategic approach and technology within the environmental need and available technical and financial resources. Ten pilot projects at different locations were built at Hebron to reduce or eliminate the incompatible discharge of the liquid and solid waste to the environment and improve the stone cutting industry's effluent quality. A review of existing practices and jar test experiments were used to optimize the water recycling and treatment facilities. The factors reviewed included influent pumping rates and cycles, selection of the optimal coagulant type and addition methods, control of sludge recycling process, control over flow rates, control locations of influent and effluent and sludge depth. Based on the optimized doses and Turbidity results, it was determined that the use of Fokland polymer with an optimal dose of 1.5 mg/L could achieve the target turbidity levels. The completion of pilot projects resulted in the elimination of 18% of the total stone cutting waste discharges in Hebron. The results included an improvement in the recycled effluent quality by 44.99%. This in turn reduced the long term operating costs for each participating firm. A full-scale project that will include all the stone cutting firms in Hebron industrial area is required. (author)

  12. Development of guidelines for cable median barrier systems in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-12-01

    Since 2003, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to install : median barriers to prevent cross-median crashes on freeway facilities statewide. In the few years prior to 2003, : virtually all fatalities...

  13. Texas transportation planning for future renewable energy projects : final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-03-01

    There will be a significant increase in the number of renewable energy production facilities in Texas. The : construction of wind farms requires the transport of wind turbine components that create increased loads on : rural roads and bridges. These ...

  14. Causes of Contractor's Business Failure in Developing Countries: The Case of Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sherif Mohamed

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The construction industry has unique characteristics that sharply distinguish it from other sectors of the economy. It is fragmented, very sensitive to the economic cycles and political environment, and has a significantly high rate of business failure. Business failure, collapse and bankruptcy are common terms in the industry due to the many risks inherited in how the industry operates. Throughout the world, the relative ease of entry gives rise to a large number of contracting firms competing fiercely in the market exposing many of them to business failure, Palestine is no exception. The objectives of this paper are to report on a research study which aims at exploring the causes of contractor's business failure in Palestine, and investigating their severity from the contractor's point of view. The study's results shows that the main causes of business failure are delay in collecting debt from clients (donors, border closure, heavy dependence on bank loans and payment of high interest on these loans, lack of capital, absence of industry regulations, low profit margin due to high competition, awarding contracts by client to the lowest bidder, and lack of experience in contract management. Based on these findings, recommendations to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA and local contractors are presented in this paper.

  15. The Role of Vocational Education and Training in Palestine in Addressing Inequality and Promoting Human Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randa Hilal

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available UNESCO's new emphasis on vocational education and training as transformative, and concerns in particular with equity and sustainable human development, has been strongly influenced by a recent literature on VET and human development that has a particular focus on the most marginalised, especially young women, and is concerned with how their aspirations, agency and achievement of wellbeing can be promoted in the face of wide-ranging structural obstacles. This article seeks to further develop that account through an even stronger emphasis on VET in the context of extreme poverty, inequality and marginalisation as faced in Palestine. VET in Palestine serves many of the poorest and most disenfranchised in Palestinian society in a context of profound structural obstacles to wellbeing achievement. Our analysis show a very positive story of how VET has helped highly disadvantaged young Palestinians, particularly young women, to make progress on their human development.

  16. Coinage and the economy of Syria-Palestine in the seventh and eighth centuries CE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmsley, Alan George

    2010-01-01

    Coin data from archaeological excavations can provide interesting perspectives on changing economic conditions over time, but the interpretative pitfalls are many. The presentation and analysis of coin material needs to be conducted within a wider archaeological context should historical conclusi...... conclusions be sought from the material, as the coinage of late antique and early Islamic Syria-Palestine demonstrates....

  17. 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.

  18. Safety Evaluation Report related to the construction permit and operating license for the research reactor at the University of Texas (Docket No. 50-602)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-05-01

    This Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the University of Texas for a construction permit and operating license to construct and operate a TRIGA research reactor has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is owned and operated by the University of Texas and is located at the university's Balcones Research Center, about 7 miles (11.6 km) north of the main campus in Austin, Texas. The staff concludes that the TRIGA reactor facility can be constructed and operated by the University of Texas without endangering the health and safety of the public

  19. An Updated Performance Assessment For A New Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility In West Texas - 12192

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dornsife, William P.; Kirk, J. Scott; Shaw, Chris G. [Waste Control Specialists LLC, Andrews, Texas (United States)

    2012-07-01

    This Performance Assessment (PA) submittal is an update to the original PA that was developed to support the licensing of the Waste Control Specialists LLC Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal facility. This update includes both the Compact Waste Facility (CWF) and the Federal Waste Facility (FWF), in accordance with Radioactive Material License (RML) No. R04100, License Condition (LC) 87. While many of the baseline assumptions supporting the initial license application PA were incorporated in this update, a new transport code, GoldSim, and new deterministic groundwater flow codes, including HYDRUS and MODFLOWSURFACT{sup TM}, were employed to demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives codified in the regulations and RML No. R04100, LC 87. A revised source term, provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality staff, was used to match the initial 15 year license term. This updated PA clearly confirms and demonstrates the robustness of the characteristics of the site's geology and the advanced engineering design of the disposal units. Based on the simulations from fate and transport models, the radiation doses to members of the general public and site workers predicted in the initial and updated PA were a small fraction of the criterion doses of 0.25 mSv and 50 mSv, respectively. In a comparison between the results of the updated PA against the one developed in support of the initial license, both clearly demonstrated the robustness of the characteristics of the site's geology and engineering design of the disposal units. Based on the simulations from fate and transport models, the radiation doses to members of the general public predicted in the initial and updated PA were a fraction of the allowable 25 mrem/yr (0.25 m sievert/yr) dose standard for tens-of-thousands of years into the future. Draft Texas guidance on performance assessment (TCEQ, 2004) recommends a period of analysis equal to 1,000 years or until peak doses from

  20. Survey on infant hearing loss at Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem-Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Corradin

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the epidemiology of infants’ hearing loss (IHL among patients under 3 months of age at Caritas Baby Hospital, the only pediatric hospital in Palestine. It was aimed to demonstrate that IHL is a major health problem in Palestine and to assess the first available data of the newborn hearing screening program conducted between September 25, 2006 and December 31, 2011. Data was uploaded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS version 21. A total of 8144 infants were tested, 4812 (59% were males and 3332 (41% were females. As to their origin, 72% (5886 came from the Bethlehem district, 25% (2044 from the Hebron district, while 3% (214 from the other Palestinian districts (Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Jerusalem. The transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs and the automated auditory brainstem response were used according to the manufacturer guidelines. The results were interpreted according to the indications of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, and the European Consensus Development Conference on Neonatal Hearing Screening. Out of the 8144 infants tested, 1507 (14.6% did not pass the 1st test, 477 (32.8% of these 1507 infants failed retesting, while 498 (33% patients were lost to follow-up. Only 152 (31.9% patients that failed retesting went to an audiologist. The audiologist evaluation revealed that 101 (66.4% patients presented with a mild-moderate or profound hearing loss according to the Bureau International of Audiophonologie standards, 44 (28.9% patients had otitis media, whereas 7 cases (4.7% had no hearing disorders. The overall unadjusted percentage of hearing loss was 1.24%, and the adjusted overall percentage was 1.85%. The chart review showed that jaundice, sepsis, prematurity, lung disease were more common among the affected patients. The high prevalence of childhood deafness in Palestine is of utmost

  1. Grassland birds wintering at U.S. Navy facilities in southern Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodin, Marc C.; Skoruppa, Mary Kay; Bryan, Pearce D.; Ruddy, Amanda J.; Hickman, Graham C.

    2010-01-01

    Grassland birds have undergone widespread decline throughout North America during the past several decades. Causes of this decline include habitat loss and fragmentation because of conversion of grasslands to cropland, afforestation in the East, brush and shrub invasion in the Southwest and western United States, and planting of exotic grass species to enhance forage production. A large number of exotic plant species, including grasses, have been introduced in North America, but most research on the effects of these invasions on birds has been limited to breeding birds, primarily those in northern latitudes. Research on the effects of exotic grasses on birds in winter has been extremely limited.This is the first study in southern Texas to examine and compare winter bird responses to native and exotic grasslands. This study was conducted during a period of six years (2003–2009) on United States Navy facilities in southern Texas including Naval Air Station–Corpus Christi, Naval Air Station–Kingsville, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Waldron, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Orange Grove, and Escondido Ranch, all of which contained examples of native grasslands, exotic grasslands, or both. Data from native and exotic grasslands were collected and compared for bird abundance and diversity; ground cover, vegetation density, and floristic diversity; bird and vegetation relationships; diversity of insects and arachnids; and seed abundance and diversity. Effects of management treatments in exotic grasslands were evaluated by comparing numbers and diversity of birds and small mammals in mowed, burned, and control areas.To determine bird abundance and bird species richness, birds were surveyed monthly (December–February) during the winters of 2003–2008 in transects (100 meter × 20 meter) located in native and exotic grasslands distributed at all five U.S. Navy facilities. To compare vegetation in native and exotic grasslands, vegetation characteristics were measured

  2. Balfour's Mission to Palestine: Science, Strategy, and the Inauguration of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macleod, Roy

    2008-01-01

    In 1925, A.J. Balfour, first Earl Balfour and author of the famous "Balfour Declaration", attended the inauguration of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His education and experience of foreign policy equipped him to take a prominent role. However, the conditions of strife-torn Palestine weighed heavily upon him, and raised wider…

  3. Opportunities and challenges for high-speed rail corridors in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    Texas features a growing economy and population. The state boasts a large and well-developed : network of roads, freight railroads, and air facilities, which make the state a vital link in the movement of : people and goods. However, as the state con...

  4. 'Irish & Roman Catholic Which Upsets All the People Here': Michael McDonnell and British Colonial Justice in Mandatory Palestine, 1927-1936.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Simon

    2017-10-23

    In 1927 Michael McDonnell, a diasporic Irish Catholic, was appointed Mandatory Palestine's Chief Justice, being directed to institute firm British-style legal-judicial foundations for future self-governance. This entailed common, equal status for Arab and Jewish Palestinians, implicitly de-privileging the Jewish National Home. McDonnell was resisted in this by the British Mandate's Anglo-Jewish, pro-Zionist Attorney General, Norman Bentwich. McDonnell prevailed but only at the cost of being characterized lastingly as a pro-Arab, Catholic anti-Semite. McDonnell's continuing defence of a supreme, independent judiciary antagonized the Palestine Executive of High Commissioner Arthur Wauchope, who tried to co-opt rather than subordinate Zionist interests. Consequent frictions culminated in 1936 with McDonnell adjudicating against supra-legal British repression of Palestine's great Arab rebellion. For this he was dismissed and ostracized, subsequently publishing critiques of British policy in fringe right-wing organs. Yet McDonnell professed explicitly non-racist views, reflecting a liberal-minded, constitutional Irish nationalist equation of Palestine with Ireland, seeing comparable settler-colonial abuses and native distress as remediable only by transcendentally impartial justice. Britain reneging on these principles led McDonnell, like those Irish imperial servants noted in India, to identify with colonial subjects against colonialism. His case is one of empire as a system of domination being challenged from within, although his removal foreshadowed emerging imperial counter-insurgency's tendency not only to repress subject populations but deny civil-progressive alternatives for managing post-colonial transition. © The Author [2017]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. 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…

  6. Emergence of Integrated Urology-Radiation Oncology Practices in the State of Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jhaveri, Pavan M.; Sun Zhuyi; Ballas, Leslie; Followill, David S.; Hoffman, Karen E.; Jiang Jing; Smith, Benjamin D.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Integrated urology-radiation oncology (RO) practices have been advocated as a means to improve community-based prostate cancer care by joining urologic and radiation care in a single-practice environment. However, little is known regarding the scope and actual physical integration of such practices. We sought to characterize the emergence of such practices in Texas, their extent of physical integration, and their potential effect on patient travel times for radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: A telephone survey identified integrated urology-RO practices, defined as practices owned by urologists that offer RO services. Geographic information software was used to determine the proximity of integrated urology-RO clinic sites with respect to the state's population. We calculated patient travel time and distance from each integrated urology-RO clinic offering urologic services to the RO treatment facility owned by the integrated practice and to the nearest nonintegrated (independent) RO facility. We compared these times and distances using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Results: Of 229 urology practices identified, 12 (5%) offered integrated RO services, and 182 (28%) of 640 Texas urologists worked in such practices. Approximately 53% of the state population resides within 10 miles of an integrated urology-RO clinic site. Patients with a diagnosis of prostate cancer at an integrated urology-RO clinic site travel a mean of 19.7 miles (26.1 min) from the clinic to reach the RO facility owned by the integrated urology-RO practice vs 5.9 miles (9.2 min) to reach the nearest nonintegrated RO facility (P<.001). Conclusions: Integrated urology-RO practices are common in Texas and are generally clustered in urban areas. In most integrated practices, the urology clinics and the integrated RO facilities are not at the same location, and driving times and distances from the clinic to the integrated RO facility exceed those from the clinic to the nearest

  7. 2014 Texas Military Value Task Force: Preparing for the Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    mission. Expand NASA and Federal Agency aviation presence. - The SpaceX facility at Boca Chica Beach in South Texas will be operational sometime in...communications, natural gas, fuel, trash , and sewer. With utilities, there are two fundamental components: reliability and cost. Reliability is a

  8. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of community pharmacists on generic medicines in Palestine: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shraim, Naser Y; Al Taha, Tasneem A; Qawasmeh, Rawan F; Jarrar, Hiba N; Shtaya, Maram A N; Shayeb, Lama A; Sweileh, Waleed M

    2017-12-28

    Generic substitution in several countries has become a common practice. Besides, it is considered as a major cost minimizing strategy meant to contain pharmaceutical expenditure without compromising healthcare quality. However, the safety and quality issues of generic products are of top concerns of general practitioners and health work professionals. This study aimed to investigate community pharmacist's knowledge, attitudes and practices toward generic medicines in Palestine. This study was a cross-sectional observational study employing a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was of four main sections: demographic and practice details of the participants, knowledge, attitudes and the influencing factors related to selection and dispensing of generic medicines. A convenience sampling technique was implemented in this study in which the data collection form was distributed in West Bank- Palestine among a set of practicing pharmacists. Mann-Whitney-U or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to comparison of different issues as appropriate. P-values of marketing approval of generics, while 87.4% of participants agreed that they should be given the right to substitute generics and the majority (62.3%) support generic substitution for brand name drugs in all cases when a generic is available The main two factors affect pharmacists' selection and dispensing of generic medicines are personal faith in the product (86.1%) and cost effectiveness of generic medicines (84.1%). Generic medicines substitution among pharmacists is widespread and prevalent. Our data found that participant pharmacists in Palestine had basic knowledge with regards to generic medicine. However, their knowledge score pertaining the technical and regulatory aspects of bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic parameters in particular was insufficient.

  9. Palestine, Israel and the Geopolitics of Western Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pío García

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The efforts of the international community in providing a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are still colliding with the demonstrations of force of the Government of Israel and its insistence on bilateral negotiation. Here it is argued that the understanding of the problem merits a review of the geopolitical game in Western Asia, where the major powers set up alliances and unleashed wars in their own interest. Since the United State-Israel Alliance remains unshakable in the region, the will of the international community to commit the United States to an end to confrontation through the multilateral recognition of the Palestinian State should be maintained without hesitation, since the alternative of a bilateral agreement with Israel does not offer more to Palestine than surrender.

  10. Status report on Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avant, R.V. Jr.

    1990-01-01

    In 1981, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority was created by Article 4590f-1 to site, develop, operate, decommission, and close a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility for Texas generated waste. In 1989, the Authority's act was recodified by the Texas legislature in the Health and Safety Code., Title 5. Sanitation and Environmental Quality, Subtitle D. Nuclear and Radioactive Materials, Chapter 402. The Authority is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Governor, composed of a certified health physicist, geologist, attorney, medical doctor, and two private citizens. Under the statute, low-level radioactive waste is defined as any radioactive material with a half-life of 35 years or less or having less than 10 nanocuries per gram of transuranics. Materials with half-lives of greater than 35 years may be classed as low-level waste if special criteria are established by the Texas Department of Health Bureau of Radiation Control. Subsequent sessions of the legislature have amended the act to revise siting criteria, require consideration of state land, create a Citizen's Advisory Committee, incorporate alternative designs, and establish a special low-level radioactive waste account in the state treasury. The Authority began its activities in 1982. The Authority has proposed a site in far West Texas near Fort Hancock, but El Paso County, the neighboring county to the west, has instituted three separate lawsuits to slow or stop the site selection process. Particular attention was paid early in the site selection process to items which could be fatal flaws from a licensing standpoint. This paper discusses the Fort Hancock site description, site evaluation studies, siting issues, waste volume projections, facility design, license application, cost and schedule

  11. Assessment of the economic implications of 10CFR61 on the south Texas project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kniazewyez, B.G.; Turner, C.M.

    1984-01-01

    The State of Texas, as an Agreement State, is developing Texas Part 45, ''Licensing Requirements fo Near-Surface Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste'' to implement the intent of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Title 10 to the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61 (10CFR61) ''Licensing Requirement for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste.'' This paper addresses the potential economic impact of the proposed Texas Part 45 and 10CFR61 on the South Texas Project (STP). The Texas Department of Health is developing the proposed rule making Texas Part 45 pertaining to land disposal of radioactive waste, which together with proposed amendments to related portions of Texas Parts 11 and 21, provide the licensing procedures, performance objectives, and technical criteria for licensing disposal facilities. These regulations establish requirements concerning allowable waste forms, classification, packaging, and labeling of waste, as well as acceptable shipping records and manifests. Thus, the regulations' impact upon a nuclear power plant such as STP include not only shipping and disposal costs, but also the costs of proper preparation, classification, and labeling of waste, and the cost of associated record keeping and paperwork required for compliance with the regulations

  12. "Odds and Sods": Minorities in the British Empire's Campaign for Palestine, 1916-1919

    OpenAIRE

    Saltman, Julian

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation examines the role of minority soldiers in Britain's Army during the campaign for Palestine in the First World War. It compares the experiences of two distinct, yet parallel, groups--three battalions of black, British West Indians (the British West Indies Regiment) and three battalions of Jewish soldiers (the "Jewish Legion"). Past scholarship has mostly ignored the history of these men, and what does exist has tended to conflate or subsume the specific experiences of the men...

  13. Private-public sector employment choice and wage differential in Palestine:a gender perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Daoud, Yousef; Shanti, Ruba

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates employment sector choice for Palestinian men and women, the paper analyzes wage differential by gender and sector. The paper utilizes Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) Labor Force Surveys for the years 1999, 2001, 2007, and 2010. Although returns to education by gender has been analyzed before, this paper is the first to analyze wage differential and sector choice by gender. The results indicate that there are stark differences by gender from the view point...

  14. The Role of Leadership in Transitional States: The Cases of Lebanon, Israel-Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-11-01

    docs/pal/pal3.htm. 20. Thus, for instance, Arafat explained the fact that he re- mained unmarried until his 60s by saying that he is married to a... VS . POSITIVE DISAGREEMENT Since no leader has the knowledge and power to lead effectively on his own, leadership is a collective affair. Thus...of Great Britain to withdraw from Palestine. 100 — The new world order became bipolar—the United States vs . the Union of Soviet Social- ist

  15. Societal perspectives on community pharmacy services in West Bank - Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khdour MR

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the public's view of professional competency is extremely important; however little has been reported on the public’s perception of community pharmacists in PalestineObjectives: To determine the perception of Palestinian consumers of the community pharmacist and the services they offerMethod: This project used the survey methodology administered by structured interviews to consumers who attended the 39 randomly selected pharmacies, in six main cities in Palestine. The questionnaire had range of structured questions covering: Consumers’ patronage patterns, consumers’ interaction with community pharmacists, consumers’ views on how the pharmacist dealt with personal health issues, procedure with regard to handling private consultations.Results: Of 1,017 consumers approached, 790 consumers completed the questionnaire (77.7 %. Proximity to home and presence of knowledgeable pharmacist were the main reasons for patients to visit the same pharmacy. Physicians were identified as the preferred source of advice by 57.2% and pharmacists by 23.8%. Only 17% of respondents considered pharmacists as health professionals who know a lot about drugs and are concerned about and committed to caring for the public. In addition, 49% indicated that pharmacists spoke more quietly cross the counter during counseling and almost one third reported that the pharmacist used a private area within the pharmacy. The majority of respondents would be happy to receive different extended services in the community pharmacy like blood pressure monitoring.Conclusions: Palestinian consumers have a positive overall perception of community pharmacists and the services they offer. Awareness should be created amongst the public about the role of pharmacist and the added value they can provide as health care professional. There is a need to consider privacy when giving patient counseling to increase user satisfaction.

  16. Safety evaluation report related to the construction permit and operating license for the research reactor at the University of Texas (Docket No. 50-602)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared Supplement 1 to NUREG-1135, ''Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Construction Permit and Operating License for the Research Reactor at the University of Texas'' (SER) May 1985. The reactor facility is owned by The University of Texas at Austin (UT, the applicant) and is located at the University's Balcones Research Center in Austin, Texas. This supplement to the SER (SSER) describes the changes to the reactor facility design from the description in the SER. The SER and SSER together reflect the facility as built. The SSER also documents the reviews that the NRC has completed regarding the applicant's emergency plan, security plan, and technical specifications that were identified as open in the SER

  17. Cost diviation in road construction projects: The case of Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Mahamid

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the statistical relationship between actual and estimated cost of road construction projects using data from road construction projects awarded in the West Bank in Palestine over the years 2004–2008. The study is based on a sample of 169 road construction projects. Based on this data, regression models are developed. The findings reveal that 100% of projects suffer from cost diverge, it is found that 76% of projects have cost under estimation while 24% have cost over estimation. The discrepancy between estimated and actual cost has an average of 14.6%, ranging from -39% to 98%. The relation between the project size (length and width and the cost diverge is discussed.

  18. Environmental Survey preliminary report, Pantex Facility, Amarillo, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-09-01

    This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Pantex Facility, conducted November 3 through 14, 1986.The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialist, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the Pantex Facility. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the Pantex Facility, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the Pantex Facility Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the Survey for the Pantex Facility. 65 refs., 44 figs., 27 tabs

  19. Environmental Survey preliminary report, Pantex Facility, Amarillo, Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1987-09-01

    This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Pantex Facility, conducted November 3 through 14, 1986.The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialist, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the Pantex Facility. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the Pantex Facility, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the Pantex Facility Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the Survey for the Pantex Facility. 65 refs., 44 figs., 27 tabs.

  20. Hazardous waste incinerator permitting in Texas from inception to operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simms, M.D.; McDonnell, R.G. III

    1991-01-01

    The regulatory permitting process for hazardous waste incinerators i a long and arduous proposition requiring a well-developed overall strategy. In Texas, RCRA permits for the operation of hazardous waste incinerator facilities are issued through the federally delegated Texas Water Commission (TWC). While the TWC has primacy in the issuance of RCRA permits for hazardous waste incinerators, the Texas Air Control Board (TACB) provides a significant portion of the Part B application review and provides much of the permit language. In addition to dealing with regulatory agencies, RCRA permitting provides by significant public involvement. Often the lack of public support becomes a major roadblock for an incinerator project. In order to establish an effective strategy which addresses the concerns of regulatory agencies and the public, it is important to have an understanding of the steps involved in obtaining a permit. A permit applicant seeking to construct a new hazardous waste incinerator can expect to go through a preapplication meeting with government regulators, a site selection process, file an application, respond to calls for additional technical information from both the TACB and the TWC, defend the application in a hearing, have a recommendation from a TWC hearing examiner and, finally, receive a determination from the TWC's Commissioners. Presuming a favorable response from the Commission, the permittee will be granted a trial burn permit and may proceed with the construction, certification and execution of a trial burn at the facility. Subsequent to publication of the trial burn results and approval by the TWC, the permittee will possess an operational hazardous waste incinerator permit. The paper describes the major steps required to receive an operational permit for a hazardous waste incinerator in the State of Texas. Important issues involved in each step will be discussed including insights gained from recent incinerator permitting efforts

  1. Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants practiced by traditional healers and herbalists for treatment of some urological diseases in the West Bank/Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaradat, Nidal Amin; Zaid, Abdel Naser; Al-Ramahi, Rowa; Alqub, Malik A; Hussein, Fatima; Hamdan, Zakaria; Mustafa, Mahmoud; Qneibi, Mohammad; Ali, Iyad

    2017-05-08

    Throughout history, every civilization in the world used plants or their derivatives for treatment or prevention of diseases. In Palestine as in many other countries, herbal medicines are broadly used in the treatment of wide range of diseases including urological diseases. The main objective of this research is to study the use of herbal remedies by herbalists and traditional healers for treatment of various urological diseases in the West Bank regions of Palestine and to assess their efficacy and safety through the literature review of the most cited plants. The study included a survey part, plant identification and a review study. The first part was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Face to face questionnaires were distributed to 150 traditional healers and herbalist in all regions of the West Bank of Palestine. The literature review part was to assess the most cited plants for their efficacy and toxicity. One hundred forty four herbalists and traditional healers accepted to participate in this study which was conducted between March and April, 2016. The results showed that 57 plant species belonging to 30 families were used by herbalists and traditional healers for treatment of various urinary tract diseases in Palestine. Of these, Apiaceae family was the most prevalent. Paronychia argentea, Plantago ovata, Punica granatum, Taraxacum syriacum, Morus alba and Foeniculum vulgare were the most commonly used plant species in the treatment of kidney stones, while Capsella bursa-pastoris, Ammi visnaga and Ammi majus were the most recommended species for treatment of urinary tract infections and Portulaca oleracea used for renal failure. In addition Curcuma longa and Crocus sativus were used for enuresis while Juglans regia, Quercus infectoria, Sambucus ebulus and Zea mays were used for treatment symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia. Fruits were the most common parts used, and a decoction was the most commonly used method of preparation. Through literature

  2. The Teacher's Roles in Light of Knowledge Economy from the Perspective of the Educational Supervisors' in Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabbah, Suhair Sulaiman Mohammed; Naser, Inas Aref Saleh; Awajneh, Ahlam Mustafa Hasan

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at identifying the teacher's roles in light of knowledge economy from the perspective of the educational supervisors in Palestine. To achieve the study's objective, a questionnaire consisted of 35 items was developed and applied on 50 male and female supervisors in the Directorate of Education in governorate of Ramallah, al-Bireh…

  3. Treatment adherence and perception in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a cross ? sectional study from Palestine

    OpenAIRE

    Naalweh, Karam Sh.; Barakat, Mohammad A.; Sweileh, Moutaz W.; Al-Jabi, Samah W.; Sweileh, Waleed M.; Zyoud, Sa?ed H.

    2017-01-01

    Background Adherence to diet recommendations, fluid restriction, prescribed medications, and attendance at hemodialysis (HD) sessions are essential for optimal and effective treatment of patients with end-stage renal disease. No data regarding this issue are available from Palestine. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess adherence to diet, fluid restriction, medications, and HD sessions. Methods A cross-sectional study of HD patients at An-Najah National University Hospital was carr...

  4. 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…

  5. 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.

  6. CAPITAL STRUCTURE DETERMINANTS: EVIDENCE FROM PALESTINE AND EGYPT STOCK EXCHANGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Razak Abdul Hadi

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract -This study is driven by the motivation to examine the capital structure determinants for Palestine Stock Exchange (PEX and Egypt Stock Exchange (EGX. Within the framework of capital structure theories, this study uses Generalized Method of Moments (GMM,1982 as an estimation model employing quarterly panel data analysis during the observed period from 2008 till 2012. The test results from GMM indicate that all the examined determinants have significant relationship with leverage. It has a negative value with liquidity, non-debt tax shield, profitability, size and growth. The Egyptian firms have some uniqueness in its trend. Current assets, debt ratio and liquidity behave positively with leverage except for growth. The other tested determinants in Egyptian companies are found to be not significant.

  7. 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.

  8. Gulf Coast Salt Domes geologic Area Characterization Report, East Texas Study Area. Volume II. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-07-01

    The East Texas Area Characterization Report (ACR) is a compilation of data gathered during the Area Characterization phase of the Department of Energy's National Waste Terminal Storage program in salt. The characterization of Gulf Coast Salt Domes as a potential site for storage of nuclear waste is an ongoing process. This report summarizes investigations covering an area of approximately 2590 km 2 (1000 mi 2 ). Data on Oakwood, Keechi, and Palestine Domes are given. Subsequent phases of the program will focus on smaller land areas and fewer specific salt domes, with progressively more detailed investigations, possibly culminating with a license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The data in this report are a result of drilling and sampling, geophysical and geologic field work, and intensive literature review. The ACR contains text discussing data usage, interpretations, results and conclusions based on available geologic and hydrologic data, and figures including diagrams showing data point locations, geologic and hydrologic maps, geologic cross sections, and other geologic and hydrologic information. An appendix contains raw data gathered during this phase of the project and used in the preparation of these reports

  9. 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.

  10. Alternatives for the disposal of NORM [naturally occurring radioactive materials] wastes in Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nielson, K.K.; Rogers, V.C.; Pollard, C.G.

    1989-01-01

    Some of the Texas wastes containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) have been disposed of in a uranium mill tailings impoundment. There is currently no operating disposal facility in Texas to accept these wastes. As a result, some wastes containing extremely small amounts of radioactivity are sent to elaborate disposal sites at extremely high costs. The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority has sponsored a study to investigate lower cost, alternative disposal methods for certain wastes containing small quantities of NORM. This paper presents the results of a multipathway safety analysis of various scenarios for disposing of wastes containing limited quantities of NORM in Texas. The wastes include pipe scales and sludges from oil and gas production, residues from rare-earth mineral processing, and water treatment resins, but exclude large-volume, diffuse wastes (coal fly ash, phosphogypsum). The purpose of the safety analysis is to define concentration and quantity limits for the key nuclides of NORM that will avoid dangerous radiation exposures under different waste disposal scenarios

  11. Environmental assessment for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Big Hill facility storage of commercial crude oil project, Jefferson County, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-03-01

    The Big Hill SPR facility located in Jefferson County, Texas has been a permitted operating crude oil storage site since 1986 with benign environmental impacts. However, Congress has not authorized crude oil purchases for the SPR since 1990, and six storage caverns at Big Hill are underutilized with 70 million barrels of available storage capacity. On February 17, 1999, the Secretary of Energy offered the 70 million barrels of available storage at Big Hill for commercial use. Interested commercial users would enter into storage contracts with DOE, and DOE would receive crude oil in lieu of dollars as rental fees. The site could potentially began to receive commercial oil in May 1999. This Environmental Assessment identified environmental changes that potentially would affect water usage, power usage, and air emissions. However, as the assessment indicates, changes would not occur to a major degree affecting the environment and no long-term short-term, cumulative or irreversible impacts have been identified

  12. 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...

  13. Crisis of Legitimacy in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hani Albasoos

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Palestinian society is geographically separated and politically fragmented. This is attributed to partisan affiliation and alignment, absence of conceptual and professional framework of civil society, unethical approach of Palestinian political leaders, and unconstitutional political institutions. Such polarization and division have created political antagonism within elites and between factions. The broad objective of this research is to investigate the legitimacy crisis in Palestine, the current political dilemma in the Palestinian Authority, and the public response to the situation. The research introduces direct and thorough understanding of the developing political context surrounding these issues; taking into consideration that growing deficit in legitimacy could create potentially dire consequences, particularly if present trends on the ground continue. The research promotes an analytical perspective based on legitimacy theory and exploring recent public opinion polls. This study formulates a constructive analysis of the failure of the Palestinian political institutions at the leadership level to meet the basic expectations of the Palestinian people and the unproductive methodology of hampering the implementation of the Basic Law concerning the Palestinian political system. It reviews the empirical dilemmas of the Palestinian Authority and eliminates several assumptions of Fatah and Hamas’s - main parties - political and domestic priorities. The possibility of a new Palestinian political phenomena emerging is in the context of a new popular mobilisation lessened by the fact that both movements (Fatah and Hamas are firmly enmeshed in the very fabric of Palestinian society through patronage networks.

  14. Antibiotics use among Palestine refugees attending UNRWA primary health care centers in Jordan - A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Baz, Maysun; Law, Michael R; Saadeh, Rawan

    The irrational use of antibiotics is increasing in Jordanian refugee camps and consequently so too is bacterial resistance. About one-third of health expenditures at UNRWA health centers in Jordan are attributed to antibiotics. We studied knowledge, attitude and behaviour of Palestine refugees attending UNRWA health centers in Jordan regarding antibiotic use in order to plan public health interventions accordingly. A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey among 250 adult Palestine refugees at four different health centers was conducted. Irrational antibiotic use was widespread: 63% of patients share antibiotics at home, 38% use left-over antibiotics and 60% purchase antibiotics directly from the pharmacy without prescription (OTC) . 1 At the same time, knowledge about antibiotics side effects, resistance, and target agent was low. 90% of patients trust their doctor, however long waiting hours prevent them from seeking medical advice, which significantly increased self-medication. Our findings suggest a strong need for public education about antibiotics. In addition, health institutional level improvements such as shorter waiting hours and strict regulations prohibiting dispensing without prescription are necessary to combat growing bacterial resistance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Molecular detection of Theileria, Babesia, and Hepatozoon spp. in ixodid ticks from Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azmi, Kifaya; Ereqat, Suheir; Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed; Al-Jawabreh, Amer; Baneth, Gad; Abdeen, Ziad

    2016-07-01

    Ixodid ticks transmit various infectious agents that cause disease in humans and livestock worldwide. A cross-sectional survey on the presence of protozoan pathogens in ticks was carried out to assess the impact of tick-borne protozoa on domestic animals in Palestine. Ticks were collected from herds with sheep, goats and dogs in different geographic districts and their species were determined using morphological keys. The presence of piroplasms and Hepatozoon spp. was determined by PCR amplification of a 460-540bp fragment of the 18S rRNA gene followed by RFLP or DNA sequencing. A PCR-RFLP method based on the 18S rRNA was used in order to detect and to identify Hepatozoon, Babesia and Theileria spp. A total of 516 ticks were collected from animals in six Palestinian localities. Five tick species were found: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Haemaphysalis parva and Haemaphysalis adleri. PCR-based analyses of the ticks revealed Theileria ovis (5.4%), Hepatozoon canis (4.3%), Babesia ovis (0.6%), and Babesia vogeli (0.4%). Theileria ovis was significantly associated with ticks from sheep and with R. turanicus ticks (p<0.01). H. canis was detected only in R. sanguineus s.l. and was significantly associated with ticks from dogs (p<0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of these pathogens in ticks collected from Palestine. Communicating these findings with health and veterinary professionals will increase their awareness, and contribute to improved diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  16. Genetic diversity of Taenia hydatigena in the northern part of the West Bank, Palestine as determined by mitochondrial DNA sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adwan, Kamel; Jayousi, Alaa; Abuseir, Sameh; Abbasi, Ibrahim; Adwan, Ghaleb; Jarrar, Naser

    2018-06-26

    Cysticercus tenuicollis is the metacestode of canine tapeworm Taenia hydatigena, which has been reported in domestic and wild ruminants and is causing veterinary and economic losses in the meat industry. This study was conducted to determine the sequence variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (coxl) gene in 20 isolates of T. hydatigena metacestodes (cysticercus tenuicollis) collected from northern West Bank in Palestine. Nine haplotypes were detected, with one prevailing (55%). The total haplotype diversity (0.705) and the total nucleotide diversity (0.0045) displayed low genetic diversity among our isolates. Haplotype analysis showed a star-shaped network with a centrally positioned common haplotype. The Tajima's D, and Fu and Li's statistics in cysticercus tenuicollis population of this region showed a negative value, indicating deviations from neutrality and both suggested recent population expansion for the population. The findings of this study would greatly help to implement control and preventive measures for T. hydatigena larvae infection in Palestine.

  17. Catastrophic Economic Consequences of Healthcare Payments: Effects on Poverty Estimates in Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Shoukry Rashad

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Healthcare payments could drive households with no health insurance coverage into financial catastrophe, which might lead them to cut spending on necessities, sell assets, or use credit. In extreme cases, healthcare payments could have devastating consequences on the household economic status that would push them into extreme poverty. Using nationally representative surveys from three Arab countries, namely, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine, this paper examines the incidence, intensity and distribution of catastrophic health payments, and assesses the poverty impact of out-of-pocket health payments (OOP. The OOP for healthcare were considered catastrophic if it exceeded 10% of a household’s total expenditure or 40% of non-food expenditure. The poverty impact was evaluated using poverty head counts and poverty gaps before and after OOP. Results show that OOP exacerbate households’ living severely in Egypt, pushing more than one-fifth of the population into a financial catastrophe and 3% into extreme poverty in 2011. However, in Jordan and Palestine, the disruptive impact of OOP remains modest over time. In the three countries, the catastrophic health payment is the problem of the better off households. Poverty alleviation policies should help reduce the reliance on OOP to finance healthcare. Moving toward universal health coverage could also be a promising option to protect households from the catastrophic economic consequences of health care payments.

  18. 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...

  19. Evaluation of water harvesting and managed aquifer recharge potential in Upper Fara'basin in Palestine : Comparing MYWAS and water productivity approaches

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tiehatten, B.M.H.; Assaf, K; Barhumic, Hala; Bastiaanssen, W.G.M.; Ghaneme, Marwan; Jayyousi, Anan; Marei, Amer; Mostert, E.; Shadeed, Sameer; Schoups, G.H.W.; Smidt, Ebel; Zayed, O

    2017-01-01

    The Upper Wadi Fara' basin, located at the West Bank, Palestine, has an average annual rainfall of 500 mm, which occurs only during winter. Agriculture uses stored soil water and complimentary irrigation from groundwater. Water harvesting (WH) and managed aquifer recharge (MAR) therefore is

  20. Health assessment for Tex Tin Corporation, National Priorities List Site, Texas City, Texas, Region 6. CERCLIS No. TXD062113329. Preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The Tex Tin Corporation facility, formerly Gulf Chemical and Metallurgical Corporation, is a proposed National Priorities List site located in Texas City, Galveston County, Texas. Tex Tin previously operated as a primary tin smelter, but currently operates as a copper smelter. Significant concentrations of metals (antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, tin, and zinc) have been detected on-site in surface water, groundwater, and soil. Significant concentrations of metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and tin) have also been detected in ambient air samples collected off-site. Some remediation activities have occurred on-site including the closure of a 19-million-gallon ferric chloride pond and the removal of approximately 4,000 drums containing radioactive material. The Tex Tin site poses a potential public health concern for on-site workers, residents living in nearby neighborhoods, and possibly for a limited number of residents on private wells located within approximately one mile of the site

  1. British-Zionist Military Cooperation in Palestine, 1917-1939

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen M. Saleh

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The essence of the British military and security formula in Palestine was the smooth establishment of the Jewish national home with minimum costs of lives and money. However, this British pro-Zionist policy created a continuous security problem, and opened the door to all possibilities of Palestinian revolts and uprisings of both national and religious nature. The British were very active in disarming the Arabs and adopted stringent measures to crush their uprisings and revolts. But, they turned a blind eye to the Jewish arms smuggling and Jewish military organizations, especially, the Hagana, which later became the backbone of the Israeli Army. During Palestinian uprisings of 1920, 1921 and 1929 against the Zionists, most of the Palestinian casualties were inflicted by the British forces despite the fact that the Palestinians avoided attacking the British. The British-Zionist cooperation reached its peak during the Palestinian revolt of 1936-1939, and took different forms, including allowing the Jews to establish a military force of twenty two thousand men under the pretext of protecting the Jewish community.

  2. 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.

  3. The practice of humanitarianism: a village birthing clinic in Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wick, Livia

    2011-01-01

    Discourses and practices surrounding humanitarian organisations have changed over time. This is certainly the case for Palestinian non-governmental organisations, which have followed the structural and ideological transformations observed in local, regional and international contexts. There have been three successive but interlocking generations of groups active in health in Palestine: charitable societies, popular committees, and donor-based entities. Against this background, a village clinic in the West Bank is seen to have gone through various incarnations in the context of an emerging neo-liberal economic, administrative and political environment. Despite the critiques justifiably addressed towards them, non-governmental organisations may in some cases be functionally fluid. Communities and people continue to use them strategically in their relations with states, political groups, individuals and receivers of aid, making them potential networking sites in the context of an ongoing occupation.

  4. 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

  5. A cross sectional study of maternal 'near-miss' cases in major public hospitals in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bashour, Hyam; Saad-Haddad, Ghada; DeJong, Jocelyn; Ramadan, Mohammed Cherine; Hassan, Sahar; Breebaart, Miral; Wick, Laura; Hassanein, Nevine; Kharouf, Mayada

    2015-11-13

    The maternal near-miss approach has been increasingly used as a tool to evaluate and improve the quality of care in maternal health. We report findings from the formative stage of a World Health Organization (WHO) funded implementation research study that was undertaken to collect primary data at the facility level on the prevalence, characteristics, and management of maternal near-miss cases in four major public referral hospitals - one each in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. We conducted a cross sectional study of maternal near-miss cases in the four contexts beginning in 2011, where we collected data on severe maternal morbidity in the four study hospitals, using the WHO form (Individual Form HRP A65661). In each hospital, a research team including trained hospital healthcare providers carried out the data collection. A total of 9,063 live birth deliveries were reported during the data collection period across the four settings, with a total of 77 cases of severe maternal outcomes (71 maternal near-miss cases and 6 maternal deaths). Higher indices for the maternal mortality index were found in both Al Galaa hospital, in Egypt (8.6%) and Dar Al Tawleed hospital in Syria (14.3%), being large referral hospitals, compared to Ramallah hospital in Palestine and Rafik Hariri University hospital in Lebanon. Compared to the WHO's Multicountry Survey using the same data collection tool, our study's mortality indices are higher than the index of 5.6% among countries with a moderate maternal mortality ratio in the WHO Survey. Overall, haemorrhage-related complications were the most frequent conditions among maternal near-miss cases across the four study hospitals. In all hospitals, coagulation dysfunctions (76.1%) were the most prevalent dysfunction among maternal near-miss cases, followed by cardiovascular dysfunctions. The coverage of key evidence-based interventions among women experiencing a near-miss was either universal or very high in the study hospitals

  6. 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"...

  7. 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...

  8. Perceptions of Organizational Functioning in Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowles, Steven; Louw, Johann; Myers, Bronwyn

    2011-01-01

    Directors' and treatment staff's perceptions of organizational functioning within substance abuse treatment facilities in four provinces in South Africa were examined via the Texas Christian University's Organizational Readiness for Change instrument. Forty-four treatment facilities (out of 89) participated in the study. Results indicated that…

  9. Militarised violence in the service of state-imposed emergencies over Palestine and Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annie Pfingst

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available States of Emergency are declared against the disorder-ing of state sovereign power by acts of resistance, rebellion and revolt and are characterised by the technologies of control, containment and punishment. Through spatial, archival and visual encounters with emergency landscapes and the geographies of resistance, the essay considers the historic and contemporary operations, provisions, regulations and practices authorised under state-imposed emergencies. It does so in order firstly, to bring attention to the practices authorised through state-imposed emergencies and the currency and saliency of their ongoing effects, and secondly to re-frame the militarised violence of settlement/occupation as an integral part of state-imposed emergencies in which all that is necessary will be done to protect the sovereign state from the resistance of the colonised/occupied and to effect a return to ‘order’.     Through encounters with the archival record, and the architectures, remnants and territorial arrangements found in post-colonial Kenya and across the multiple geographies of Palestine, the essay draws out seven clusters of state imposed emergency practices and effects. The work grapples with a number of questions: what is it that a declared state of emergency performs for the state? Does a state of emergency enable particular forms of militarised violence? Are there common practices to be found across different modes of state-imposed emergencies? What is the genealogy to the states of emergency across Palestine and Kenya? Does our excavation of the practices of state-imposed emergency shed light on the ways we apprehend state violence in colonial, post-colonial and neo-colonial geographies?

  10. 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...

  11. Environmental assessment of the brine pipeline replacement for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Bryan Mound Facility in Brazoria County, Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-09-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA), DOE/EA-0804, for the proposed replacement of a deteriorated brine disposal pipeline from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Bryan Mound storage facility in Brazoria County, Texas, into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the ocean discharge outfall would be moved shoreward by locating the brine diffuser at the end of the pipeline 3.5 miles offshore at a minimum depth of 30 feet. The action would occur in a floodplain and wetlands; therefore, a floodplain/wetlands assessment has been prepared in conjunction with this EA. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC. 4321, et seg.). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and the Department is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). This FONSI also includes a Floodplain Statement of Findings in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022.

  12. Environmental assessment of the brine pipeline replacement for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Bryan Mound Facility in Brazoria County, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-09-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA), DOE/EA-0804, for the proposed replacement of a deteriorated brine disposal pipeline from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Bryan Mound storage facility in Brazoria County, Texas, into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the ocean discharge outfall would be moved shoreward by locating the brine diffuser at the end of the pipeline 3.5 miles offshore at a minimum depth of 30 feet. The action would occur in a floodplain and wetlands; therefore, a floodplain/wetlands assessment has been prepared in conjunction with this EA. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC. 4321, et seg.). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and the Department is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). This FONSI also includes a Floodplain Statement of Findings in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022

  13. 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...

  14. Incidence of Echinococcus granulosus in Domestic Dogs in Palestine as Revealed by Copro-PCR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Jawabreh, Amer; Dumaidi, Kamal; Ereqat, Suheir; Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed; Al-Jawabreh, Hanan; Azmi, Kifaya; Al-Laham, Nahed; Abdeen, Ziad

    2015-01-01

    Hydatidosis or echinococcosisis considered a neglected zoonotic disease despite its high burden in the livestock industry and the high risk of infection by humans in endemic areas. In a cross-sectional study we estimated the copro-Incidence and also genotyped Echinococcus granulosus isolates from domestic dogs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Medical archives in nine major hospitals in Palestine were reviewed to determine incidence of E. granulosus infection detected in humans during surgery. Faecal samples were collected from 93 domestic dogs in three districts with the highest number of human cases: Al-Khalil (Hebron), Tubas and Jenin. Genomic DNA was extracted from dog faecal samples and amplified by PCR targeting the repeat DNA sequence (EgG1 Hae III) followed by sequencing of five positive samples. Genotyping was determined by sequencing and BLAST searching of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit (CO1). The incidence of E. granulosus infection detected in humans at surgery was 1.2 per 100,000 in the West Bank and 1.0 per 100,000 in Gaza Strip. Seventeen of 93 domestic dogs (18%) were positive, based upon comparison with the Echinococcus DNA control. The five sequenced samples were confirmed to be E. granulosus. Successfully genotyped sample belonged to E.granulosus sensu stricto (formerly G1-G3 complex, sheep strain). For domestic dogs, age group (13-24 months) and sex were identified as two risk factors for contracting E. granulosus. The study identified the high incidence of E. granulosus sensu stricto in dogs in Palestine. PMID:26181591

  15. Incidence of Echinococcus granulosus in Domestic Dogs in Palestine as Revealed by Copro-PCR.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amer Al-Jawabreh

    Full Text Available Hydatidosis or echinococcosisis considered a neglected zoonotic disease despite its high burden in the livestock industry and the high risk of infection by humans in endemic areas. In a cross-sectional study we estimated the copro-Incidence and also genotyped Echinococcus granulosus isolates from domestic dogs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Medical archives in nine major hospitals in Palestine were reviewed to determine incidence of E. granulosus infection detected in humans during surgery. Faecal samples were collected from 93 domestic dogs in three districts with the highest number of human cases: Al-Khalil (Hebron, Tubas and Jenin. Genomic DNA was extracted from dog faecal samples and amplified by PCR targeting the repeat DNA sequence (EgG1 Hae III followed by sequencing of five positive samples. Genotyping was determined by sequencing and BLAST searching of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit (CO1. The incidence of E. granulosus infection detected in humans at surgery was 1.2 per 100,000 in the West Bank and 1.0 per 100,000 in Gaza Strip. Seventeen of 93 domestic dogs (18% were positive, based upon comparison with the Echinococcus DNA control. The five sequenced samples were confirmed to be E. granulosus. Successfully genotyped sample belonged to E.granulosus sensu stricto (formerly G1-G3 complex, sheep strain. For domestic dogs, age group (13-24 months and sex were identified as two risk factors for contracting E. granulosus. The study identified the high incidence of E. granulosus sensu stricto in dogs in Palestine.

  16. Detection and molecular identification of Hepatozoon canis and Babesia vogeli from domestic dogs in Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azmi, Kifaya; Al-Jawabreh, Amer; Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed; Abdelkader, Ahmad; Zaid, Taher; Ereqat, Suheir; Sawalha, Samer S; Baneth, Gad; Abdeen, Ziad

    2017-04-01

    Dogs serve as hosts for a great number of parasites, which may affect their health and wellbeing. This study aimed to observe tick borne pathogens in dogs from Palestine including Hepatozoon canis and Babesia species. The prevalence of both H. canis and Babesia species infections in apparently healthy dogs, from ten districts of the West Bank was surveyed. DNA was extracted from blood samples obtained from dogs (n = 362) and ticks (n = 213) collected from dogs (n = 77). A primer set that amplifies a partial sequence of the Babesia and Hepatozoon 18S rRNA gene was used for PCR and the DNA sequences of the PCR products of all samples were determined. Twenty-nine (8·0%) of the dogs were found infected including 20 with H. canis (5·5%), seven with Babesia vogeli (1·9%) and two with undefined Babesia spp. (0·6%). Twelve Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l ticks were pathogen-positive, including ten with H. canis (4·7%), one with B. vogeli (0·5%), and one with Hepatozoon felis (0·5%). The results indicated that a wide range of tick borne pathogens is circulating in the canine population in the surveyed region. This study is the first report on the prevalence of H. canis, B. vogeli and Babesia spp. in dogs in Palestine and its results will assist in the management of diseases associated with these blood parasites.

  17. Socioeconomic differences in smoking in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine: A cross-sectional analysis of national surveys

    OpenAIRE

    Abdulrahim, Sawsan; Jawad, Mohammed

    2018-01-01

    Introduction The association between education and wealth, as fundamental determinants of health, and smoking is well-established. Yet, social inequalities have received little attention in the expanding field of tobacco research in the Arab region. In this study, we examine inequalities in cigarette smoking by education and wealth in four Arab countries. Methods Utilizing the most recently available population-level data sets (Syria 2009 PAPFAM, Jordan 2012 DHS, Palestine 2010 Family Health ...

  18. 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.

  19. Texas Manufacturing Technology Center feasibility study for the Inland Regional Industrial Technology Institute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    This document presents the Texas Manufacturing Technology Center (TMTC) Business Plan to convert the Central Facility of the Superconducting Super Collider project to alternate uses. The plan is divided into six sections: (1) Executive Summary, (2) Market and Benefit Analysis, (3) Marketing Strategy, (4) Services, (5) Organization and Operations Overview, and (6) Financial Plan. Each area is supported by separate documents that address individual opportunities and challenges associated with transitioning the facility, and its asset base to new uses for benefit of the locality, state, region and nation

  20. 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…

  1. Distribution of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR Mutations in a Cohort of Patients Residing in Palestine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Issa Siryani

    Full Text Available Cystic fibrosis (CF is an autosomal recessive inherited life-threatening disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs and the digestive system. In Palestine, mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator gene (CFTR that contributes to the clinical presentation of CF are ill defined. A cohort of thirty three clinically diagnosed CF patients from twenty one different Palestinian families residing in the central and southern part of Palestine were incorporated in this study. Sweat chloride testing was performed using the Sweat Chek Conductivity Analyzer (ELITECH Group, France to confirm the clinical diagnosis of CF. In addition, nucleic acid from the patients' blood samples was extracted and the CFTR mutation profiles were assessed by direct sequencing of the CFTR 27 exons and the intron-exon boundaries. For patient's DNA samples where no homozygous or two heterozygous CFTR mutations were identified by exon sequencing, DNA samples were tested for deletions or duplications using SALSA MLPA probemix P091-D1 CFTR assay. Sweat chloride testing confirmed the clinical diagnosis of CF in those patients. All patients had NaCl conductivity >60 mmol/l. In addition, nine different CFTR mutations were identified in all 21 different families evaluated. These mutations were c.1393-1G>A, F508del, W1282X, G85E, c.313delA, N1303K, deletion exons 17a-17b-18, deletion exons 17a-17b and Q1100P. c.1393-1G>A was shown to be the most frequent occurring mutation among tested families. We have profiled the underling mutations in the CFTR gene of a cohort of 21 different families affected by CF. Unlike other studies from the Arab countries where F508del was reported to be the most common mutation, in southern/central Palestine, the c.1393-1G>A appeared to be the most common. Further studies are needed per sample size and geographic distribution to account for other possible CFTR genetic alterations and their frequencies. Genotype

  2. Traditional Arabic Palestinian ethnoveterinary practices in animal health care: A field survey in the West Bank (Palestine).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali-Shtayeh, Mohammed S; Jamous, Rana M; Jamous, Rania M

    2016-04-22

    In Palestine, medicinal plants have continued to play a vital role in fulfilling animal healthcare needs of rural communities. However, these valuable resources are being depleted mainly due to over-harvesting, inappropriate agricultural practices (e.g., over use of herbicides), agricultural expansion, and over-grazing. Therefore, immediate action is required to conserve these resources and document the associated knowledge. The purpose of this study was, thus, to document and analyze information associated with medicinal plants that are used in managing animal health problems in the West Bank, Palestine. Ethnobotanical data were collected from Apr 2012 to Feb 2014 mainly using semi-structured interviews with informants sampled using purposive sampling technique and through field observations. The study revealed the use of 138 medicinal plant species in the West Bank for the treatment of several livestock diseases, of these 75 species representing 70 genera and 33 families were reported by 3 independent informants or above. Classification of the ethnoveterinary plant species cited by three informants or above used in a rank-order priority (ROP) based on their claimed relative healing potential has demonstrated that the following are the plants with the highest efficacy: Camellia sinenses, Teucrium capitatum, and Salvia fruticosa with ROPs of 97.1, 93.2, and 91.4, respectively, are used primarily to relieve gastric disorders. Gastrointestinal disorders is the disease group in the study area that scored the highest Informant consensus factor (ICF) value (0.90), followed by urinary, and reproductive disorders (0.89). Our study provided evidence that medicinal plants are still playing important role in the management of livestock diseases, and showed that ethnoveterinary plants used in animal health care in Palestine have been also recorded in human Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine (TAPHM), and demonstrated a strong link between human and veterinary

  3. Preliminary Analysis of Ex-Vessel Steam Explosion using TEXAS-V code for APR1400

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Sung Chu; Lee, Jung Jae; Cho, Yong Jin; Hwang, Taesuk

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore input development and the audit calculation using TEXAS-V code for ex-vessel steam explosion for a flooded reactor cavity of APR1400. TEXAS computational models are one of the simplified tools for simulations of fuel-coolant interaction during mixing, triggering and explosion phase. The models of TEXAS code were validated by performing the fundamental experimental investigation in the KROTOS facility at JRC, Ispra. The experiments such as KROTOS and FARO experiment are aimed at providing benchmark data to examine the effect of fuel-coolant initial conditions and mixing on explosion energetics with alumina and prototypical core material. TEXAS-V code used in this study was to analyze and predict the ex-vessel steam explosion for a reactor scale. The input deck to simulate the flooded reactor cavity of APR1400 is developed and base case calculation is performed. This study will provide a base for further study. The code will be of use for the evaluation and sensitivity study of ex-vessel steam explosion for ERVC strategy in the future studies. Analysis result of this study is similar to the result of other study. Through this study, it is found that TEXAS-V could be the used as a tool for predicting the steam explosion load on a reactor scale, as fast running computer code. In addition, TEXAS-V code could be to evaluate the impact of various uncertainties, which are not clearly understood yet, to provide a conservative envelope for the steam explosion

  4. Preliminary Analysis of Ex-Vessel Steam Explosion using TEXAS-V code for APR1400

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Sung Chu; Lee, Jung Jae; Cho, Yong Jin; Hwang, Taesuk [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-10-15

    The purpose of this study is to explore input development and the audit calculation using TEXAS-V code for ex-vessel steam explosion for a flooded reactor cavity of APR1400. TEXAS computational models are one of the simplified tools for simulations of fuel-coolant interaction during mixing, triggering and explosion phase. The models of TEXAS code were validated by performing the fundamental experimental investigation in the KROTOS facility at JRC, Ispra. The experiments such as KROTOS and FARO experiment are aimed at providing benchmark data to examine the effect of fuel-coolant initial conditions and mixing on explosion energetics with alumina and prototypical core material. TEXAS-V code used in this study was to analyze and predict the ex-vessel steam explosion for a reactor scale. The input deck to simulate the flooded reactor cavity of APR1400 is developed and base case calculation is performed. This study will provide a base for further study. The code will be of use for the evaluation and sensitivity study of ex-vessel steam explosion for ERVC strategy in the future studies. Analysis result of this study is similar to the result of other study. Through this study, it is found that TEXAS-V could be the used as a tool for predicting the steam explosion load on a reactor scale, as fast running computer code. In addition, TEXAS-V code could be to evaluate the impact of various uncertainties, which are not clearly understood yet, to provide a conservative envelope for the steam explosion.

  5. 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,…

  6. 75 FR 17691 - Foreign-Trade Zone 196 - Fort Worth, Texas, Application for Temporary/Interim Manufacturing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-07

    ... (Cell Phone Kitting and Distribution), Fort Worth, Texas An application has been submitted to the... cell phones (HTSUS 8517.12, duty free) under T/IM procedures at its facility (152 employees, 186,000... 96% of the value of the finished product) include: cell phone batteries; cell phone chargers and...

  7. 78 FR 63929 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Texas; Revisions to Rules and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-25

    ... requirements for grandfathered facilities. The revisions will contribute to improvement in overall air quality... to contribute to improvement of air quality and attainment or maintenance of the federal air quality...] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Texas; Revisions to Rules and Regulations...

  8. 78 FR 37785 - Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 196-Fort Worth, Texas; Notification of Proposed Production Activity...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-24

    ... Worth, Texas; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Flextronics International USA, Inc. (Mobile... facility is used for the assembly, kitting, programming, testing, packaging, warehousing and distribution of mobile phones. Pursuant to 15 CFR 400.14(b), FTZ activity would be limited to the specific foreign...

  9. Materials Science Division HVEM-Tandem Facility at Argonne National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, A.

    1981-10-01

    The ANL-Materials Science Division High Voltage Electron Microscope-Tandem Facility is a unique national research facility available to scientists from industry, universities, and other national laboratories, following a peer evaluation of their research proposals by the Facility Steering Committee. The principal equipment consists of a Kratos EM7 1.2-MV high voltage electron microscope, a 300-kV Texas Nuclear ion accelerator, and a National Electrostatics 2-MV Tandem accelerator. Ions from both accelerators are transmitted into the electron microscope through the ion-beam interface. Recent work at the facility is summarized

  10. Serological and molecular survey of Leishmania parasites in apparently healthy dogs in the West Bank, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamarsheh Omar

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL is caused by Leishmania infantum in all Mediterranean countries. The Leishmania parasite is transmitted by the bite of a corresponding sand fly vector and primarily maintained in nature by wild and domestic reservoirs, including dogs, foxes and jackals. Infected dogs are the primary reservoir host in endemic regions and are the most significant risk disposing humans to infection. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of infection with Leishmania and identification of Leishmania infantum in domestic dogs in the West Bank, Palestine. Methods The infection rate among domestic dogs collected from seven districts in the Palestinian West Bank was investigated by examination of parasites in culture from the buffy coat using serological and molecular methods; based on ELISA, internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1 and cysteine protease (CPB PCR. Results Out of 215 dogs examined for Leishmania, 36 (16.7% were positive in at least one method. Twenty three animals (11.5% were positive for Leishmania DNA, whereas, ELISA and culture revealed 16 (7.5%, and 4 (1.5% respectively. CPB-PCR on one of three culture-positive isolates revealed Leishmania infantum as the causative agent for Leishmania infection in dogs. Conclusions Our study showed that canine leishmania infection is prevalent with varying degrees in all the seven studied districts in Palestine despite the absence of human VL cases in 4 of these districts. The causative agent was confirmed to be Leishmania infantum.

  11. A verified technique for calibrating space solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anspaugh, Bruce

    1987-01-01

    Solar cells have been flown on high-altitude balloons for over 24 years, to produce solar cell standards that can be used to set the intensity of solar simulators. The events of a typical balloon calibration flight are reported. These are: the preflight events, including the preflight cell measurements and the assembly of the flight cells onto the solar tracker; the activities at the National Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, including the preflight calibrations, the mating of the tracker and cells onto the balloon, preparations for launch, and the launch; the payload recovery, which includes tracking the balloon by aircraft, terminating the flight, and retrieving the payload. In 1985, the cells flow on the balloon were also flown on a shuttle flight and measured independently. The two measurement methods are compared and shown to agree within 1 percent.

  12. Nuclear Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Education at Texas A&M University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gariazzo, C.; Charlton, W.

    2015-01-01

    The MS degree in Nuclear Engineering - Non-proliferation at Texas A&M University is administered by the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI). The oldest and largest of its kind in the US, 45 M.S. and 15 Ph.D. students conducted technical research in relevant areas: safeguards, nuclear security, non-proliferation, and arms control. In addition to focusing on graduate education with a wide combination of internationally-recognized talent, NSSPI faculty lead research and service activities in safeguarding of nuclear materials and reducing nuclear threats. Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering students take relevant nonproliferation and safeguards courses (within the College of Engineering and the Texas A&M Bush School of Government) as well as conduct their research under competent experts. The complete educational experience here is unique because of the strong research and educational support NSSPI provides. This paper will detail these endeavors and convey contributions from NSSPI for developing next-generation safeguards experts via practical experiences and strong affiliations with real-world practitioners. The safeguards and non-proliferation education programme blends historical, legal, technical and policy aspects that is unique for a technical university such as Texas A&M. Beyond classroom lectures, NSSPI provides opportunities for students ranging from asynchronous learning modules to practical experiences. Publicly-available self-paced, online course modules in basic and advanced safeguards education have been developed by NSSPI as supplemental nuclear education for students and professionals. By leveraging NSSPI's contacts, students participate in exchange programmes with international institutions as well as partake in experiences like engaging safeguards practitioners at nuclear fuel cycle facilities around the world, conducting experiments at internationally-renowned laboratories, and representing their communities at workshops worldwide

  13. Regional Exchange and the Role of the Shop in Byzantine and Early Islamic Syria-Palestine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmsley, Alan George

    2012-01-01

    a significant factor in the prosperity of Syria-Palestine at that time, facilitating not only local exchange but also, on a wider scale, the transportation of goods from outside the immediate region. Crucial to this trade system at the local level was the shop. Archaeological evidence for a shop-based market...... system has expanded greatly in recent years, giving a detailed insight into the system of exchange within an urban context. However, its social function as an urban institution has been, by comparison, little considered. This paper will reflect on the shops, their keepers, the suppliers and the patrons...

  14. Opportunities for wind and solar to displace coal and associated health impacts in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohan, D. S.; Strasert, B.; Slusarewicz, J.

    2017-12-01

    Texas uses more coal for power production than any other state, but also leads the nation in wind power while lagging in solar. Many analysts expect that more than half of coal power plants may close within the next decade, unable to compete with cheaper natural gas and renewable electricity. To what extent could displacing coal with wind and solar yield benefits for air quality, health, and climate? Here, we present modeling of the ozone, particulate matter, and associated health impacts of each of 15 coal power plants in Texas, using the CAMx model for air quality and BenMAP for health effects. We show that health impacts from unscrubbed coal plants near urban areas can be an order of magnitude larger than some other facilities. We then analyze the temporal patterns of generation that could be obtained from solar and wind farms in various regions of Texas that could displace these coal plants. We find that winds along the southern Gulf coast of Texas exhibit strikingly different temporal patterns than in west Texas, peaking on summer afternoons rather than winter nights. Thus, wind farms from the two regions along with solar farms could provide complementary sources of power to displace coal. We quantify several metrics to characterize the extent to which wind and solar farms in different regions provide complementary sources of power that can reliably displace traditional sources of electricity.

  15. 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),...

  16. 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.

  17. Deactivation and Storage Issues Shared by Fossil and Nuclear Facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas S. LaGuardia

    1998-01-01

    The deactivation of a power plant, be it nuclear or fossil fueled, requires that the facility be placed in a safe and stable condition to prevent unacceptable exposure of the public or the environment to hazardous materials until the facility can be decommissioned. The conditions at two Texas plants are examined. These plants are fossil fueled, but their conditions might be duplicated at a nuclear plant

  18. 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.

  19. Ethnopharmacological survey of herbal remedies used for treatment of various types of cancer and their methods of preparations in the West Bank-Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaradat, Nidal Amin; Al-Ramahi, Rowa; Zaid, Abdel Naser; Ayesh, Ola Ibrahim; Eid, Ahmad Mustafa

    2016-03-08

    Plants have been the primary source of medicines since life on earth; more than 50 % of existing cancer treatments are derived from plants. An ethnopharmacological survey of herbal remedies used in cancer treatment was carried out in the West Bank/ Palestine. A questionnaire was distributed to one hundred and fifty herbalists, traditional healers and rural dwellers. Collected information included the names of plants, the used parts, types of cancers for which these plants were used and also their methods of preparation. To identify the most important species used, Factor of informant's consensus (F(ic)), Fidelity level (Fl) and the Use-value (UV) were calculated. Collected data has shown that 72 plants are utilized for treatment of cancer, belonging to 44 families; from them Compositae and Lamiaceae were the most common. Leaves and fruits were the most commonly used parts, while decoctions, infusions and syrups were the main methods of preparation. Lung cancer was the most common type of cancer treated with these plants and Ephedra alata was the most commonly used plant for treatment of cancer in Palestine. The Fic was high for all the plants; Fl was 100% for many plants, the highest UV (0.72) was for Ephedra alata. This study showed that many herbal remedies are still used by herbalists in Palestine for treatment of cancer; some of them have been approved scientifically while others are not. A combined effort between informants and scientific institutions working in this field can help in the discovery of new anticancer agents. Moreover, scientists must explore the most suitable method of extraction, formulation and dose determination in order to achieve the best benefits from these herbals.

  20. 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.

  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

    For a decade Texas educators, scientists and citizens have shown a commitment to earth science education through planning at the national and state levels, involvement in earth science curriculum and teacher professional development projects, and the creation of a model senior level capstone Earth and Space Science course first offered in 2010 - 2011. The Texas state standards for Earth and Space Science demonstrate a shift to rigorous content, career relevant skills and use of 21st century technology. Earth and Space Science standards also align with the Earth Science, Climate and Ocean Literacy framework documents. In spite of a decade of progress K-12 earth science education in Texas is in crisis. Many school districts do not offer Earth and Space Science, or are using the course as a contingency for students who fail core science subjects. The State Board for Educator Certification eliminated Texas' secondary earth science teacher certification in 2009, following the adoption of the new Earth and Space Science standards. This makes teachers with a composite teacher certification (biology, physics and chemistry) eligible to teach Earth and Space Science, as well other earth science courses (e.g., Aquatic Science, Environmental Systems/Science) even if they lack earth science content knowledge. Teaching materials recently adopted by the State Board of Education do not include Earth and Space Science resources. In July 2011 following significant budget cuts at the 20 Education Service Centers across Texas, the Texas Education Agency eliminated key staff positions in its curriculum division, including science. This "perfect storm" has created a unique opportunity for a university-based approach to confront the crisis in earth science education in Texas which the Diversity and Innovation in the Geosciences (DIG) TEXAS alliance aims to fulfill. Led by the Texas A&M University College of Geosciences and The University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences, with

  2. 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

  3. 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...

  4. 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...

  5. Recharge estimation in semi-arid karst catchments: Central West Bank, Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jebreen, Hassan; Wohnlich, Stefan; Wisotzky, Frank; Banning, Andre; Niedermayr, Andrea; Ghanem, Marwan

    2018-03-01

    Knowledge of groundwater recharge constitutes a valuable tool for sustainable management in karst systems. In this respect, a quantitative evaluation of groundwater recharge can be considered a pre-requisite for the optimal operation of groundwater resources systems, particular for semi-arid areas. This paper demonstrates the processes affecting recharge in Palestine aquifers. The Central Western Catchment is one of the main water supply sources in the West Bank. Quantification of potential recharge rates are estimated using chloride mass balance (CMB) and empirical recharge equations over the catchment. The results showing the spatialized recharge rate, which ranges from 111-216 mm/year, representing 19-37% of the long-term mean annual rainfall. Using Water Balance models and climatological data (e. g. solar radiation, monthly temperature, average monthly relative humidity and precipitation), actual evapotranspiration (AET) is estimated. The mean annual actual evapotranspiration was about 66-70% of precipitation.

  6. 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...

  7. 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...

  8. 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...

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Palestine Saw-scaled Vipers hunt disadvantaged avian migrants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yosef, Reuven; Zduniak, Piotr

    2015-11-01

    The selection of an ambush-cum-foraging site and proper prey are indispensable for maintaining an adequate energy intake by sit-and-wait predators to optimize survival and future fitness. This is important for snakes, where an ambush site has suitable ambience. We studied the foraging strategy of the Palestine Saw-scaled Viper (Echis coloratus) at an avian migratory stopover site. Following initial observations, we hypothesized that vipers are able to discern the body mass of a perched bird and hunt accordingly. We implemented an experiment where vipers chose between four groups of migratory Blackcaps with different body mass. Prey choice by vipers of both age classes was not random and adults focused on Blackcaps with the lightest body mass. Juveniles displayed a variability of prey choice but selected mainly birds from the lightest categories. We concluded that Saw-scaled Vipers hunt prey based on thermal cues; juveniles practice on different prey groups prior to perfecting their foraging techniques i.e., hunting is a learned process; and that they prefer birds with the lowest body mass. The last because Blackcaps, when on migration, save energy by entering a state of deep torpor in which they sacrifice their vigilance capabilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Cold neutron PGAA facility developments at university research reactors in the USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uenlue, K.; Rios-Martinez, C.

    2005-01-01

    The PGAA applications can be enhanced by using subthermal neutrons, cold neutrons at university research reactors. Only two cold neutron beam facilities were developed at the U.S. university research reactors, namely at Cornell University and the University of Texas at Austin. Both facilities used mesitylene moderator. The mesitylene moderator in the Cornell Cold Neutron Beam Facility (CNBF) was cooled by a helium cryorefrigerator via copper cold fingers to maintain the moderator below 30 K at full power reactor operation. Texas Cold Neutron Source (TCNS) also uses mesitylene moderator that is cooled by a cryorefrigerator via a neon thermosiphon. The operation of the TCNS is based on a helium cryorefrigerator, which liquefies neon gas in a 3-m long thermosiphon. The thermosiphon cools and maintains mesitylene moderator at about 30 K in a chamber. Neutrons streaming through the mesitylene chamber are moderated and thus reduce their energy to produce a cold neutron distribution. (author)

  13. 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...

  14. 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...

  15. The University of Texas Cold Neutron Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uenlue, Kenan; Rios-Martinez, Carlos; Wehring, B.W.

    1994-01-01

    A cold neutron source has been designed, constructed, and tested by the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory (NETL) at The University of Texas at Austin. The Texas Cold Neutron Source (TCNS) is located in one of the beam ports of the NETL 1-MW TRIGA Mark II research reactor. The main components of the TCNS are a cooled moderator, a heat pipe, a cryogenic refrigerator, and a neutron guide. 80 ml of mesitylene moderator are maintained at about 30 K in a chamber within the reactor graphite reflector by the heat pipe and cryogenic refrigerator. The heat pipe is a 3-m long aluminum tube that contains neon as the working fluid. The cold neutrons obtained from the moderator are transported by a curved 6-m long neutron guide. This neutron guide has a radius of curvature of 300 m, a 50x15 mm cross-section, 58 Ni coating, and is separated into three channels. The TCNS will provide a low-background subthermal neutron beam for neutron capture and scattering research. After the installation of the external portion of the neutron guide, a neutron focusing system and a Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis facility will be set up at the TCNS. ((orig.))

  16. 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...

  17. Texas' performance assessment work

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charbeneau, R.J.; Hertel, N.E.; Pollard, C.G.

    1990-01-01

    The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority is completing two years of detailed on-site suitability studies of a potential low-level radioactive waste disposal site in Hudspeth County, Texas. The data from these studies have been used to estimate site specific parameters needed to do a performance assessment of the site. The radiological impacts of the site have been analyzed as required for a license application. The approach adopted for the performance assessment was to use simplified and yet conservative assumptions with regard to releases, radionuclide transport, and dose calculations. The methodologies employed in the performance assessment are reviewed in the paper. Rather than rely on a single computer code, a modular approach to the performance assessment was selected. The HELP code was used to calculate the infiltration rate through the trench covers and the amount of leachate released from this arid site. Individual pathway analyses used spreadsheet calculations. These calculations were compared with those from other computer models including CRRIS, INGDOS, PATHRAE, and MICROSHIELD copyright, and found to yield conservative estimates of the effective whole body dose. The greatest difficulty in performing the radiological assessment of the site was the selection of reasonable source terms for release into the environment. A surface water pathway is unreasonable for the site. Though also unlikely, the groundwater pathway with exposure through a site boundary well was found to yield the largest calculated dose. The more likely pathway including transport of leachate from the facility through the unsaturated zone and returning to the ground surface yields small doses. All calculated doses associated with normal releases of radioactivity are below the regulatory limits

  18. 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…

  19. 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...

  20. 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.

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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...

  4. Limited BRC rulemaking: Regulatory approach and experience in Texas for short-lived radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McBurney, Ruth E.; Pollard, Christine G.

    1992-01-01

    In 1987, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) implemented a rule to allow, under certain conditions, wastes containing limited concentrations of short- lived radionuclides (less than 300-day half-life) to be disposed of in Type I sanitary landfills. The rule was based on a technical analysis that demonstrated the degree of safety for approximately 340 m of radioactive waste generated annually in Texas and identified major restrictions and conditions for disposal. TDH's Bureau of Radiation Control staff have been able to maintain an account of licensees utilizing the rule during the past years. Several research and industrial facilities in the state have saved significantly on waste disposal expenses. Public concerns and economic impacts for licensees as well as other regulatory aspects and experiences with the rule are discussed. (author)

  5. Updated Strategic Assessment of the U.S. NRC Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) Program and the new WCS Commercial Disposal Facility for LLW

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kessel, David S.; Kim, Chang-Lak [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    The purpose of this paper is to review the updated NRC low level radioactive waste regulatory strategy and also present an update on a significant change in the LLW disposal landscape in the U.S., the opening of a new commercial disposal facility, the Texas Compact Waste Facility (CWF) in Andrews, Texas. Operational since spring of 2012, the CWF is owned and licensed by the state of Texas and operated by Waste Control Specialists LLC (WCS). The WCS facility in western Andrews County is the only commercial facility in the United States licensed to dispose of Class A, B and C LLW in the U.S. in the past 40 years. Based on the observation that other suitable sites have been identified such as the Clive, Utah site that meet (almost) all of these criteria it would appear that the first and last factors in our list are the most problematic and it will require a change in the public acceptance and the political posture of states to help solve the national issue of safe and cost-effective LLW disposal.

  6. 75 FR 19467 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Revisions to the New Source Review (NSR...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-14

    ... Rules Revisions; 112(g) Revisions (Rule Project No. 98001-116-AI). Under the Settlement Agreement in... provisions that either prohibit future increases at the Qualified Facility, or ensure that any future... commenters do not want coal to stand in the way of a clean energy future in Texas. Strong rules are needed to...

  7. 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...

  8. 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...

  9. Status of RNB facilities in North America

    CERN Document Server

    Nolen, J A

    1998-01-01

    This paper presents the status of accelerator facilities in North America that are involved in research using radioactive nuclear beams (RNB), including existing and operating facilities, ones currently under construction or undergoing major upgrades, and ones being planned or proposed for the future. Existing RNB facilities are located at TRIUMF (TISOL) in Vancouver, B.C., the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Argonne Tandem Linear Accelerator System (ATLAS) at Argonne National Laboratory, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University, the Nuclear Structure Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame, the 88" Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University. Currently, there are two major RNB facility upgrades in progress in North America, one at TRIUMF, the ISAC project, and one at NSCL, the Intensity Upgrade project. For the future, the U.S. Nuclear Science A...

  10. 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…

  11. 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)

  12. National Biomedical Tracer Facility. Project definition study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schafer, R.

    1995-01-01

    We request a $25 million government-guaranteed, interest-free loan to be repaid over a 30-year period for construction and initial operations of a cyclotron-based National Biomedical Tracer Facility (NBTF) in North Central Texas. The NBTF will be co-located with a linear accelerator-based commercial radioisotope production facility, funded by the private sector at approximately $28 million. In addition, research radioisotope production by the NBTF will be coordinated through an association with an existing U.S. nuclear reactor center that will produce research and commercial radioisotopes through neutron reactions. The combined facilities will provide the full range of technology for radioisotope production and research: fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, and particle beams (H - , H + , and D + ). The proposed NBTF facility includes an 80 MeV, 1 mA H - cyclotron that will produce proton-induced (neutron deficient) research isotopes

  13. Study of neutron focusing at the Texas Cold Neutron Source. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wehring, B.W.; Uenlue, K.

    1995-01-01

    Funds were received for the first year of a three year DOE Nuclear Engineering Research Grant, ''Study of Neutron Focusing at the Texas Cold Neutron Source'' (FGO2-92ER75711). The purpose of this three year study was to develop a neutron focusing system to be used with the Texas Cold Neutron Source (TCNS) to produce an intense beam of neutrons. A prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) facility was also to be designed, setup, and tested under the three year project. During the first year of the DOE grant, a new procedure was developed and used to design a focusing converging guide consisting of truncated rectangular cone sections. Detailed calculations were performed using a 3-D Monte Carlo code which we wrote to trace neutrons through the curved guide of the TCNS into the proposed converging guide. Using realistic reflectivities for Ni-Ti supermirrors, we obtained gains of 3 to 5 for the neutron flux averaged over an area of 1 x 1 cm

  14. Hazardous materials emergency response training program at Texas A ampersand M University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stirling, A.G.

    1989-01-01

    The Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) as the engineering vocational training arm of the Texas A ampersand M University system has conducted oil-spill, hazardous-material, and related safety training for industry since 1976 and fire suppression training since 1931. In 1987 TEEX conducted training for some 66,000 persons, of which some 6000 were in hazardous-materials safety training and 22,000 in fire suppression or related fields. Various laws and regulations exist relative to employee training at an industrial facility, such as the Hazard Communication Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or more commonly Superfund), the Community Right to Know Law, and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Titles I and III. The TEEX programs developed on the foundation emphasize the hands-on approach (60% field exercises) to provide a comprehensive training curriculum resulting in regulatory compliance, an effective emergency response capability, a prepared community, and a safe work environment

  15. 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…

  16. 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...

  17. 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:…

  18. 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...

  19. Travel diaries of Albert Einstein Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922-1923

    CERN Document Server

    Einstein, Albert

    2018-01-01

    In the fall of 1922, Albert Einstein, along with his then-wife, Elsa Einstein, embarked on a five-and-a-half-month voyage to the Far East and Middle East, regions that the renowned physicist had never visited before. Einstein's lengthy itinerary consisted of stops in Hong Kong and Singapore, two brief stays in China, a six-week whirlwind lecture tour of Japan, a twelve-day tour of Palestine, and a three-week visit to Spain. This handsome edition makes available, for the first time, the complete journal that Einstein kept on this momentous journey. The telegraphic-style diary entries--quirky, succinct, and at times irreverent―record Einstein's musings on science, philosophy, art, and politics, as well as his immediate impressions and broader thoughts on such events as his inaugural lecture at the future site of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, a garden party hosted by the Japanese Empress, an audience with the King of Spain, and meetings with other prominent colleagues and statesmen. Entries also contain...

  20. 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...

  1. Hallyu across the Desert: K-pop Fandom in Israel and Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nissim Otmazgin

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the role that fan communities in Israel and Palestine play in the transcultural dissemination of Korean popular music, or “K-pop.” Based on in-depth interviews with fans, a survey of K-pop online communities, discourse analysis of online discussions, and participation in K-pop gatherings, this article examines the practice of K-pop, its localization and institutionalization, and its influence on the identities of fans. Special attention is given to the role of K-pop fans as cultural mediators who create necessary bridges between the music industry and local consumers and thus play a decisive role in globalizing cultures. Typically, literature on the globalization of popular culture either utilizes a top-down approach, depicting powerful media industries as making people across the world consume their products, or emphasizes a bottom-up resistance to the imposition of foreign cultures and values. This article suggests that popular culture consumption not only changes the lives of a few individuals but that these individuals may themselves play a decisive role in connecting globalized culture with local fandom.

  2. National Biomedical Tracer Facility. Project definition study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schafer, R.

    1995-02-14

    We request a $25 million government-guaranteed, interest-free loan to be repaid over a 30-year period for construction and initial operations of a cyclotron-based National Biomedical Tracer Facility (NBTF) in North Central Texas. The NBTF will be co-located with a linear accelerator-based commercial radioisotope production facility, funded by the private sector at approximately $28 million. In addition, research radioisotope production by the NBTF will be coordinated through an association with an existing U.S. nuclear reactor center that will produce research and commercial radioisotopes through neutron reactions. The combined facilities will provide the full range of technology for radioisotope production and research: fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, and particle beams (H{sup -}, H{sup +}, and D{sup +}). The proposed NBTF facility includes an 80 MeV, 1 mA H{sup -} cyclotron that will produce proton-induced (neutron deficient) research isotopes.

  3. 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...

  4. 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...

  5. 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...

  6. Introducing COSS: A new and unique oil spill research facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitchen, R. B.; Bonner, J. S.; Autenrieth, R. L.; Donnelly, K. C.; Ernest, A. N. S.

    1997-01-01

    A new oil spill research facility in Corpus Christi, Texas began operation in April 1997 to address the appropriate use, application and effectiveness of chemical, physical and biological oil spill response agents. The Coastal Oil Spill Simulation (COSS) facility consists of nine meso scale wave tanks and will offer to science and industry a unique opportunity to spill oil in a controlled environment and to study fate, transport and remediation of oil releases in simulated coastal, intertidal, lagunal, channel and porous media. 1 ref

  7. Measurements of the radon-222 and its daughters concentrations throughout Gaza strip, Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rasas, M.F.; Yassin, S.S.; Shabat, M.M.

    2005-01-01

    High Radon levels are present in the granite and grandiositic rocks that. spread in sand dunes along coast of Gaza. Such materials are rich in uranium and T widely used in the construction of dwelling in the Gaza, and their contribution to high indoor Radon levels is most relevant.The present work aims to investigate approaches, measures and detection of indoor Radon level throughout Gaza Strip. Five hundred CR-39 dosimeters were distributed over six locations in the middle Yv-region of Gaza Strip. Results suggest that Radon concentrations range from l3.36 to 83.82 Bq/m 3 and a maximum value of 97.01 Bq/m 3 .The average Radon concentrations was 37.83 Bq/m 3 with standard deviation of 11.23.The results provide a framework for future studies that include a large, broader survey of Radon concentration in Palestine

  8. 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

  9. Texas A and M University Nuclear Science Center. Twenty-first progress report, January 1-December 31, 1984

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krohn, J.; Petesch, J.E.; Rogers, R.D.; Sandel, P.; Stasny, G.S.

    1985-03-01

    The Nuclear Science Center is operated by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station as a service to the Texas A and M University System and the State of Texas. The facility is available to the University, other educational institutions, governmental agencies, and private organizations and individuals. Reactor utilization decreased from 1983 as indicated by a slightly smaller number of samples irradiated and of total irradiations. Core VIII, established in December 1982, was used throughout 1984. Several major facility projects modifications, and improvements were completed during the past year. Experimentally the Beam Port No. 4 reflector and shutter was improved, the pulsing instrumentation is being expanded, and the pneumatic system controller developed for Lab No. 4 is now in use in the Center for Trace Characterization (CTC) and Shell Development labs. Several operational problems occurred in 1984 but did not result in a significant loss of reactor operating time. During this reporting period there were no changes made to the site area; however, there has been made a proposal to extend the runway at nearby Easterwood Airport such tha larger aircraft can be accommodated. This extension should occur in 1985 and should have no affect on the air traffic patterns relative to the NSC. Administratively during 1984 efforts have been made to stabilize the reactor operations staff following the mid year resignations of both a Reactor Supervisor and Manager of Reactor Operations. A long term replacement has been hired to fill the vacated Reactor Supervisor position; however, the manager position has not yet been filled and those duties have been assumed by the Assistant Director

  10. 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...

  11. 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...

  12. 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…

  13. Socioeconomic issues and analyses for radioactive waste disposal facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ulland, L.

    1988-01-01

    Radioactive Waste facility siting and development can raise major social and economic issues in the host area. Initial site screening and analyses have been conducted for both potential high-level and low-level radioactive waste facilities; more detailed characterization and analyses are being planned. Results of these assessments are key to developing community plans that identify and implement measures to mitigate adverse socioeconomic impacts. Preliminary impact analyses conducted at high-level sites in Texas and Nevada, and site screening activities for low-level facilities in Illinois and California have identified a number of common socioeconomic issues and characteristics as well as issues and characteristics that differ between the sites and the type of facilities. Based on these comparisons, implications for selection of an appropriate methodology for impact assessment and elements of impact mitigation are identified

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. Case study and lessons learned from the ammonium nitrate explosion at the West Fertilizer facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laboureur, Delphine M.; Han, Zhe; Harding, Brian Z.; Pineda, Alba; Pittman, William C.; Rosas, Camilo; Jiang, Jiaojun; Mannan, M. Sam, E-mail: mannan@tamu.edu

    2016-05-05

    Highlights: • In-depth technical analysis of the West, Texas ammonium nitrate incident. • Regulatory analysis for compliance with federal, state and local regulations. • Facility siting and land use planning implications. • Need for local coordination of risk information and emergency planning. - Abstract: In West, Texas on April 17, 2013, a chemical storage and distribution facility caught fire followed by the explosion of around 30 tons of ammonium nitrate while the emergency responders were trying to extinguish the fire, leading to 15 fatalities and numerous buildings, businesses and homes destroyed or damaged. This incident resulted in devastating consequences for the community around the facility, and shed light on a need to improve the safety management of local small businesses similar to the West facility. As no official report on the findings of the incident has been released yet, this article first investigates the root causes of the incident, and presents a simplified consequence analysis. The article reviews the regulations applicable to this type of facility and recommended emergency response procedures to identify gaps between what happened in West and the current regulations, and discusses how the current regulations could be modified to prevent or minimize future losses. Finally, the federal response that followed the incident until the publication of this paper is summarized.

  18. Case study and lessons learned from the ammonium nitrate explosion at the West Fertilizer facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laboureur, Delphine M.; Han, Zhe; Harding, Brian Z.; Pineda, Alba; Pittman, William C.; Rosas, Camilo; Jiang, Jiaojun; Mannan, M. Sam

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • In-depth technical analysis of the West, Texas ammonium nitrate incident. • Regulatory analysis for compliance with federal, state and local regulations. • Facility siting and land use planning implications. • Need for local coordination of risk information and emergency planning. - Abstract: In West, Texas on April 17, 2013, a chemical storage and distribution facility caught fire followed by the explosion of around 30 tons of ammonium nitrate while the emergency responders were trying to extinguish the fire, leading to 15 fatalities and numerous buildings, businesses and homes destroyed or damaged. This incident resulted in devastating consequences for the community around the facility, and shed light on a need to improve the safety management of local small businesses similar to the West facility. As no official report on the findings of the incident has been released yet, this article first investigates the root causes of the incident, and presents a simplified consequence analysis. The article reviews the regulations applicable to this type of facility and recommended emergency response procedures to identify gaps between what happened in West and the current regulations, and discusses how the current regulations could be modified to prevent or minimize future losses. Finally, the federal response that followed the incident until the publication of this paper is summarized.

  19. 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...

  20. Total body-calcium measurements: comparison of two delayed-gamma neutron activation facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, R.; Ellis, K.J.; Shypailo, R.J.; Pierson, R.N. Jr.

    1999-01-01

    This study compares two independently calibrated delayed-gamma neutron activation (DGNA) facilities, one at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York, and the other at the Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC), Houston, Texas that measure total body calcium (TBCa). A set of BNL phantoms was sent to CNRC for neutron activation analysis, and a set of CNRC phantoms was measured at BNL. Both facilities showed high precision (<2%), and the results were in good agreement, within 5%. (author)

  1. 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

  2. 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...

  3. 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...

  4. 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...

  5. Investigating walking environments in and around assisted living facilities: a facility visit study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Zhipeng

    2010-01-01

    This study explores assisted living residents' walking behaviors, locations where residents prefer to walk, and walking environments in and around assisted living facilities. Regular walking is beneficial to older adults' physical and psychological health. Yet frail older residents in assisted living are usually too sedentary to achieve these benefits. The physical environment plays an important role in promoting physical activity. However, there is little research exploring this relationship in assisted living settings. The researcher visited 34 assisted living facilities in a major Texas city. Methods included walk-through observation with the Assisted Living Facility Walking Environment Checklist, and interviews with administrators by open- and close-ended questions. The data from 26 facilities were analyzed using descriptive statistics (for quantitative data) and content analysis (for qualitative data). The results indicate that (a) residents were walking both indoors and outdoors for exercise or other purposes (e.g., going to destinations); (b) assisted living facility planning and design details-such as neighborhood sidewalk conditions, facility site selection, availability of seating, walking path configuration (e.g., looped/nonlooped path), amount of shading along the path, presence of handrails, existence of signage, etc.-may influence residents' walking behaviors; and (c) current assisted living facilities need improvement in all aspects to make their environments more walkable for residents. Findings of the study provide recommendations for assisted living facilities to improve the walkability of environments and to create environmental interventions to promote regular walking among their residents. This study also implies several directions for future research.

  6. Investigation of the utility of Gulf Coast salt domes for the storage or disposal of radioactive wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez, J.D.; Thoms, R.L.; Kupfer, D.H.

    1976-01-01

    Analysis of tectonic, geohydrologic, and cultural data led to the selection of three salt domes (Vacherie, Rayburn's, Prothro) in the North Louisiana Basin and three (Keechi, Mt. Sylvan, Palestine) in the Northeast Texas Basin. Results of the tectonic stability studies (monitoring of dome movement, quaternary, Mesozoic and Tertiary, seismic, corehole in Vacherie) and hydrologic stability studies (numerical modeling, caprock, mine leaks) are discussed in detail and recommendations for further study are given

  7. Investigation of the utility of Gulf Coast salt domes for the storage or disposal of radioactive wastes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez, J.D.; Thoms, R.L.; Kupfer, D.H.

    1976-09-30

    Analysis of tectonic, geohydrologic, and cultural data led to the selection of three salt domes (Vacherie, Rayburn's, Prothro) in the North Louisiana Basin and three (Keechi, Mt. Sylvan, Palestine) in the Northeast Texas Basin. Results of the tectonic stability studies (monitoring of dome movement, quaternary, Mesozoic and Tertiary, seismic, corehole in Vacherie) and hydrologic stability studies (numerical modeling, caprock, mine leaks) are discussed in detail and recommendations for further study are given. (DLC)

  8. Health physics and quality control management of a cyclotron-based PET facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jerabek, P.A.

    1995-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of the operation and management of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) facility at the University of Texas. The facility components are discussed from an operations perspective with an emphasis on devices, and on practices and procedures which are implemented to ensure that personnel exposures are as low as reasonably achievable. The cyclotron-based PET facility uses in-house production of PET radioisotopes for preparation of radiopharmaceuticals. A combination of specially designed cyclotron equipped devices, radiopharmaceutical preparation devices, and shielded devices along with health physics practices have helped to make PET operations become routine

  9. 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...

  10. 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...

  11. 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...

  12. 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...

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Texas Pulse Oximetry Project: A Multicenter Educational and Quality Improvement Project for Implementation of Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening Using Pulse Oximetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guillory, Charleta; Gong, Alice; Livingston, Judith; Creel, Liza; Ocampo, Elena; McKee-Garrett, Tiffany

    2017-07-01

    Objective  Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is a leading cause of death in infants. Newborn screening (NBS) by pulse oximetry allows early identification of CCHD in asymptomatic newborns. To improve readiness of hospital neonatal birthing facilities for mandatory screening in Texas, an educational and quality improvement (QI) project was piloted to identify an implementation strategy for CCHD NBS in a range of birthing hospitals. Study Design  Thirteen Texas hospitals implemented standardized CCHD screening by pulse oximetry. An educational program was devised and a tool kit was created to facilitate education and implementation. Newborn nursery nurses' knowledge was assessed using a pre- and posttest instrument. Results  The nurses' knowledge assessment improved from 71 to 92.5% ( p  educational program, including a tool kit, QI processes, and standardized pulse oximetry CCHD NBS, is applicable for a range of hospital birthing facilities and may facilitate wide-scale implementation, thereby improving newborn health. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  16. 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

  17. 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...

  18. 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...

  19. 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...

  20. 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...

  1. 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...

  2. 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...

  3. Radioactivity measurement in different types of fabricated building materials used in Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dabayneh, K.M.

    2007-01-01

    The natural radionuclides ( 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) and the manmade radiation levels were measured in samples of different types of fabricated building materials in Palestine. Concentration of radionuclide in samples were determined by γ -ray spectrometry using hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector in Bq/Kg dry weight. In this paper samples of commonly building materials (granite, clay brick (karmeed), lime stone, marble, cement, white cement, sea sand, gravel powder, gravel, glue ceramic, gypsum powder and hydrated lime) used in Palestinian buildings were collected. the concentration values of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K in these samples ranged between 13.9-97.3,7.2-78.6 and 2.0-1139.0 Bq/Kg.respectively. The 137 Cs isotope was detected in some samples. Radium equivalent activity (Ra e q) dose rate in air (Dr), external hazard index (Hex), radioactivity Level index (I y ) and annual gonadal equivalent dose (D) in all samples were calculated. The activity concentration data were discussed are compared with other experimental values in some countries

  4. Environmental Assessment for Hazardous Waste Staging Facility, Pantex Plant, Amarillo, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-06-01

    This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared pursuant to the implementing regulations to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which require federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of a proposed action to determine whether that action requires the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or if a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) can be issued. The Pantex Plant does not possess permanent containerized waste staging facilities with integral secondary containment or freeze protection. Additional deficiencies associated with some existing staging facilities include: no protection from precipitation running across the staging pads; lack of protection against weathering; and facility foundations not capable of containing leaks, spills or accumulated precipitation. These shortcomings have raised concerns with respect to requirements under Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Deficiencies for these waste staging areas were also cited by a government audit team (Tiger Team) as Action Items. The provision for the staging of hazardous, mixed, and low level waste is part of the no-action altemative in the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the integrated ER/WM program. Construction of this proposed project will not prejudice whether or not this integration will occur, or how

  5. 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...

  6. 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

  7. 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 (...

  8. 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 ...

  9. 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...

  10. 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.)

  11. 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

  12. Site study plan for Exploratory shaft facilities design foundation boreholes (shaft surface facility foundation borings), Deaf Smith County Site, Texas: Surface-based geotechnical field program: Preliminary draft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-12-01

    This site study plan describes the Exploratory Shaft Facilities (ESF) Design Foundation Boreholes field activities to be conducted during early stages of Site Characterization at the Deaf Smith County, Texas, site. The field program has been designed to provide data useful in addressing information/data needs resulting from federal/state/local regulations, and repository program requirements. Approximately 50 foundation boreholes will be drilled within the ESP location to provide data necessary for design of the ESF and to satisfy applicable shaft permitting requirements. Soils and subsurface rock will be sampled as the foundation boreholes are advanced. Soil samples or rock core will be taken through the Blackwater Draw and Ogallala Formations and the Dockum Group. Hydrologic testing will be performed in boreholes that penetrates the water table. In-situ elastic properties will be determined from both the soil strata and rock units along the length of the boreholes. Field methods/tests are chosen that provide the best or only means of obtaining the required data. The Salt Repository Project (SRP) Networks specify the schedule under which the program will operate. Drilling will not begin until after site ground water baseline conditions have been established. The Technical Field Services Contractor is responsible for conducting the field program of drilling and testing. Samples and data will be handled and reported in accordance with established SRP procedures. A quality assurance program will be utilized to assure that activities affecting quality are performed correctly and that the appropriate documentation is maintained. 25 refs., 10 figs., 6 tabs

  13. Site Study Plan for laboratory soil mechanics, Deaf Smith County site, Texas: Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-12-01

    This Site Study Plan for laboratory soil mechanics describes the laboratory testing to be conducted on soil samples collected as part of the characterization of the Deaf Smith County site, Texas. This study provides for measurements of index, mechanical, thermal, hydrologic, chemical, and mineral properties of soils from boring throughout the site. Samples will be taken from Playa Borings/Trenching, Transportation/Utilities Foundation Borings, Repository Surface Facilities Design Foundation Borings, and Exploratory Shaft Facilities Design Foundation Borings. Data from the laboratory tests will be used for soil strata characterization, design of foundations for surface structures, design of transportation facilities and utility structures, design of impoundments, design of shaft lining, design of the shaft freeze wall, shaft permitting, performance assessment calculations, and other program requirements. A tentative testing schedule and milestone log are given. A quality assurance program will be utilized to assure that activities affecting quality are performed correctly and that appropriate documentation is maintained. 18 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

  14. A new high current laboratory and pulsed homopolar generator power supply at the University of Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd, J. E.; Aanstoos, T. A.

    1984-03-01

    The University of Texas at Austin is constructing a facility for research in pulse power technology for the Center for Electromechanics at the Balcones Research Center. The facility, designed to support high-current experiments, will be powered by six homopolar generators, each rated at 10 MJ and arranged to allow matching the requirements of resistive and inductive loads at various voltage and current combinations. Topics covered include the high bay, the power supply configuration and parameters, the speed and field control, and the magnetic circuit. Also considered are the removable air-cooled brushes, the water-cooled field coils, the hydraulic motor sizing and direct coupling, the low-impedance removable field coils, and the hydrostatic bearing design.

  15. Xylazine Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrester, Mathias B

    2016-10-01

    Xylazine is a sedative, analgesic, anesthetic, and central muscle relaxant approved for animals but not humans. Although xylazine is an emerging drug of abuse, there are limited data on potentially adverse exposures to the drug. The intent of this study was to describe potentially adverse xylazine exposures reported to a large poison center system. All xylazine exposures reported to Texas poison centers between 2000 and 2014 were included. The distribution of cases by select variables was determined. Of 76 total cases, 93% of the patients were ≥20 years of age, and 54% were male. Fifty-one percent of the exposures occurred by injection, 28% by ingestion, 16% were dermal, 14% were ocular, and 3% by inhalation. Sixty-four percent of the exposures were unintentional, 32% were intentional, and 1% each was related to malicious use and adverse reaction. Sixty-seven percent of the patients were already at or en route to a health care facility when the poison center was contacted, 21% were managed on-site, and 9% were referred to a health care facility. The most common clinical effects were drowsiness or lethargy (47%), bradycardia (20%), hypotension (11%), hypertension (9%), puncture or wound (8%), and slurred speech (8%). Xylazine exposures tended to involve patients who were adult males, exposures were typically unintentional; and most often occurred by injection. Most of the patients were already at or en route to a health care facility when a poison center was contacted. The most frequently reported adverse effects were cardiovascular or neurologic in nature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. A medical facility proposal to use the SSC linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Funk, L.W.

    1994-01-01

    A consortium organized by the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission under a Department of Energy grant proposes to build and operate a Regional Medical Technology Center to function as a combined medical radioisotope production complex and proton cancer therapy facility using the Linear Accelerator (Linac) assets of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The radioisotope production complex will serve as a domestic source of radioisotopes critically needed by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and nuclear medicine facilities throughout North America. Presently, more than 70 percent of radioisotopes used in U.S. nuclear medicine procedures are produced outside the country. The Center's state-of-the-art proton cancer therapy facility will serve the Central United States, providing advanced capabilities and augmenting facilities in California and Massachusetts. Long-term, it is anticipated that the RMTC also will stimulate nuclear medicine research, advance medical diagnostic technologies, and generate new industrial applications for linear accelerator technology

  17. Jake Garn Mission Simulator and Training Facility, Building 5, Historical Documentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slovinac, Trish; Deming, Joan

    2010-01-01

    In response to President George W. Bush's announcement in January 2004 that the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) would end in 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) completed a nation-wide historical survey and evaluation of NASA-owned facilities and properties (real property assets) at all its Centers and component facilities. The buildings and structures which supported the SSP were inventoried and assessed as per the criteria of eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in the context of this program. This study was performed in compliance with Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (Public Law 91-190); Executive Order (EO) 11593: Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment; EO 13287, Preserve America, and other relevant legislation. As part of this nation-wide study, in September 2006, historical survey and evaluation of NASA-owned and managed facilities at was conducted by NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The results of this study are presented in a report entitled, "Survey and Evaluation of NASA-owned Historic Facilities and Properties in the Context of the U.S. Space Shuttle Program, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas," prepared in November 2007 by NASA JSC's contractor, Archaeological Consultants, Inc. As a result of this survey, the Jake Gam Mission Simulator and Training Facility (Building 5) was determined eligible for listing in the NRHP, with concurrence by the Texas State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The survey concluded that Building 5 is eligible for the NRHP under Criteria A and C in the context of the U.S. Space Shuttle program (1969-2010). Because it has achieved significance within the past 50 years, Criteria Consideration G applies. At the time of this documentation, Building 5 was still used to support the SSP as an

  18. Stillness and Motion: Depicting the Urban Landscape of Palestine in the 19th Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guy Galazka

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at offering valuable insights into the complex encounter between 19th-century Western travelers and the urban landscape of Palestine. The first part shows that, despite their efforts to distance themselves from the religious overtones of their predecessors, visitors tended to shove aside what they considered as ‘inauthentic’ or the product of acculturation in favor of a more conventional portrayal drawing on biblical imagery. This idealized vision was bound to struggle with disappointment, and the second part of this paper looks at how the representations of the city moved in the course of the 19th century from a purely pictorial transposition to a more practical and informed understanding of otherness. Travel writers began to devote considerable portions of their narratives to various aspects of life in the oriental town, while still predominately focusing on what they viewed as exotic and remote in comparison to European, and to a larger extent, Western culture.

  19. Technical Specifications, South Texas Project, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-498): Appendix ''A'' to License No. NPF-76

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-03-01

    The South Texas Project, Unit No. 1, Technical Specifications were prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to set forth the limits, operating conditions, and other requirements applicable to a nuclear reactor facility as set forth in Section 50.36 of 10 CFR 50 for the protection of the health and safety of the public. This report is Appendix A to License No. NPF-76

  20. Permian Basin, Texas: Volume 1, Text: Final preliminary design report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    This report is a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility (ESF) at the proposed 49 acre site located 21 miles north of Hereford, Texas in Deaf Smith County. Department of Energy must conduct in situ testing at depth to ascertain the engineering and environmental suitability of the site for further consideration for nuclear waste repository development. The ESF includes the construction of two 12-ft diameter engineered shafts for accessing the bedded salt horizon to conduct in situ tests to ascertain if the site should be considered a candidate site for the first High Level Nuclear Waste Repository. This report includes pertinent engineering drawings for two shafts and all support facilities necessary for shaft construction and testing program operation. Shafts will be constructed by conventional drill-and-blast methods employing ground freezing prior to shaft construction to stabilize the existing groundwater and soil conditions at the site. A watertight liner and seal system will be employed to prevent intermingling of aquifers and provide a stable shaft throughout its design life. 38 refs., 37 figs., 14 tabs

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. A 14 MeV neutron irradiation facility with an automated fast cyclic pneumatic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montgomery, M.T.; Yoho, M.D.; Biegalski, S.R.; Landsberger, S.; Welch, L.

    2016-01-01

    This work details the design criteria, construction, controls, and optimization of the 14 MeV neutron irradiation facility at the University of Texas, built with the motivation of performing neutron activation analysis on samples with short half-lives. The facility couples a D-T neutron generator with a pneumatic transfer system capable of transit of approximately one second between source and detector, while the cyclic automated nature allows for many irradiation/count trials with any number of samples, translating to significantly improved counting statistics. (author)

  4. A system dynamics approach for hospital waste management in a city in a developing country: the case of Nablus, Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khatib, Issam A; Eleyan, Derar; Garfield, Joy

    2016-09-01

    Hospitals and health centers provide a variety of healthcare services and normally generate hazardous waste as well as general waste. General waste has a similar nature to that of municipal solid waste and therefore could be disposed of in municipal landfills. However, hazardous waste poses risks to public health, unless it is properly managed. The hospital waste management system encompasses many factors, i.e., number of beds, number of employees, level of service, population, birth rate, fertility rate, and not in my back yard (NIMBY) syndrome. Therefore, this management system requires a comprehensive analysis to determine the role of each factor and its influence on the whole system. In this research, a hospital waste management simulation model is presented based on the system dynamics technique to determine the interaction among these factors in the system using a software package, ithink. This model is used to estimate waste segregation as this is important in the hospital waste management system to minimize risk to public health. Real data has been obtained from a case study of the city of Nablus, Palestine to validate the model. The model exhibits wastes generated from three types of hospitals (private, charitable, and government) by considering the number of both inpatients and outpatients depending on the population of the city under study. The model also offers the facility to compare the total waste generated among these different types of hospitals and anticipate and predict the future generated waste both infectious and non-infectious and the treatment cost incurred.

  5. 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

  6. 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 (...

  7. The Texas approach to the management of low-level radioactive waste after 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobi, L.R.

    1992-01-01

    By 1993, Texas licensees will be producing 52000 ft 3 of low level radioactive waste (LLRW) containing 11000 Ci of Radioactivity. The three operating pressurized water reactors will produce 63% of the waste volume and greater than 90% of the radioactivity. While the majority of the waste is solid LLRW, some of it, such as liquid scintillation vials and bulk liquids from hospitals, universities, and research facilities, is mixed waste. Most of this waste can be shipped out of state and incinerated, but 60 ft 3 of lead contaminated waste from nuclear power plants and other industrial plants requires land disposal

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. The Legal Implication of Palestine's Ad Hoc Declaration and Accession to the ICC's Jurisdiction Based on the Rome Statute 1998 (Case Study of Israeli Attacks on Gaza Strip from January 2009 to December 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nabilla Utami Dhiya Rahmani

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The conflict between Israel and Palestine on Gaza Strip has caused not only military casualties but also civilian casualties which are protected by the international law. The protection of civilians in armed conflict is basically set in the Geneva Convention of 1949 which has been ratified by Israel and Palestine, in which violations of its provisions constitute war crimes. This paper discusses the mechanism of the International Criminal Court based on the Rome Statute 1998 in enforcing the law against war crimes on Gaza Strip. Articles 13 and 15 of Rome Statute 1998 provide jurisdiction for the settlement of an international criminal case. Palestine has made several attempts in accepting the jurisdiction of the ICC in 2009 and 2015, namely through their declaration and accession which further gave legal implication on the implementation of the international law. Based on these studies, this paper will further discuss the legal implication of the Palestine's declaration in 2009 and 2015, as well as its accession in 2015. Abstrak Konflik yang telah terjadi bertahun-tahun antara Israel dan Palestina di jalur Gaza telah memakan tidak hanya korban militer namun juga korban sipil yang dilindungi oleh hukum internasional. Perlindungan terhadap penduduk sipil dalam konflik bersenjata pada dasarnya diatur dalam Konvensi Jenewa IV tahun 1949 yang telah diratifikasi oleh Israel dan Palestina di mana pelanggaran terhadap ketentuannya merupakan kejahatan perang. Penulis dalam tulisan ini membahas mengenai mekanisme International Criminal Court berdasarkan Statuta Roma 1998 dalam menegakkan hukum terhadap kejahatan perang di jalur Gaza. Berdasarkan Statuta Roma 1998 Pasal 13 dan 15, ICC memiliki yurisdiksi atas penyelesaian suatu kasus pidana internasional yang diajukan negara anggota, rekomendasi Dewan Keamanan PBB, investigasi mandiri yang dilakukan oleh jaksa Mahkamah Pidana Internasional, atau deklarasi ad hoc yang dilakukan bagi negara bukan

  11. A medical facility proposal to use the SSC linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Funk, L.W.

    1995-01-01

    A consortium organized by the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission (TNRLC) under a Department of Energy (DOE) grant proposes to build and operate a Regional Medical Technology Center (RMTC) to function as a combined medical radioisotope production complex and proton cancer therapy facility using the linear accelerator (linac) assets of the cancelled Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The radioisotope production complex will serve as a domestic source of radioisotopes critically needed by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and nuclear medicine facilities throughout North America. Presently, more than 70 percent of radioisotopes used in U.S. nuclear medicine procedures are produced outside the country. The Center's state-of-the-art proton cancer therapy facility will serve the Central United States, providing advanced capabilities and augmenting facilities in California and Massachusetts. Long-term, it is anticipated that the RMTC also will stimulate nuclear medicine research, advance medical diagnostic technologies, and generate new industrial applications of linear accelerator technology. (orig.)

  12. A medical facility proposal to use the SSC linac

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren Funk, L.

    1995-05-01

    A consortium organized by the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission (TNRLC) under a Department of Energy (DOE) grant proposes to build and operate a Regional Medical Technology Center (RMTC) to function as a combined medical radioisotope production complex and proton cancer therapy facility using the linear accelerator (linac) assets of the cancelled Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The radioisotope production complex will serve as a domestic source of radioisotopes critically needed by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and nuclear medicine facilities throughout North America. Presently, more than 70 percent of radioisotopes used in U.S. nuclear medicine procedures are produced outside the country. The Center's state-of-the-art proton cancer therapy facility will serve the Central United States, providing advanced capabilities and augmenting facilities in California and Massachusetts. Long-term, it is anticipated that the RMTC also will stimulate nuclear medicine research, advance medical diagnostic technologies, and generate new industrial applications of linear accelerator technology.

  13. Outdoor radiofrequency radiation levels in the West Bank-Palestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahham, Adnan; Hammash, Alaa

    2012-05-01

    This work presents the results of exposure levels to radio frequency (RF) emission from different sources in the environment of the West Bank-Palestine. These RF emitters include FM and TV broadcasting stations and mobile phone base stations. Power densities were measured at 65 locations distributed over the West Bank area. These locations include mainly centres of the major cities. Also a 24 h activity level was investigated for a mobile phone base station to determine the maximum activity level for this kind of RF emitters. All measurements were conducted at a height of 1.7 m above ground level using hand held Narda SRM 3000 spectrum analyzer with isotropic antenna capable of collecting RF signals in the frequency band from 75 MHz to 3 GHz. The average value of power density resulted from FM radio broadcasting in all investigated locations was 0.148 μW cm(-2), from TV broadcasting was 0.007 μW cm(-2) and from mobile phone base station was 0.089 μW cm(-2). The maximum total exposure evaluated at any location was 3.86 μW cm(-2). The corresponding exposure quotient calculated for this site was 0.02. This value is well below unity indicating compliance with the International Commission on non-ionising Radiation protection guidelines. Contributions from all relevant RF sources to the total exposure were evaluated and found to be ~62 % from FM radio, 3 % for TV broadcasting and 35 % from mobile phone base stations. The average total exposure from all investigated RF sources was 0.37 μW cm(-2).

  14. The Rh allele frequencies in Gaza city in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skaik Younis

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The Rh blood group system is the second most clinically significant blood group system. It includes 49 antigens, but only five (D, C, E, c and e are the most routinely identified due to their unique relation to hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN and transfusion reactions. Frequency of the Rh alleles showed variation, with regard to race and ethnic. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to document the Rh alleles′ frequencies amongst males (M and females (F in Gaza city in Palestine. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and thirty-two blood samples (110 M and 122 F were tested against monoclonal IgM anti-C,anti-c, anti-E, anti-e and a blend of monoclonal/polyclonal IgM/IgG anti-D. The expected Rh phenotypes were calculated using gene counting method. Results: The most frequent Rh antigen in the total sample was e, while the least frequent was E.The order of the combined Rh allele frequencies in both M and F was CDe > cDe > cde > CdE > cDE > Cde > CDE. A significant difference was reported between M and F regarding the phenotypic frequencies (P < 0.05. However, no significance (P > 0.05 was reported with reference to the observed and expected Rh phenotypic frequencies in either M or F students. Conclusion: It was concluded that the Rh antigens, alleles and phenotypes in Gaza city have unique frequencies, which may be of importance to the Blood Transfusion Center in Gaza city and anthropology.

  15. ONWI [Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation] 30% design review findings report for Exploratory Shaft Facility, Deaf Smith site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    This document describes a review of the standards for the design of the high-level radioactive waste facility at the Deaf Smith, Texas site. It includes public comments and the official responses to the designs produced to date

  16. 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.

  17. 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…

  18. 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…

  19. The background counting rates in a balloon borne hard X-ray telescope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dean, A.J.; Dipper, N.A.; Lewis, R.A.

    1986-01-01

    A detailed Monte Carlo model of a hard (20-300 keV) X-ray astronomical telescope has been developed in order to calculate the energy loss distribution of the unwanted background noise events in the prime detection elements. The spectral distributions of the background rates measured at balloon altitudes over Palestine, Texas are compared to the predictions of the theoretical model. Good agreement has been found in terms of both the overall intensity level as well as the spectral distribution. (orig.)

  20. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Center for Space Power, Texas A and M University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Ken

    Johnson Controls is a 106 year old company employing 42,000 people worldwide with $4.7 billion annual sales. Though we are new to the aerospace industry we are a world leader in automobile battery manufacturing, automotive seating, plastic bottling, and facilities environment controls. The battery division produces over 24,000,000 batteries annually under private label for the new car manufacturers and the replacement market. We are entering the aerospace market with the nickel hydrogen battery with the help of NASA's Center for Space Power at Texas A&M. Unlike traditional nickel hydrogen battery manufacturers, we are reaching beyond the space applications to the higher volume markets of aircraft starting and utility load leveling. Though space applications alone will not provide sufficient volume to support the economies of scale and opportunities for statistical process control, these additional terrestrial applications will. For example, nickel hydrogen batteries do not have the environmental problems of nickel cadmium or lead acid and may someday start your car or power your electric vehicle. However you envision the future, keep in mind that no manufacturer moves into a large volume market without fine tuning their process. The Center for Space Power at Texas A&M is providing indepth technical analysis of all of the materials and fabricated parts of our battery as well as thermal and mechanical design computer modeling. Several examples of what we are doing with nickel hydrogen chemistry to lead to these production efficiencies are presented.

  4. 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…

  5. 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.…

  6. 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

  7. Ten years of TRIGA reactor research at the University of Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Kelly, Sean

    2002-01-01

    The 1 MW TRIGA Research Reactor at the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory is the second TRIGA at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). A small (10 kW-1963, 250 kW-1968) TRIGA Mark I was housed in the basement of the Engineering Building until is was shutdown and decommissioned in 1989. The new TRIGA Mark II with a licensed power of 1.1 MW reached initial criticality in 1992. Prior to 1990, reactor research at UT usually consisted of projects requiring neutron activation analysis (NAA) but the step up to a much larger reactor with neutron beam capability required additional personnel to build the neutron research program. The TCNS is currently used to perform Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis to determine hydrogen and boron concentrations of various composite materials. The early 1990s was a very active period for neutron beam projects at the NETL. In addition to the TCNS, a real-time neutron radiography facility (NIF) and a high-resolution neutron depth profiling facility (NDP) were installed in two separate beam ports. The NDP facility was most recently used to investigate alpha damage on stainless steel in support of the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stewardship programs. In 1999, a sapphire beam filter was installed in the NDP system to reduce the fast neutron flux at the sample location. A collaborative effort was started in 1997 between UT-Austin and the University of Texas at Arlington to build a reactor-based, low-energy positron beam (TIPS). The limited success in obtaining funding has placed the project on hold. The Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program has grown rapidly and effectively doubled in size over the past 5 years but years of low nuclear research funding, an overall stagnation in the U.S. nuclear power industry and a persuasive public distrust of nuclear energy has caused a precipitous decline in many programs. Recently, the U.S. DOE has encouraged University Research Reactors (URR) in the U.S. to collaborate closely together by forming URR

  8. 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…

  9. 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…

  10. 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

  11. 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...

  12. 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...

  13. 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…

  14. 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

  15. Sandia Wake Imaging System Field Test Report: 2015 Deployment at the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) Facility.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naughton, Brian Thomas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Herges, Thomas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2015-10-01

    This report presents the objectives, configuration, procedures, reporting , roles , and responsibilities and subsequent results for the field demonstration of the Sandia Wake Imaging System (SWIS) at the Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility near Lubbock, Texas in June and July 2015.

  16. Site study plan for Transportation, Deaf Smith County Site, Texas: Preliminary draft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-06-01

    This site study plan describes transportation field studies to be conducted during the characterization of the Deaf Smith County, Texas, site for the US Department of Energy's Salt Repository Project. The studies are needed to identify and assess potential project impacts to transportation infrastructure and systems in the project vicinity and along potential transportation routes to the site across the State of Texas. The studies are also needed to locate and design project transportation facilities, and to evaluate and design impact mitigation. After identifying the transportation information requirements needed to comply with Federal, State, and local regulations and repository program requirements, the site study plan describes the study design and rationale, the field data collection procedures and equipment, the data analysis methods and application of results, the data management strategy, the schedule of field activities, the management of the study, and the study's quality assurance program. The field data collection activities are organized into programs for the characterization of site vicinity rail corridors and highway corridors, characterization of alternative statewide transportation routes, monitoring of site characterization effects on transportation, characterization of aircraft overflight patterns and hazardous material transportation patterns, and assessment of emergency response preparedness along alternative statewide transportation routes. 34 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs

  17. Local Media in Global Conflict: Southeast Asian Newspapers and the Politics of Peace in Israel/Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yakubu Ozohu-Suleiman

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available It is often assumed that local media are a potential deescalating tool in global conflict. This study examines how four leading newspapers in Southeast Asia (Star of Malaysia, Philstar of the Philippines, Jakarta Post of Indonesia, and The Nation of Thailand reported the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the year after the 2009 Gaza War. A census of 536 reports was coded for tones (to detect alignment, frames (to detect characterization of the conflict, and sources (to examine correlation with coverage tones. The results show fragmented alignment of the newspapers with Palestine and Israel. Conflict frames on offensives, fighting, threats, military strategies, demonization, death, and destruction were most prevalent. Coverage tones were significantly correlated with sources, suggesting that the potential of local media to serve as deescalating tools in global conflicts is subject to the varying political contexts in which they operate in relation to specific conflicts.

  18. Production facility site selection factors for Texas value-added wood producers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd H. Michael; Joanna Teitel; James E. Granskog

    1998-01-01

    Value-added wood products manufacturers serve an important role in the economies of many U.S. regions and are therefore sought after by entities such as economic development agencies. The reasons why certain locations for a prospective prodution facility would be more attractive to secondary wood industry producers are not clearly understood. Therefore, this research...

  19. Outdoor radiofrequency radiation levels in the West Bank-palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lahham, A.; Hammash, A.

    2012-01-01

    This work presents the results of exposure levels to radio frequency (RF) emission from different sources in the environment of the West Bank-Palestine. These RF emitters include FM and TV broadcasting stations and mobile phone base stations. Power densities were measured at 65 locations distributed over the West Bank area. These locations include mainly centres of the major cities. Also a 24 h activity level was investigated for a mobile phone base station to determine the maximum activity level for this kind of RF emitters. All measurements were conducted at a height of 1.7 m above ground level using hand held Narda SRM 3000 spectrum analyzer with isotropic antenna capable of collecting RF signals in the frequency band from 75 MHz to 3 GHz. The average value of power density resulted from FM radio broadcasting in all investigated locations was 0.148 μW cm -2 , from TV broadcasting was 0.007 μW cm -2 and from mobile phone base station was 0.089 μW cm -2 . The maximum total exposure evaluated at any location was 3.86 μW cm -2 . The corresponding exposure quotient calculated for this site was 0.02. This value is well below unity indicating compliance with the International Commission on non-ionising Radiation protection guidelines. Contributions from all relevant RF sources to the total exposure were evaluated and found to be ∼62 % from FM radio, 3 % for TV broadcasting and 35 % from mobile phone base stations. The average total exposure from all investigated RF sources was 0.37 μW cm -2 . (authors)

  20. 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...

  1. 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.

  2. The Great Plains Wind Power Test Facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schroeder, John [Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX (United States)

    2014-01-30

    This multi-year, multi-faceted project was focused on the continued development of a nationally-recognized facility for the testing, characterization, and improvement of grid-connected wind turbines, integrated wind-water desalination systems, and related educational and outreach topics. The project involved numerous faculty and graduate students from various engineering departments, as well as others from the departments of Geosciences (in particular the Atmospheric Science Group) and Economics. It was organized through the National Wind Institute (NWI), which serves as an intellectual hub for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, commercialization and education related to wind science, wind energy, wind engineering and wind hazard mitigation at Texas Tech University (TTU). Largely executed by an academic based team, the project resulted in approximately 38 peer-reviewed publications, 99 conference presentations, the development/expansion of several experimental facilities, and two provisional patents.

  3. Perception of Contracting parties on Construction Safety in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Enhassi, Adnan Ali; Hassouna, Ahmed Mohamed; Mayer, P.E.; Choudhary, R.M.

    2007-01-01

    The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in developing countries. Understanding the safety climate or culture of a workplace, the perceptions and attitudes of workforce are important factors in assessing safety needs. The construction industry in Palestine, by its inherent nature, is susceptible to potentially dangerous conditions that affect the safety of all personnel working in construction projects. This paper reports, based on a questionnaire survey, the perception of owners, consultants and contractors towards safety in the Gaza Strip. The results showed that, most of the participants in the survey had accidents in their construction projects. The findings indicated that, main causes of fatalities and injuries are falling from heights, dropped objects and materials and being caught under excavations. Carelessness of workers, lack of safety knowledge and lack of safety training are the main three reasons that contributed to the increase rate of accidents among construction workers in the Gaza Strip. Therefore, contactors should prepare safety training programs which help personnel to carry out various accidents preventive activities effectively. Training material should discuss the cost of accidents, the influence of good safety performance and should stress the safety objectives of the company, the relevant laws and legislation and contractual relationships with clients regarding safety matters. (author)

  4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR HISHAM PALACE IN JERICHO, PALESTINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shadi Ghadban

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to introduce Virtual Reality (VR techniques as a tool to develop an interactive environment for cultural heritage sites in Palestine; these sites have their own specific problems and challenges, which have significantly affected most of the existing sites and cause their continuous deterioration. The virtual replicas of these sites and landscapes can act as a medium for their preservation, documentation, interpretation and intervention, assisting in education, tourism and an increase in public awareness regarding their significant value. For this purpose, Hisham Palace in Jericho was chosen as a case study. The historical layers of Hisham Palace were studied and visualized using advanced 3D visualization techniques by applying a five-step approach to analyze and model different elements of the palace to assemble them at a later stage. This approach was implemented due to the critical condition of the physical remains and the insufficient literature on the history of the palace. As a result, a initial 3D virtual reality model was obtained, presented and discussed in a 3D immersive  environment at the Virtual Reality Lab (VR Lab at Birzeit University.

  5. 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...

  6. 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...

  7. 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…

  8. 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…

  9. 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.

  10. 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

  11. 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.

  12. 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...

  13. Socio-environmental cooperation and conflict? A discursive understanding and its application to the case of Israel and Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ide, T.; Fröhlich, C.

    2015-10-01

    The existing literature faces difficulties when accounting for the simultaneity of socio-environmental conflict and cooperation. We suggest that this puzzle can be solved by more recent constructivist works, which argue that conflictive or cooperative behavior is driven by discursively constructed interests, identities and situation assessments. Based on a literature review and field interviews, we analyze and compare the dominant water discourses in Israel and Palestine with the discourse dominant among the activists of a water cooperation project between communities from Israel and the West Bank. Our main result is that discourses are indeed crucial for understanding water-related conflict and cooperation. This finding highlights the relevance of constructivist approaches in the study of socio-environmental conflict and cooperation as well as of practices of bottom-up discursive conflict transformation.

  14. 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...

  15. 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)…

  16. 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...

  17. 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

  18. 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...

  19. 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...

  20. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. Nuevo Leon during the Independence of Texas, 1835-1836

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Ángel González Quiroga

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available The new-born Mexican Republic suffered one of its strongest shocks in 1836, during the Texas War. The impact of this conflict in the neighbouring state of Nuevo Leon is the main subject of this work, which also describes the situation of Mexico and its army, as well as the state's reaction towards the centralist shift — Texas' main argument  for splitting from Mexico. The study of the separation of Texas, widely reviewed in Mexican historiography, is enriched through the viewpoint of one of the most affected states.

  4. Texas freight 2055 roundtable.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-01

    Participants were welcomed to the Roundtable discussion and to the Dallas/Fort Worth region by : Mr. Michael Morris (Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments : (NCTCOG)). Mr. Morris began his remarks by noting the import...

  5. A Cost Analysis of Kidney Replacement Therapy Options in Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Younis Ph.D.

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study provides a cost analysis of kidney replacement therapy options in Palestine. It informs evidence-based resource allocation decisions for government-funded kidney disease services where transplant donors are limited, and some of the common modalities, i.e., peritoneal dialysis (PD and home hemodialysis (HD, are not widely available due to shortages of qualified staff, specialists, and centers to follow the patient cases, provide training, make home visits, or provide educational programs for patients. The average cost of kidney transplant was US$16 277 for the first year; the estimated cost of HD per patient averaged US$16 085 per year—nearly as much as a transplant. Consistent with prior literature and experience, while live, related kidney donors are scarce, we found that kidney transplant was more adequate and less expensive than HD. These results have direct resource allocation implications for government-funded kidney disease services under Palestinian Ministry of Health. Our findings strongly suggest that investing in sufficient qualified staff, equipment, and clinical infrastructure to replace HD services with transplantation whenever medically indicated and suitable kidney donors are available, as well as deploying PD programs and Home HD programs, will result in major overall cost savings. Our results provide a better understanding of the costs of kidney disease and will help to inform Ministry of Health and related policy makers as they develop short- and long-term strategies for the population, in terms of both cost savings and enhanced quality of life.

  6. Floods in Central Texas, September 7-14, 2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters, Karl E.

    2012-01-01

    Severe flooding occurred near the Austin metropolitan area in central Texas September 7–14, 2010, because of heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Hermine. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District, determined rainfall amounts and annual exceedance probabilities for rainfall resulting in flooding in Bell, Williamson, and Travis counties in central Texas during September 2010. We documented peak streamflows and the annual exceedance probabilities for peak streamflows recorded at several streamflow-gaging stations in the study area. The 24-hour rainfall total exceeded 12 inches at some locations, with one report of 14.57 inches at Lake Georgetown. Rainfall probabilities were estimated using previously published depth-duration frequency maps for Texas. At 4 sites in Williamson County, the 24-hour rainfall had an annual exceedance probability of 0.002. Streamflow measurement data and flood-peak data from U.S. Geological Survey surface-water monitoring stations (streamflow and reservoir gaging stations) are presented, along with a comparison of September 2010 flood peaks to previous known maximums in the periods of record. Annual exceedance probabilities for peak streamflow were computed for 20 streamflow-gaging stations based on an analysis of streamflow-gaging station records. The annual exceedance probability was 0.03 for the September 2010 peak streamflow at the Geological Survey's streamflow-gaging stations 08104700 North Fork San Gabriel River near Georgetown, Texas, and 08154700 Bull Creek at Loop 360 near Austin, Texas. The annual exceedance probability was 0.02 for the peak streamflow for Geological Survey's streamflow-gaging station 08104500 Little River near Little River, Texas. The lack of similarity in the annual exceedance probabilities computed for precipitation and streamflow might be attributed to the small areal extent of the heaviest rainfall over these and the other gaged

  7. The Applications of GIS in the Analysis of the Impacts of Human Activities on South Texas Watersheds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chandra Richardson

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available With water resource planning assuming greater importance in environmental protection efforts, analyzing the health of agricultural watersheds using Geographic Information Systems (GIS becomes essential for decision-makers in Southern Texas. Within the area, there exist numerous threats from conflicting land uses. These include the conversion of land formerly designated for agricultural purposes to other uses. Despite current efforts, anthropogenic factors are greatly contributing to the degradation of watersheds. Additionally, the activities of waste water facilities located in some of the counties, rising populations, and other socioeconomic variables are negatively impacting the quality of water in the agricultural watersheds. To map the location of these stressors spatially and the extent of their impacts across time, the paper adopts a mix scale method of temporal spatial analysis consisting of simple descriptive statistics. In terms of objectives, this research provides geo-spatial analysis of the effects of human activities on agricultural watersheds in Southern Texas and the factors fuelling the concerns under the purview of watershed management. The results point to growing ecosystem decline across time and a geographic cluster of counties experiencing environmental stress. Accordingly, the emergence of stressors such as rising population, increased use of fertilizer treatments on farm land, discharges of atmospheric pollutants and the large presence of municipal and industrial waste treatment facilities emitting pathogens and pesticides directly into the agricultural watersheds pose a growing threat to the quality of the watershed ecosystem.

  8. Texstar: The all-Texas educational satellite system

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-01-01

    Longhorn Satellite Company (LSC) has designed Texstar, and educational satellite communications system which will be considered as a means of equalizing the distribution of educational resources throughout the state of Texas. Texstar will be capable of broadcasting live lectures and documentaries in addition to transmitting data from a centralized receiving-transmitting station. Included in the design of Texstar is the system and subsystem design for the satellite and the design of the ground stations. The launch vehicle used will be the Texas-built Conestoga 421-48. The Texstar system incorporates three small satellites in slightly inclined geosynchronous orbits. Due to the configuration and spacing of these satellites, the system will be accessed as if it were one large, geostationary satellite. Texstar is shown to be a viable option to the educational crisis in the state of Texas.

  9. Effects of Year-Round Education on Texas Middle School Student Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coopersmith, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the effects of the year-round calendar on student performance in Texas middle schools as measured by achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. In the State of Texas, 15 schools served students in grades six through eight using the year-round calendar in 2009-2010. The 15…

  10. Impacts of hydropower operation on water supply from lower Colorado River in Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Q.W.

    1993-01-01

    The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) of Texas is both a water and energy supplier to a large area of Central Texas. LCRA generates approximately 10 percent of its power from hydroelectric power plants on the six dams in the Highland Lakes system of reservoirs. To improve power production, LCRA has investigated alternative operating procedures to increase the winter scheduling of hydroelectric power generation in the upper reservoirs of the Highland Lakes system without adversely impacting available water supplies. A methodology using both optimization and simulation techniques was developed to evaluate the ability of the hydroelectric facilities to meet weather-related winter peaking requirements. A linear programming procedure determined the hourly power generation schedule, over a 24 hour period, that maximized the total amount of power generated over the six hours of peak power demand. The full installed capacity was found to be available during the peak hours without violating system operating constraints including water storage limits at the individual lakes. Based on statistical simulation of daily winter inflows and releases using a LOTUS 1-2-3 spreadsheet, it was found that the full generating capacity could be supplied to meet the weather-related peak winter power demand with no significant impact on water availability

  11. Wind/solar resource in Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nelson, V.; Starcher, K.; Gaines, H. [West Texas A& M Univ., Canyon, TX (United States)

    1997-12-31

    Data are being collected at 17 sites to delineate a baseline for the wind and solar resource across Texas. Wind data are being collected at 10, 25, and 40 m (in some cases at 50 m) to determine wind shear and power at hub heights of large turbines. Many of the sites are located in areas of predicted terrain enhancement. The typical day in a month for power and wind turbine output was calculated for selected sites and combination of sites; distributed systems. Major result to date is that there is the possibility of load matching in South Texas during the summer months, even though the average values by month indicate a low wind potential.

  12. Atmospheric ammonia mixing ratios at an open-air cattle feeding facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiranuma, Naruki; Brooks, Sarah D; Thornton, Daniel C O; Auvermann, Brent W

    2010-02-01

    Mixing ratios of total and gaseous ammonia were measured at an open-air cattle feeding facility in the Texas Panhandle in the summers of 2007 and 2008. Samples were collected at the nominally upwind and downwind edges of the facility. In 2008, a series of far-field samples was also collected 3.5 km north of the facility. Ammonium concentrations were determined by two complementary laboratory methods, a novel application of visible spectrophotometry and standard ion chromatography (IC). Results of the two techniques agreed very well, and spectrophotometry is faster, easier, and cheaper than chromatography. Ammonia mixing ratios measured at the immediate downwind site were drastically higher (approximately 2900 parts per billion by volume [ppbv]) than thos measured at the upwind site (open-air animal feeding operations, especially under the hot and dry conditions present during these measurements.

  13. Policy Brief: What is the Legal Framework for Automated Vehicles in Texas?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-11-01

    During the 85th Texas Legislature in 2017, Texas enacted a law related to automated vehicles. The bill, SB 2205, creates the legal framework for automated vehicle operation and testing in Texas. Although this law addresses a number of issues that can...

  14. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Permian Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Permian Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Permian Basin, Texas. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references, 13 tables

  15. 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.

  16. Post mortem examination report concerning Nadim Nuwwara

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leth, Peter Mygind

    2014-01-01

    Post mortem examination report concerning Nadim Nuwawara, 17-years old, who was killed may 15 2014 in Beitunia near Rahmallah, Palestine. The examination was performed by an international team consisting of dr. Saber Al-Aloul, director of the Medico Legal Institute at Quds University, dr. Marc A....... Krouse, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, dr. Chen Kugel, Chief Forensic Pathologist, Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine, Tel Aviv, dr. Ricardo Pablo Nachman, forensic expert at Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine, Tel Aviv and dr. Peter...

  17. 78 FR 69812 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Control of Air Pollution by Permits for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-21

    ...EPA is proposing to approve portions of two revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Permits for Specific Designated Facilities Program, also referred to as the FutureGen Program. EPA has determined that the portions of these SIP revisions specific to the FutureGen Program submitted on March 9, 2006 and July 2, 2010, comply with the Clean Air Act and EPA regulations and are consistent with EPA policies. This action is being taken under section 110 and parts C and D of the Act.

  18. 78 FR 69773 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Control of Air Pollution by Permits for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-21

    ...EPA is taking a direct final action to approve portions of two revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Permits for Specific Designated Facilities Program, also referred to as the FutureGen Program. EPA has determined that the portions of these SIP revisions specific to the FutureGen Program submitted on March 9, 2006 and July 2, 2010, comply with the Clean Air Act and EPA regulations and are consistent with EPA policies. This action is being taken under section 110 and parts C and D of the Act.

  19. Overview of new, upgraded, or proposed high energy physics facilities in the United States and Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gabriel, T.A.

    1994-01-01

    This article reviews six new, proposed, or upgraded accelerator facilities in the United States and Canada. All of the accelerators that are presented here in one form or fashion challenge the validity of the Standard Model of high energy physics which ''currently explains'' all experimentally know phenomena. These facilities include the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Newport News, Virginia, the Kaon Factory at TRIUMF in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the Asymmetric B Factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) in Palo Alto, California, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, the injector upgrade project at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) in Batavia, Illinois, and the Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory (SSCL) in Waxachachie, Texas

  20. Gastrointestinal helminths in raccoons in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kresta, Amy E; Henke, Scott E; Pence, Danny B

    2009-01-01

    Raccoons (n=590) were collected from October 1999 to August 2003 from 35 counties across Texas, and gastrointestinal tracts were examined for helminth parasites. Prevalence was calculated and differences in mean abundance were examined among habitat ecoregions, age classes, and between sexes. Twenty different species of helminths (13 nematodes, two cestodes, two acanthocephalans, and three trematodes) were positively identified in the gastrointestinal tracts of 590 raccoons in Texas. Five of the 20 helminth species collected (Physaloptera rara, Placoconus lotoris, Molineus barbatus, Atriotaenia procyonis, and Macracanthorhynchus ingens) had a prevalence >20%. The total number of individuals of these five species (n=22,777) accounted for over 86% of the total number of individuals of all helminth species (n=26,426) collected. Subsequent analyses were based on these five helminths. Mean abundance differed among habitat ecoregions, age classes, and between sexes for all five parasites evaluated. This study is the most comprehensive statewide survey ever done of gastrointestinal helminths of raccoons across Texas. The five most prevalent helminths identified have all been reported in at least one previous survey, indicating that these parasites are not new to Texas and that raccoons are not naïve to the effects these parasites have on them. It may be helpful to wildlife rehabilitators, trappers, wildlife biologists, and other professionals to be aware of parasite abundance in raccoons from different areas of the state, as frequent human-raccoon interactions occur, and some of these parasites could be harmful to humans and domestic animals.

  1. A review of efforts to restructure Texas' electricity market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarnikau, Jay

    2005-01-01

    Comparisons suggest that Texas has been relatively successful in its efforts to introduce greater competition and customer choice into its unique electricity market (Center for Advancement of Electricity Markets, 2002). Yet, Texas has defied many of the common prescriptions in designing its market. Texas has yet to establish a nodal congestion management system that directly assigns local congestion costs to entities responsible for creating transmission congestion. A liquid power exchange or spot market is absent. Programs designed to encourage demand side responsiveness had a slow start. Market concentration remains high. Market oversight activities are poorly funded. A generation adequacy mechanism or planning reserve margin requirement remains under debate. Has Texas simply been lucky in averting any real disasters? Or are these market features less important than commonly recognized? This article reviews the restructuring initiative and reports some key lessons learned following the first twenty months under the new wholesale market structure and fifteen months of retail competition

  2. A review of efforts to restructure Texas' electricity market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarnikau, J.

    2005-01-01

    Comparisons suggest that Texas has been relatively successful in its efforts to introduce greater competition and customer choice into its unique electricity market (Center for Advancement of Electricity Markets, 2002). Yet, Texas has defied many of the common prescriptions in designing its market. Texas has yet to establish a nodal congestion management system that directly assigns local congestion costs to entities responsible for creating transmission congestion. A liquid power exchange or spot market is absent. Programs designed to encourage demand side responsiveness had a slow start. Market concentration remains high. Market oversight activities are poorly funded. A generation adequacy mechanism or planning reserve margin requirement remains under debate. Has Texas simply been lucky in averting any real disasters? Or are these market features less important than commonly recognized? This article reviews the restructuring initiative and reports some key lessons learned following the first twenty months under the new wholesale market structure and fifteen months of retail competition. (author)

  3. NCATE and Texas Eyeball to Eyeball: Who Will Blink?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Doyle

    1989-01-01

    The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Texas teacher training institutions are squaring off because of Texas SB 994, a law that eliminates undergraduate degrees in education and caps required credit hours in undergraduate teacher education courses. This article interviews Carl Parker, Hendrik Gideonse, Mary…

  4. TEXAS TAXES: A COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES

    OpenAIRE

    Stallmann, Judith I.; Jones, Lonnie L.

    1998-01-01

    This document is part of an educational series on Texas taxes. State and local taxes in Texas are compared with those of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Taxes are compared per capita and per $1,000 of personal income. The taxes include: all state and local taxes, property taxes, sales and gross receipts taxes, personal income taxes, corporate income taxes and corporate franchise taxes. For each tax the national average, median, maximum and minimum are given along with the corre...

  5. Isolation of avian influenza virus in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glass, S E; Naqi, S A; Grumbles, L C

    1981-01-01

    An avian influenza virus with surface antigens similar to those of fowl plague virus (Hav 1 Nav 2) was isolated in 1979 from 2 commercial turkey flocks in Central Texas. Two flocks in contact with these infected flocks developed clinical signs, gross lesions, and seroconversion but yielded no virus. This was the first recorded incidence of clinical avian influenza in Texas turkeys and only the second time that an agent with these surface antigens was isolated from turkeys in U.S.

  6. Technical Specifications, South Texas Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499): Appendix ''A'' to License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-03-01

    The South Texas Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, Technical Specifications were prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to set forth the limits, operating conditions, and other requirements applicable to a nuclear reactor facility as set forth in Section 50.36 of 10 CFR Part 50 for the protection of the health and safety of the public

  7. Technical specifications, South Texas Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499): Appendix ''A'' to License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-78

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    The South Texas Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, Technical Specifications were prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to set forth the limits, operating conditions, and other requirements applicable to a nuclear reactor facility as set forth in Section 50.36 of 10 CFR Part 50 for the protection of the health and safety of the public

  8. Comal County, Texas: Preparing for Life after High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Frank

    2018-01-01

    Comal County, Texas, may be rural but its students face many of the same challenges as students in urban districts. Communities In Schools of South Central Texas works with the local school district to identify student needs and provide critical supports to help young people prepare for life after high school.

  9. Commercial truck platooning demonstration in Texas – level 2 automation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-08-01

    Through this project, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) funded the creation of a comprehensive truck platooning demonstration in Texas, serving as a proactive effort in assessing innovative operational strategies to position TxDOT as a l...

  10. Information on commercial disposal facilities that may have received offshore drilling wastes.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gasper, J. R.; Veil, J. A.; Ayers, R. C., Jr.

    2000-08-25

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing regulations that would establish requirements for discharging synthetic-based drill cuttings from offshore wells into the ocean. Justification for allowing discharges of these cuttings is that the environmental impacts from discharging drilling wastes into the ocean may be less harmful than the impacts from hauling them to shore for disposal. In the past, some onshore commercial facilities that disposed of these cuttings were improperly managed and operated and left behind environmental problems. This report provides background information on commercial waste disposal facilities in Texas, Louisiana, California, and Alaska that received or may have received offshore drilling wastes in the past and are now undergoing cleanup.

  11. The economic efficiency of allowing longer combination vehicles in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-01

    This paper shows the economic efficiency of allowing longer combination vehicles in Texas. First, an : overview of the truck size and weight policies is explained, with an emphasis on those that affect : Texas. Next, LCV operations in other countries...

  12. Delivery of workshops on corridor management and preservation in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-01

    This report summarizes the delivery and outcome of a series of workshops conducted at 23 Texas : Department of Transportation (TxDOT) districts across the state on corridor management and preservation : in Texas. The workshops served as follow-up imp...

  13. Seasonal variation of indoor radon-222 levels in dwellings in Ramallah province and East Jerusalem suburbs, Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leghrouz, A. A.; Abu-samreh, M. M.; Shehadeh, A. K.

    2012-01-01

    This study presents the seasonal variations of indoor radon levels in dwellings located in the Ramallah province and East Jerusalem suburbs, Palestine. The measurements were performed during the summer and winter of the year 2006/2007 using CR-39 solid-state-nuclear-track detectors. The total number of investigated buildings is 75 in summer and 81 in winter. A total number of 142 dosemeters are installed in dwellings for each season for a period of almost 100 d. The radon concentration levels in summer varied from 43 to 192 Bq m -3 for buildings in the Ramallah province and from 30 to 655 Bq m -3 for East Jerusalem suburbs. In winter, the radon concentration levels are found to vary from 38 to 375 Bq m -3 in the Ramallah buildings and from 35 to 984 Bq m -3 in East Jerusalem suburbs. The obtained results for radon concentration levels in most places are found to be within the accepted international levels. (authors)

  14. Petroleum potential of two sites in Deaf Smith and Swisher Counties, Texas Panhandle: Volume 1: Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rose, P.R.

    1986-09-01

    This is the third in a series of regional geologic studies to assess the petroleum resources of two potentially acceptable sites under study for a nuclear waste disposal facility. Site 1 is in northeastern Deaf Smith County, Texas, and Site 2 is in northeastern Swisher County, Texas. Although potential reservoir zones are present under Site 1, the likelihood of hydrocarbon charge and structural or stratigraphic entrapment is low. The probability of a commercial petroleum discovery is estimated at 1:1000, and expected net present value of potential production is about $700,000. Little future industry drilling activity is foreseen around Site 1. Five potential reservoir zones are present under Site 2, and some may contain hydrocarbons. Anticlines are adjacent to Site 2, and some may contain hydrocarbons. Anticlines are adjacent to Site 2 on the northeast, southeast, and northwest, but the middle of the acreage block is synclinal, and its petroleum potential is very low. Discovery probability of the structures adjacent to Site 2 is higher, but the chance of developing commercial production is only about 2:100. Such accumulations might extend into the northeast and southeast corners of the block; expected net present value of such conjectured reserves is about $1,100,000 and $650,000, respectively. Continued industry activity pursuant to these three structures is expected, including seismic surveys and drilling. Considering the potential loss of petroleum resources through withdrawal of acreage from exploration, and the possibility of adjacent drilling, Site 1 in Deaf Smith County is clearly preferable for location of the proposed nuclear waste disposal facility

  15. Tracking the Career Paths of Physics Teachers in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mount, Jennifer; Marshall, Jill; Fuller, Edward

    2013-10-01

    In Texas, and some other states, there is a documented shortage of physics teachers, in terms of both number and qualifications. The shortage in Texas is due as much to teachers leaving the field (attrition) as to a lack of teachers entering. There are efforts under way to prepare more and better-qualified physics teachers who will stay in the field longer,2 but increasing the overall supply and retention will not necessarily address localized teacher shortages. To investigate this issue, we obtained a database cataloging every teacher who taught science in Texas public schools from 2003 to 2008, indicating the school where they taught during each of those years, the subjects they taught, and their route to certification. This allowed us to track not only teachers entering and leaving the public school system, but also migration between schools within the system. We found that migration poses a much bigger problem than attrition for some schools. We also found patterns in the movement of physics teachers in Texas that we would not necessarily have predicted and that varied substantially depending on certification.

  16. Carbon Capture and Sequestration from a Hydrogen Production Facility in an Oil Refinery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Engels, Cheryl; Williams, Bryan, Valluri, Kiranmal; Watwe, Ramchandra; Kumar, Ravi; Mehlman, Stewart

    2010-06-21

    The project proposed a commercial demonstration of advanced technologies that would capture and sequester CO2 emissions from an existing hydrogen production facility in an oil refinery into underground formations in combination with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). The project is led by Praxair, Inc., with other project participants: BP Products North America Inc., Denbury Onshore, LLC (Denbury), and Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC) at the Bureau of Economic Geology of The University of Texas at Austin. The project is located at the BP Refinery at Texas City, Texas. Praxair owns and operates a large hydrogen production facility within the refinery. As part of the project, Praxair would construct a CO2 capture and compression facility. The project aimed at demonstrating a novel vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) based technology to remove CO2 from the Steam Methane Reformers (SMR) process gas. The captured CO2 would be purified using refrigerated partial condensation separation (i.e., cold box). Denbury would purchase the CO2 from the project and inject the CO2 as part of its independent commercial EOR projects. The Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Bureau of Economic Geology, a unit of University of Texas at Austin, would manage the research monitoring, verification and accounting (MVA) project for the sequestered CO2, in conjunction with Denbury. The sequestration and associated MVA activities would be carried out in the Hastings field at Brazoria County, TX. The project would exceed DOE?s target of capturing one million tons of CO2 per year (MTPY) by 2015. Phase 1 of the project (Project Definition) is being completed. The key objective of Phase 1 is to define the project in sufficient detail to enable an economic decision with regard to proceeding with Phase 2. This topical report summarizes the administrative, programmatic and technical accomplishments completed in Phase 1 of the project. It describes the work relative to project technical and design activities

  17. Muleshoe Virus and Other Hantaviruses Associated with Neotomine or Sigmodontine Rodents in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milazzo, Mary Louise; Cajimat, Maria N B; Richter, Martin H; Bradley, Robert D; Fulhorst, Charles F

    2017-10-01

    The broad objective of this study was to increase our knowledge of Muleshoe virus and other hantaviruses associated with cricetid rodents in Texas. Anti-hantavirus antibody was found in 38 (3.2%) of 1171 neotomine rodents and 6 (1.8%) of 332 sigmodontine rodents from 10 Texas counties; hantaviral RNA was detected in 23 (71.9%) of 32 antibody-positive rodents. Analyses of nucleocapsid protein gene sequences indicated Muleshoe virus infection in four hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) from northern Texas; Bayou virus, three Texas marsh oryzomys (Oryzomys texensis) from the Gulf Coast; Limestone Canyon virus, five brush mice (Peromyscus boylii) from western Texas; and Sin Nombre virus-five Texas mice (P. attwateri), one Lacey's white-ankled deer mouse (P. laceianus), four white-footed mice (P. leucopus), and one fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens) from northern, central, or southern Texas. The results of this study together with the results of a previous study revealed that Muleshoe virus, perhaps in association with S. hispidus, is distributed across northern Texas. Finally, the results of Bayesian analyses of glycoprotein precursor (GPC) gene sequences and pairwise comparisons of complete GPC (amino acid) sequences strengthened support for the notion that Muleshoe virus is distinct from Black Creek Canal virus, Bayou virus, and all other species included in the Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus.

  18. Texas State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-08-01

    The Texas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactivee waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Texas. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Texas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Texas.

  19. Texas State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-08-01

    The Texas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactivee waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Texas. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Texas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Texas

  20. 75 FR 19645 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Petition for Rate Approval

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-14-000] Enterprise..., 2010, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC (Enterprise Texas) filed a petition for rate approval pursuant to section 284.123(b)(2) of the Commission's regulations. Enterprise Texas proposes rates of $0.6090 per...

  1. CSHCN in Texas: meeting the need for specialist care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, M Cherilyn; Drayton, Vonna L C; Menon, Ramdas; Walker, Lesa R; Parker, Colleen M; Cooper, Sam B; Bultman, Linda L

    2005-06-01

    Assuring the sufficiency and suitability of systems of care and services for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) presents a challenge to Texas providers, agencies, and state Title V programs. To meet the need for specialist care, referrals from primary care doctors are often necessary. The objective of this study was to describe the factors associated with the need for specialist care and problems associated with obtaining referrals in Texas. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) weighted sample for Texas (n = 719,014) to identify variables associated with the need for specialist care and problems obtaining referrals for specialist care. Medical need of the CSHCN and sensitivity to family values/customs was associated with greater need for specialist care, and Hispanic ethnicity and lower maternal education were associated with less need. Medical need, amount of time spent with doctors and sensitivity to values/customs, living in a large metropolitan statistical area, and lack of medical information were associated with problems obtaining a specialist care referral. Findings revealed some similarities and differences with meeting the need for specialist care when comparing Texas results to other studies. In Texas, aspects of customer satisfaction variables, especially doctors' sensitivity to family values/customs and parents' not receiving enough information on medical problems, were significantly associated with problems obtaining specialist referrals. Findings indicate a need to further research relationships and communication among doctors, CSHCN, and their families.

  2. 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.

  3. Rainwater harvesting to alleviate water scarcity in dry conditions: A case study in Faria Catchment, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sameer Shadeed

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available In arid and semi-arid regions, the availability of adequate water of appropriate quality has become a limiting factor for development. This paper aims to evaluate the potential for rainwater harvesting in the arid to semi-arid Faria Catchment, in the West Bank, Palestine. Under current conditions, the supply-demand gap is increasing due to the increasing water demands of a growing population with hydrologically limited and uncertain supplies. By 2015, the gap is estimated to reach 4.5 × 106 m3. This study used the process-oriented and physically-based TRAIN-ZIN model to evaluate two different rainwater harvesting techniques during two rainfall events. The analysis shows that there is a theoretical potential for harvesting an additional 4 × 106 m3 of surface water over the entire catchment. Thus, it is essential to manage the potential available surface water supplies in the catchment to save water for dry periods when the supply-demand gap is comparatively high. Then a valuable contribution to bridging the supply-demand gap can be made.

  4. Country and Gender-Specific Achievement of Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines: Latent Class Analysis of 6266 University Students in Egypt, Libya, and Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walid El Ansari

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Research on healthy behaviour such as physical activity and healthy nutrition and their combination is lacking among university students in Arab countries. The current survey assessed healthy nutrition, and moderate/vigorous physical activity (PA of 6266 students in Egypt, Libya, and Palestine. We computed a nutrition guideline achievement index using WHO recommendation, as well as the achievement of PA recommendations using guidelines for adults of the American Heart Association guidelines. Latent class regression analysis identified homogenous groups of male and female students, based on their achievements of both guidelines. We examined associations between group membership and achievement of guidelines. A three-class solution model best fitted the data, generating three student Groups: “Healthy Eaters” (7.7% of females, 10.8% of males, “Physically Active” (21.7% of females, 25.8% of males, and “Low Healthy Behaviour” (70.6% of females, 63.4% of males. We did not observe a latent class that exhibited combined healthy behaviours (physically active and healthy eaters, and there were no major differences between countries. We observed a very low rate of healthy nutrition (≈10% of students achieved greater than four of the eight nutrition guidelines, with little gender differences across the countries. About 18–47% of students achieved the PA guidelines, depending on country and gender, more often among males. Few females achieved the PA guidelines, particularly in Libya and Palestine. Culturally adapted multi-behavioural interventions need to encourage healthy lifestyles, nutrition and PA behaviours. National policies need to promote active living while addressing cultural, geographic, and other barriers to young adults’ engagement in PA.

  5. 77 FR 58025 - Texas Regulatory Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-19

    ... appropriation. When calculating anticipated costs to the Commission for regulating coal mining activity, Texas... (c) Does not have significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity...

  6. Development of a low level radioactive waste disposal site in Texas - 1994 status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobi, L.R. Jr.

    1995-01-01

    The Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, an agency of the State of Texas, has been trying to develop a site for the disposal of low level radioactive waste in Texas for over ten years. Since 1991, the agency has been evaluating a site near Sierra Blanca, in far west Texas. Site characterization has been completed and a license application has been filed with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. Construction plans were completed in 1993, and the agency is prepared to begin construction and operations as soon as a license can be issued. Development costs for the site are borne by the utility companies and other major generators in Texas through the assessment of a planning and implementation fee. Total costs to date are approximately $26 million. As the project moves toward completion, state and national anti-nuclear activist groups have become more involved in attempts to thwart the Texas government's effort to solve the radioactive waste problem. To counter this increased opposition, the Texas utility companies and medical radioactive waste generators have also become more active in responding to these groups. This has been very helpful and is in keeping with the elements of building block 12 of the Nuclear Power Oversight Committee's Strategic Plan for Building New Nuclear Power Plants. This paper and poster session look at the schedule, design, and long term prospects for ultimate success of the project

  7. Decision-Making Processes in Texas School Districts That Arm Personnel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domain, Melinda Willoughby

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological study employed narrative inquiry to describe the decision-making processes that Texas school districts followed in enacting firearms policies that allow school employees to carry concealed weapons on district property. Exploration of the lived experiences of eight Texas superintendents in such schools contributed…

  8. Residential Energy Efficiency Potential: Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, Eric J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2017-11-02

    Energy used by Texas single-family homes that can be saved through cost-effective improvements. Prepared by Eric Wilson and Noel Merket, NREL, and Erin Boyd, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis.

  9. Tracking the Career Paths of Physics Teachers in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mount, Jennifer; Marshall, Jill; Fuller, Edward

    2013-01-01

    In Texas, and some other states, there is a documented shortage of physics teachers, in terms of both number and qualifications. The shortage in Texas is due as much to teachers leaving the field (attrition) as to a lack of teachers entering. There are efforts under way to prepare more and better-qualified physics teachers who will stay in the…

  10. Regulating Abortion: Impact on Patients and Providers in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colman, Silvie; Joyce, Ted

    2011-01-01

    The State of Texas began enforcement of the Woman's Right to Know (WRTK) Act on January 1, 2004. The law requires that all abortions at or after 16 weeks' gestation be performed in an ambulatory surgical center (ASC). In the month the law went into effect, not one of Texas's 54 nonhospital abortion providers met the requirements of a surgical…

  11. Noteworthy: Fortune 500: Texas ties California for national lead

    OpenAIRE

    Michael Nicholson

    2010-01-01

    According to the 2010 Fortune 500, released in April, Texas hosts the headquarters of 57 of the nation's 500 largest companies, ranked by gross revenues. Texas secured its place as a Fortune 500 leader through its position as focal point of the domestic energy industry, its relatively strong economic growth over the past decade, and its relatively low tax rates and living costs.

  12. Livelihood planning and career guidance in Palestine and the broader MENA region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultana, Ronald G.

    2014-04-01

    It has often been stated that the Arab "world" is faced by a demographic challenge which is very different to that of many countries in the global North. As the Arab Spring has shown, youths across the region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are keen to make a mark, and despite the internal conflicts and contests for power and influence, many young leaders are hoping to establish new forms of social cohesion which could lead to peace and prosperity within a globalised, interconnected world. This paper focuses on one aspect of the relationship between Arab youth and society, namely the difficult transition between formal education and employment. Drawing on, among other sources, a comparative study carried out across eight Arab states, the role which career education and guidance can play in the process is examined. This is followed by a case study of Palestine where, despite very challenging and difficult political and economic circumstances, significant and promising efforts have been made to help young people develop the life skills needed to engage with schooling in ways that do not only enhance learning, but also facilitate access to work and to self-employment. The paper argues that while career education and guidance (CEG) cannot possibly be expected to solve the disconnect between education and work, it does have a role to play in enhancing learning, in supporting transitions, and thus in contributing to both social and economic development goals.

  13. A comparison of crashes and fatalities in Texas by age group : selected cities in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-01

    In recent decades, great strides have been made to lower the number of accidents that occur on Texas roadways through graduated drivers licensing programs, messages against texting and driving, and discouraging drunk driving. Statistics show that you...

  14. BLM/OCS South Texas Outer Continental Shelf (STOCS) Project Sediment Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The South Texas Outer Continental Shelf Project (STOCS) conducted by the University of Texas and the USGS with funding from BLM/NOAA. The USGS produced geochemical...

  15. It's about time : investing in transportation to keep Texas economically competitive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-01

    This current report, It's About Time: Investing in Transportation to Keep Texas : Economically Competitive, updates the February 2009 report by providing : an enhanced analysis of the current state of the Texas transportation system, : determining th...

  16. Trends in decision making for the siting of waste management facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vari, A.

    2000-01-01

    Over the last two decades a number of research studies on waste management facility siting have been produced. A Facility Siting Credo exists (Kunreuther et al., 1993). It identifies a comprehensive set of criteria for successful siting, but relationships between them (complementary, conflicting) have not been investigated. An attempt has been made to identify a conceptual framework which helps to structure siting criteria based on Competing Values Approach (CVA) to organisational analysis (Quinn and Rohrbaugh, 1983). Competing values include goal-centred, data-based, participatory, and adaptable processes, as well as efficient, accountable, supportable, and legitimate decisions. Case studies: Analysing LLRW disposal facility siting processes in the US (California, Illinois, Nebraska, New York, and Texas), Canada, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland (1980-1993) by using the CVA framework (Vari et al., 1994). Analysis of LALW siting processes in Hungary (1985-99) (Juhasz et al., 1993; Ormai et al., 1998; Ormai, 1999). (author)

  17. Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science: 25 Years of Early College STEM Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayler, Michael F.

    2015-01-01

    The University of North Texas's Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science began admitting students to its 2-year early college entrance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program in the fall of 1988. This program provided accelerated entry for top students in Texas in the areas of mathematics and science. Approximately 200…

  18. Evaluations of NOx and highly reactive VOC emission inventories in Texas and their implications for ozone plume simulations during the Texas Air Quality Study 2006

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kim, S.-W.; McKeen, S.A.; Frost, G.J.; Lee, S.-H.; Trainer, M.; Richter, A.; Angevine, W. M.; Atlas, E.; Bianco, L.; Boersma, K.F.; Brioude, J.; Burrow, J.P.; Gouw, de J.; Fried, A.; Gleason, J.F.; Hilboll, A.; Mellqvist, J.; Peischl, J.; Richter, D.; Rivera, C.; Ryerson, T.; Lintel Hekkert, te L.; Walega, J.; Warneke, C.; Weibring, P.; Williams, E.

    2011-01-01

    Satellite and aircraft observations made during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) detected strong urban, industrial and power plant plumes in Texas. We simulated these plumes using the Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model with input from the US EPA's 2005 National

  19. GIS-Based KW-GIUH hydrological model of semiarid catchments: The case of Faria Catchment, Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shadeed, S.; Shaheen, H.; Jayyousi, A.

    2007-01-01

    Among the most basic challenges of hydrology are the quantitative understanding of the processes of runoff generation and prediction of flow hydrographs. Traditional techniques have been widely applied for the estimation of runoff hydrographs of gauged catchments using historical rainfall-runoff data and unit hydrographs. Such procedures are questioned as to their reliability and their application to ungauged, arid and semiarid catchments. To overcome such difficulties, the use of physically based rainfall-runoff process of Faria Catchment using the lately developed KW-GIUH. Faria catchment, located in the northeastern part of the West Bank, Palestine, is characterized as a semiarid region with annual rainfall depths ranging on average from 150 to 640 mm at both ends of the catchment. The Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques were used to shape the geomorphological features of the catchment. A GIS based KW-GIUH hydrological model was used to stimulate the rainfall-runoff process in the three sub-catchments of Faria, namely: Al-Badan, Al-Faria and Al-Malaqi. The simulated runoff hydrographs proved that the GIS-based KW-GIUH model is applicable to semiarid regions and can be used to estimate the unit hydrographs in the West Bank catchments. (author)

  20. 33 CFR 110.197 - Galveston Harbor, Bolivar Roads Channel, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Galveston Harbor, Bolivar Roads Channel, Texas. 110.197 Section 110.197 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Roads Channel, Texas. (a)(1) Anchorage area (A). The water bounded by a line connecting the following...

  1. Quantifying Potential Groundwater Recharge In South Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basant, S.; Zhou, Y.; Leite, P. A.; Wilcox, B. P.

    2015-12-01

    Groundwater in South Texas is heavily relied on for human consumption and irrigation for food crops. Like most of the south west US, woody encroachment has altered the grassland ecosystems here too. While brush removal has been widely implemented in Texas with the objective of increasing groundwater recharge, the linkage between vegetation and groundwater recharge in South Texas is still unclear. Studies have been conducted to understand plant-root-water dynamics at the scale of plants. However, little work has been done to quantify the changes in soil water and deep percolation at the landscape scale. Modeling water flow through soil profiles can provide an estimate of the total water flowing into deep percolation. These models are especially powerful with parameterized and calibrated with long term soil water data. In this study we parameterize the HYDRUS soil water model using long term soil water data collected in Jim Wells County in South Texas. Soil water was measured at every 20 cm intervals up to a depth of 200 cm. The parameterized model will be used to simulate soil water dynamics under a variety of precipitation regimes ranging from well above normal to severe drought conditions. The results from the model will be compared with the changes in soil moisture profile observed in response to vegetation cover and treatments from a study in a similar. Comparative studies like this can be used to build new and strengthen existing hypotheses regarding deep percolation and the role of soil texture and vegetation in groundwater recharge.

  2. Texas floods of 1940

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breeding, Seth D.

    1948-01-01

    Floods occurred in Texas during, June, July, and November 1940 that exceeded known stages on many small streams and at a few places on the larger streams. Stages at several stream-gaging stations exceeded the maximum known at those places since the collection of daily records began. A storm, haying its axis generally on a north-south line from Cameron to Victoria and extending across the Brazos, Colorado, Lavaca, and Guadalupe River Basins, caused heavy rainfall over a large part of south-central Texas. The maximum recorded rain of 22.7 inches for the 2-day period June 29-30 occurred at Engle. Of this amount, 17.5 inches fell in the 12-hour period between 8 p.m. June 29, and 8 a.m. June 30. Light rains fell at a number of places on June 28, and additional light rains fell at many places within the area from July 1 to 4. During the period June 28 to July 4 more than 20 inches of rain fell over an area of 300 square miles, more than 15 inches over 1,920 square miles, and more than 10 inches over 5,100 square miles. The average annual rainfall for the area experiencing the heaviest rainfall during this storm is about 35 inches. Farming is largely confined to the fertile flood plains in much of the area subjected to the record-breaking floods in June and July. Therefore these floods, coming at the height of the growing season, caused severe losses to crops. Much damage was done also to highways and railways. The city of Hallettsville suffered the greatest damage of any urban area. The Lavaca River at that place reached a stage 8 feet higher than ever known before, drowned several people, destroyed many homes, and submerged almost the entire business district. The maximum discharge there was 93,100 second-feet from a drainage area of 101 square miles. Dry Creek near Smithville produced a maximum discharge of 1,879 second-feet from an area of 1.48 square miles and a runoff of 11.3 inches in a 2-day period from a rainfall of 19.5 inches. The area in the Colorado River

  3. Bm86 midgut protein sequence variation in South Texas cattle fever ticks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kammlah Diane M

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cattle fever ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus microplus and R. (B. annulatus, vector bovine and equine babesiosis, and have significantly expanded beyond the permanent quarantine zone established in South Texas. Currently, there are no vaccines approved for use within the United States for controlling these vectors. Vaccines developed in Australia and Cuba based on the midgut antigen Bm86 have variable efficacy against cattle fever ticks. A possible explanation for this variation in vaccine efficacy is amino acid sequence divergence between the recombinant Bm86 vaccine component and native Bm86 expressed in ticks from different geographical regions of the world. Results There was 91.8% amino acid sequence identity in Bm86 among R. microplus and R. annulatus sequenced from South Texas infestations. When South Texas isolates were compared to the Australian Yeerongpilly and Cuban Camcord vaccine strains, there was 89.8% and 90.0% identity, respectively. Most of the sequence divergence was focused in one region of the protein, amino acids 206-298. Hydrophilicity profiles revealed that two short regions of Bm86 (amino acids 206-210 and 560-570 appear to be more hydrophilic in South Texas isolates compared to vaccine strains. Only one amino acid difference was found between South Texas and vaccine strains within two previously described B-cell epitopes. A total of 4 amino acid differences were observed within three peptides previously shown to induce protective immune responses in cattle. Conclusions Sequence differences between South Texas isolates and Yeerongpilly and Camcord strains are spread throughout the entire Bm86 sequence, suggesting that geographic variation does exist. Differences within previously described B-cell epitopes between South Texas isolates and vaccine strains are minimal; however, short regions of hydrophilic amino acids found unique to South Texas isolates suggest that additional unique surface exposed

  4. 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

  5. A Longitudinal Study on Human Outdoor Decomposition in Central Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suckling, Joanna K; Spradley, M Katherine; Godde, Kanya

    2016-01-01

    The development of a methodology that estimates the postmortem interval (PMI) from stages of decomposition is a goal for which forensic practitioners strive. A proposed equation (Megyesi et al. 2005) that utilizes total body score (TBS) and accumulated degree days (ADD) was tested using longitudinal data collected from human remains donated to the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) at Texas State University-San Marcos. Exact binomial tests examined the rate of the equation to successfully predict ADD. Statistically significant differences were found between ADD estimated by the equation and the observed value for decomposition stage. Differences remained significant after carnivore scavenged donations were removed from analysis. Low success rates for the equation to predict ADD from TBS and the wide standard errors demonstrate the need to re-evaluate the use of this equation and methodology for PMI estimation in different environments; rather, multivariate methods and equations should be derived that are environmentally specific. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  6. Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 86-456-1877, South Texas Nuclear Project, Wadsworth, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sinks, T.H.; Hartle, R.W.

    1988-03-01

    An evaluation was made of an outbreak of dermatitis among workers at the South Texas Nuclear Project construction site, Wadsworth, Texas. The dermatitis occurred ten times more frequently among carpenters than other laborers, with the incidence in 1986 being 250% greater than it was in 1985. Some workers demonstrated pruritic, macular/papular lesions. Carpenters working on the inside of the power-project buildings had a higher incidence of skin disease than those employed on the outside of the buildings. Samples of plywood and lumber treated with fire-retardant indicated that they contained 3 and 5% phosphate, respectively. Arsenic was not detected but formaldehyde was detected at 59 parts per million. General environmental air samples were taken with no evidence found of airborne phosphate, melamine, dicyandiamide, or formaldehyde. Concentrations of total particulates ranged from 0.1 to 0.6mg/m 3 . The authors conclude that the workers were probably suffering from a contact dermatitis. The authors recommend specific precautions

  7. 76 FR 62087 - Draft Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-06

    ...] Draft Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, Texas AGENCY: Fish... draft Texas Conservation Plan for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (TCP). The draft TCP will function as a... the Applicant for the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) throughout its range in Texas...

  8. 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.

  9. Predicting Student Success on the Texas Chemistry STAAR Test: A Logistic Regression Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, William L.; Johnson, Annabel M.; Johnson, Jared

    2012-01-01

    Background: The context is the new Texas STAAR end-of-course testing program. Purpose: The authors developed a logistic regression model to predict who would pass-or-fail the new Texas chemistry STAAR end-of-course exam. Setting: Robert E. Lee High School (5A) with an enrollment of 2700 students, Tyler, Texas. Date of the study was the 2011-2012…

  10. Monitoring and Mapping the Hurricane Harvey Flooding in Houston, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balaji Bhaskar, M. S.

    2017-12-01

    Monitoring and Mapping the Hurricane Harvey Flooding in Houston, Texas.Urban flooding is a hazard that causes major destruction and loss of life. High intense precipitation events have increased significantly in Houston, Texas in recent years resulting in frequent river and bayou flooding. Many of the historical storm events such as Allison, Rita and Ike have caused several billion dollars in losses for the Houston-Galveston Region. A category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall on South Texas resulting in heavy precipitation from Aug 25 to 29 of 2017. About 1 trillion gallons of water fell across Harris County over a 4-day period. This amount of water covers Harris County's 1,800 square miles with an average of 33 inches of water. The long rain event resulted in an average 40inch rainfall across the area in several rain gauges and the maximum rainfall of 49.6 inches was recorded near Clear Creek. The objectives of our study are to 1) Process the Geographic Information System (GIS) and satellite data from the pre and post Hurricane Harvey event in Houston, Texas and 2) Analyze the satellite imagery to map the nature and pattern of the flooding in Houston-Galveston Region. The GIS data of the study area was downloaded and processed from the various publicly available resources such as Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC), Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Texas Natural Resource Information Systems (TNRIS). The satellite data collected soon after the Harvey flooding event were downloaded and processed using the ERDAS image processing software. The flood plain areas surrounding the Brazos River, Buffalo Bayou and the Addicks Barker reservoirs showed severe inundation. The different watershed areas affected by the catastrophic flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey were mapped and compared with the pre flooding event.

  11. Facts about Texas Children. Excerpted from Children, Choice, and Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Lorwen Connie

    The environment in which Texas children grow up is crucial to their future and to the future of the state. Almost 500,000 Texas families were poor in 1985. Poverty sets the stage for numerous childhood maladies: infant mortality, health problems, child abuse, learning disabilities, malnutrition, and mental health problems. As poor children grow up…

  12. Publication patterns on occupied Palestine in four key medical journals 1990-2016: a descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Mads

    2018-02-21

    The atrocities in Syria have been covered in the four general medical weekly journals in the USA and the UK. Medical journal articles addressing political determinants of public health have rightly described and criticised the international community's failure to enforce humanitarian law while urging global bodies of power to ensure protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and medical services. Discussions of the political influences on health of people in the occupied Palestinian territory (West Bank and Gaza Strip) seem to be considered politically out-of-bounds by some medical journals. This study used a keyword-based search to explore patterns of publication about the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel by four large US and European medical journals. The four highest ranked, peer-reviewed, international medical journals were searched: The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), The Lancet, and The British Medical Journal (BMJ). Searches were conducted between Sept 1 and Sept 6, using each journal's search engine with the keywords "Gaza", "West Bank" and the stems "Palestin*" and "Israel*" in all fields for the period Jan 1, 1990, to Sept 6, 2016. News and commentary articles were included in the findings. The searches found the term "Palestin*" in 49 articles from the two US journals (32 in JAMA; 17 in NEJM) and 694 articles in the two UK journals (236 in The Lancet; 458 in BMJ). "Israel*" was found in 840 articles in US journals (386 in JAMA; 454 in NEJM) and in 2972 articles in UK journals (1388 in The Lancet; 1584 in BMJ). "West Bank" was found in nine articles in US journals (nine in JAMA; none in NEJM) and in 297 articles from the UK (211 in The Lancet; 86 in BMJ). "Gaza" was found in 18 articles in US journals (15 from JAMA; three from NEJM) and in 487 articles in UK journals (324 in The Lancet; 166 in BMJ). Compared with the two US-based medical journals, the UK journals published

  13. Texas trip generation manual : 1st edition-volume 1 : user's guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-08-01

    The purpose of this Manual is to provide a summary of Texas trip generation data for various : Land Use Codes (LUCs) and time periods, for data obtained from workplace and special : generator (WSG) surveys performed as part of the Texas Travel Survey...

  14. Geothermal and heavy-oil resources in Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seni, S.J.; Walter, T.G.

    1994-01-01

    In a five-county area of South Texas, geopressured-geothermal reservoirs in the Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox Group lie below medium- to heavy-oil reservoirs in the Eocene Jackson Group. This fortuitous association suggests the use of geothermal fluids for thermally enhanced oil recovery (TEOR). Geothermal fairways are formed where thick deltaic sandstones are compartmentalized by growth faults. Wilcox geothermal reservoirs in South Texas are present at depths of 11,000 to 15,000 ft (3,350 to 4,570 m) in laterally continuous sandstones 100 to 200 ft (30 to 60 m) thick. Permeability is generally low (typically 1 md), porosity ranges from 12 to 24 percent, and temperature exceeds 250{degrees}F (121{degrees}C). Reservoirs containing medium (20{degrees} to 25{degrees} API gravity) to heavy (10{degrees} to 20{degrees} API gravity) oil are concentrated along the Texas Coastal Plain in the Jackson-Yegua Barrier/Strandplain (Mirando Trend), Cap Rock, and Piercement Salt Dome plays and in the East Texas Basin in Woodbine Fluvial/Deltaic Strandplain and Paluxy Fault Line plays. Injection of hot, moderately fresh to saline brines will improve oil recovery by lowering viscosity and decreasing residual oil saturation. Smectite clay matrix could swell and clog pore throats if injected waters have low salinity. The high temperature of injected fluids will collapse some of the interlayer clays, thus increasing porosity and permeability. Reservoir heterogeneity resulting from facies variation and diagenesis must be considered when siting production and injection wells within the heavy-oil reservoir. The ability of abandoned gas wells to produce sufficient volumes of hot water over the long term will also affect the economics of TEOR.

  15. Examining social, physical, and environmental dimensions of tornado vulnerability in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siebeneck, Laura

    2016-01-01

    To develop a vulnerability model that captures the social, physical, and environmental dimensions of tornado vulnerability of Texas counties. Guided by previous research and methodologies proposed in the hazards and emergency management literature, a principle components analysis is used to create a tornado vulnerability index. Data were gathered from open source information available through the US Census Bureau, American Community Surveys, and the Texas Natural Resources Information System. Texas counties. The results of the model yielded three indices that highlight geographic variability of social vulnerability, built environment vulnerability, and tornado hazard throughout Texas. Further analyses suggest that counties with the highest tornado vulnerability include those with high population densities and high tornado risk. This article demonstrates one method for assessing statewide tornado vulnerability and presents how the results of this type of analysis can be applied by emergency managers towards the reduction of tornado vulnerability in their communities.

  16. Electric deregulation in Texas : the next steps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giuliani, R.

    2004-01-01

    This presentation provided a look at the deregulated market in Texas and provided some statistics and facts about the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) which monitors the reliability of 37,000 miles of power transmission lines and 77,000 MW of generation. The governance adopted by ERCOT was described along with market design and wholesale operation in terms of open access to transmission and distribution systems, reliability, timely conveyance of information needed to support customer choice, and accurate accountability for electricity production and delivery. Transmission has been one the greatest challenges facing ERCOT, but retail operations are progressing well despite initial start-up problems. tabs., figs

  17. Coal geology of the Paleocene-Eocene Calvert Bluff Formation (Wilcox Group) and the Eocene Manning Formation (Jackson Group) in east-central Texas; field trip guidebook for the Society for Organic Petrology, Twelfth Annual Meeting, The Woodlands, Texas, August 30, 1995

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warwick, Peter D.; Crowley, Sharon S.

    1995-01-01

    The Jackson and Wilcox Groups of eastern Texas (fig. 1) are the major lignite producing intervals in the Gulf Region. Within these groups, the major lignite-producing formations are the Paleocene-Eocene Calvert Bluff Formation (Wilcox) and the Eocene Manning Formation (Jackson). According to the Keystone Coal Industry Manual (Maclean Hunter Publishing Company, 1994), the Gulf Coast basin produces about 57 million short tons of lignite annually. The state of Texas ranks number 6 in coal production in the United States. Most of the lignite is used for electric power generation in mine-mouth power plant facilities. In recent years, particular interest has been given to lignite quality and the distribution and concentration of about a dozen trace elements that have been identified as potential hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. As pointed out by Oman and Finkelman (1994), Gulf Coast lignite deposits have elevated concentrations of many of the HAPs elements (Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Se, U) on a as-received gm/mmBtu basis when compared to other United States coal deposits used for fuel in thermo-electric power plants. Although regulations have not yet been established for acceptable emissions of the HAPs elements during coal burning, considerable research effort has been given to the characterization of these elements in coal feed stocks. The general purpose of the present field trip and of the accompanying collection of papers is to investigate how various aspects of east Texas lignite geology might collectively influence the quality of the lignite fuel. We hope that this collection of papers will help future researchers understand the complex, multifaceted interrelations of coal geology, petrology, palynology and coal quality, and that this introduction to the geology of the lignite deposits of east Texas might serve as a stimulus for new ideas to be applied to other coal basins in the U.S. and abroad.

  18. Educational pipelines of nurses in Texas: promoting academic mobility through partnerships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darnall, Emily D; Kishi, Aileen; Wiebusch, Pamela

    2011-01-01

    Texas, like many states across the nation, is struggling to position itself to achieve the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations on the future of nursing. This article provides insights into the hurdles faced by Texas in achieving some of the IOM goals, particularly those related to a better educated nursing workforce. Only 9% of actively licensed nurses have pursued higher degrees, putting Texas below the national average. Currently, there is a gap between actual academic mobility and national recommendations to increase the numbers of baccalaureate- and doctorate-prepared nurses by 2020. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the educational pipeline in the state of Texas while suggesting partnerships as a solution to promote academic mobility. This cross-sectional study evaluated the academic mobility of four selected cohorts of nurses who have been in practice for 5 to 20 years. The findings revealed limited academic mobility compared with national benchmarks among all cohorts, regardless of basic degree and length in the profession. Educational pipelines for nurses need to be more dynamic in Texas than current trends reflect. Collaboration and partnerships between academics, clinicians, administrators, employers, and policy makers should be developed to address barriers that are deterring nurses from continuing their education. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The impact of the New Panama Canal Locks on Texas ports and the Texas economy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    This report examines the first year transits through the new Panama Canal locks and its impact on Texas deep water ports. It finds that the canal is operating efficiently and can accommodate 14,000 TEU containerships and bulk vessels up to 125,000 to...

  20. Advanced Texas Studies: Curriculum Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harlandale Independent School District, San Antonio, TX. Career Education Center.

    The guide is arranged in vertical columns relating curriculum concepts in Texas studies to curriculum performance objectives, career concepts and career performance objectives, suggested teaching methods, and audio-visual and resource materials. Career information is included on 24 related occupations. Space is provided for teachers' notes which…

  1. Coastal Bend Texas Benthic Habitat Mapping Patchy Shapefile Map - Lower Laguna Madre

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) requested the creation of benthic habitat data along the southern Texas coast to support the Texas Seagrass Monitoring...

  2. Achieving the Texas Higher Education Vision

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Benjamin, Roger

    2000-01-01

    The Texas higher education system faces severe challenges in responding to the twin demands placed on it by economic growth and by the increasing problems of access to higher education that many Texans experience...

  3. Texas RPO workshop implementation project summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-01

    This report documents rural planning organization (RPO) workshops conducted throughout Texas. An RPO is a voluntary organization created and governed by locally elected officials responsible for transportation decisions at the local level. RPOs addre...

  4. 78 FR 6316 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR13-23-000] Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing Take notice that on January 17, 2013, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC filed a revised Statement of Operating Conditions to comply with a Commission order issued in...

  5. 75 FR 70732 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-92-001] Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing November 10, 2010. Take notice that on November 9, 2010, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC submitted a revised baseline filing of its Statement of Operating Conditions...

  6. Instructional Leadership Responsibilities of Assistant Principals in Large Texas High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard-Schwind, Michelle

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the extent secondary assistant principals in large Texas high schools demonstrate behaviors consistent with what the literature describes as instructional leadership. Three hundred seventy principals and assistant principals of large Texas high schools participated in this study. The Principal…

  7. 78 FR 23671 - Onions Grown in South Texas; Increased Assessment Rate

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-22

    ... behalf. There are approximately 85 producers of onions in the production area and approximately 30... FR] Onions Grown in South Texas; Increased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... Texas Onion Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.025 to $0.03 per...

  8. Current initiatives in the mass production and field release of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens, in the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Worley, J.N.; Forrester, O.T.

    1999-01-01

    In order to reduce the program operating expenses in the South Texas Mexican Fruit Fly Sterile Release Program, four cost reduction initiatives are in progress at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Mexican Fruit Fly Rearing Facility. These initiatives include implementation of a less expensive larval diet formulation, automation of the larval diet dispensing process, processing and reutilization of spent larval diet medium, and a more efficient system for emerging and feeding sterile flies prior to field release. (author)

  9. Potential impact of neonicotinoid use on Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in Texas: A historical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ertl, Hannah M H; Mora, Miguel A; Brightsmith, Donald J; Navarro-Alberto, Jorge A

    2018-01-01

    The widespread use of neonicotinoid insecticides in recent years has led to increasing environmental concern, including impacts to avian populations. In Texas and across their range, Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) habitat frequently overlaps cultivated cropland protected by neonicotinoids. To address the effects of neonicotinoid use on bobwhites in Texas, we conducted a historical analysis from 1978-2012 in Texas' ecological regions using quail count data collected from North American Breeding Bird Survey and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and neonicotinoid use data from the U.S. Geological Survey. We considered bobwhite abundance, neonicotinoid use, climate, and land-use variables in our analysis. Neonicotinoid use was significantly (pTexas Plains ecological regions in the time periods following neonicotinoid introduction (1994-2003) or after their widespread use (2004-2012). Our analyses suggest that the use of neonicotinoid insecticides may negatively affect bobwhite populations in crop-producing regions of Texas.

  10. 78 FR 8047 - Onions Grown in South Texas; Increased Assessment Rate

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-05

    ... Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. Under the marketing order now in effect, South Texas onion... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 959 [Doc. No. AMS-FV-12-0039; FV12-959-1 PR] Onions Grown in South Texas; Increased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing...

  11. 76 FR 15 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Emissions Banking and Trading of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-03

    ... Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Emissions Banking and Trading of Allowances Program AGENCY... to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) that create and amend the Emissions Banking and Trading... revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) that create and amend the Emissions Banking and...

  12. Texas market profile: soil and groundwater decontamination sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-12-01

    The soil and groundwater decontamination market in Texas generated $7 billion in earnings in 1997 and should reach almost $9 billion in 2002. While Texas has introduced voluntary clean-up programs, decontamination is required at more than 200,000 sites. Pollution has arisen from such industrial sectors as chemicals, crude oil and natural gas. In Texas, government agency decontamination activities provide major business opportunities. As in the base of the environmental sector as a whole, economic factors are gradually taking over from regulation as the prime demand drivers. Cost and risk are major concerns for clients. Because the incentive to reduce costs and the trend toward contracting out and privatization are becoming stronger, companies with specialized technologies have opportunities in this market. The government is the main client for environmental restoration services, but the private sector is accounting for an increased share of the market. Aspects of market access discussed include: implications of NAFTA and 'Buy America', ATA carnets, the Environmental Technology Verification Program, centralized database, federal government contracting announcements, partnerships, and payment conditions

  13. The rise of neglected tropical diseases in the "new Texas".

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter J Hotez

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Within the last five years, the State of Texas has experienced either transmission or outbreaks of Ebola, chikungunya, West Nile, and Zika virus infections. Autochthonous transmission of neglected parasitic and bacterial diseases has also become increasingly reported. The rise of such emerging and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs has not occurred by accident but instead reflects rapidly evolving changes and shifts in a "new" Texas beset by modern and globalizing forces that include rapid expansions in population together with urbanization and human migrations, altered transportation patterns, climate change, steeply declining vaccination rates, and a new paradigm of poverty known as "blue marble health." Summarized here are the major NTDs now affecting Texas. In addition to the vector-borne viral diseases highlighted above, there also is a high level of parasitic infections, including Chagas disease, trichomoniasis, and possibly leishmaniasis and toxocariasis, as well as typhus-group rickettsiosis, a vector-borne bacterial infection. I also highlight some of the key shifts in emerging and neglected disease patterns, partly due to an altered and evolving economic and ecological landscape in the new Texas, and provide some preliminary disease burden estimates for the major prevalent and incident NTDs.

  14. The rise of neglected tropical diseases in the "new Texas"

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Within the last five years, the State of Texas has experienced either transmission or outbreaks of Ebola, chikungunya, West Nile, and Zika virus infections. Autochthonous transmission of neglected parasitic and bacterial diseases has also become increasingly reported. The rise of such emerging and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has not occurred by accident but instead reflects rapidly evolving changes and shifts in a “new” Texas beset by modern and globalizing forces that include rapid expansions in population together with urbanization and human migrations, altered transportation patterns, climate change, steeply declining vaccination rates, and a new paradigm of poverty known as “blue marble health.” Summarized here are the major NTDs now affecting Texas. In addition to the vector-borne viral diseases highlighted above, there also is a high level of parasitic infections, including Chagas disease, trichomoniasis, and possibly leishmaniasis and toxocariasis, as well as typhus-group rickettsiosis, a vector-borne bacterial infection. I also highlight some of the key shifts in emerging and neglected disease patterns, partly due to an altered and evolving economic and ecological landscape in the new Texas, and provide some preliminary disease burden estimates for the major prevalent and incident NTDs. PMID:29346369

  15. Factors of economic growth in Palestine: an empirical Analysis during the period of (1994-2013

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Mahmoud Abu-Eideh

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to analyze the impact of the size of domestic working labour force, real gross domestic capital formation, real domestic exports and imports of goods and services, and political instability on real gross domestic product( RGDP in Palestine during the period of 1994 -2013. To examine the empirical relationship between these explanatory variables and real (GDP growth the study adopted a standardized Cobb- Douglas production function by using the annual official data of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS, and applying the Ordinary least Square method (OLS and Second Order Auto Correlation Techniques. The empirical results of the model applied indicated that there is a positive relationship between the size of domestic working labour force, real gross domestic capital formation, real domestic exports and real gross domestic product( RGDP, and a negative relationship between real domestic imports of goods and services, and political instability and the real growth of (GDP. The study suggested several recommendations that can boost the level of growth, among them the most important one, is the urgent need for more investment in the economy as it leads to more formation of domestic capital which can count more in terms of economic growth in many ways.

  16. Energy efficiency improvement procedures and audit results of electrical, thermal and solar applications in Palestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrik, I.H.; Mahmoud, M.M.

    2005-01-01

    Energy conservation in utilities has played a vital role in improving energy efficiency in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. The electrical energy consumption in Palestine has increased sharply in the past few years and achieved by the end of 2001 to 10% per year. It is expected that this percentage will increase to about 12% if the current political situation will end hopefully with peace. Modern energy efficient technologies are needed for the national energy policy. Such technologies are investigated in this paper. Implementing of a national 3 years project aiming at energy efficiency improvement in residential and industrial sectors as well as in public utilities, which include wide range of diversified audits and power measurements, had led to creating this paper. Measurement and audit results had shown that the total conservation potential in these sectors is around 15% of the total energy consumption. The associated costs of the investment in this field are relatively low and correspond to a pay back period varying in the range from 6 to 36 months. Consequently, the energy conservation policy will be seriously improved in the forthcoming years. It is estimated that 10% of the new energy purchasing capacity will be reduced accordingly

  17. ATLAS virtual visit features Birzeit University, first university in Palestine and a member of the International Association of Universities since 1977.

    CERN Multimedia

    claudia marcelloni

    2012-01-01

    This ATLAS virtual visit features Birzeit University, first university in Palestine and a member of the International Association of Universities since 1977. As part of the "Physics Without Frontiers" project, funded by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Birzeit is hosting a one day particle physics masterclass. During the day the physics major students are given an introduction to experimental particle physics, the LHC and the ATLAS Experiment, before having the chance to analyze real LHC data. This virtual visit comprises of a live tour around the ATLAS control room and the opportunity to ask questions to the ATLAS physicists. The Department of Physics at Birzeit University provides an exciting environment for the training of both graduate and undergraduate students. Some of the Physics department graduates participated in the CERN Summer Program over the past few years.

  18. Texas Nurse Staffing Trends Before and After Mandated Nurse Staffing Committees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Terry; Heui Bae, Sung; Murry, Nicole; Hamilton, Patti

    2015-08-01

    This article describes the evolution of mandated nurse staffing committees in Texas from 2002 to 2009 and presents a study that analyzed nurse staffing trends in Texas using a secondary analysis of hospital staffing data (N = 313 hospitals) from 2000 to 2012 obtained from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Nurse staffing patterns based on three staffing variables for registered nurses (RNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), and total licensed nurses were identified: full-time equivalents per 1,000 adjusted patient days, productive hours per adjusted patient day, and RN skill mix. Similar to national trends between 2000 and 2012, most Texas hospitals experienced an increase in RN and total nurse staffing, decrease in LVN staffing, and an increase in RN skill mix. The magnitude of total nurse staffing changes in Texas (5% increase) was smaller than national trends (13.6% increase). Texas's small, rural, government hospitals and those with the highest preregulation staffing levels experienced the least change in staffing between 2000 and 2012: median change of 0 to .13 full-time equivalents per 1,000 adjusted patient days and median change in productive hours per patient day of 0 to .23. The varying effects of staffing committees in different organizational contexts should be considered in future staffing legislative proposals and other policy initiatives. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Texas Occurrence of Lyme Disease and Its Neurological Manifestations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dandashi, Jad A; Nizamutdinov, Damir; Dayawansa, Samantha; Fonkem, Ekokobe; Huang, Jason H

    2016-06-01

    Today, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the United States and Europe. The culprits behind Lyme disease are the Borrelia species of bacteria. In the USA, Borrelia burgdorferi causes the majority of cases, while in Europe and Asia Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii carry the greatest burden of disease. The clinical manifestations of Lyme disease have been identified as early localized, early disseminated, and late chronic. The neurological effects of Lyme disease include both peripheral and central nervous systems involvement, including focal nerve abnormalities, cranial neuropathies, painful radiculoneuritis, meningitis, and/or toxic metabolic encephalopathy, known as Lyme encephalopathy. Given the geographic predominance of Lyme disease in the Northeast and Midwest of the USA, no major studies have been conducted regarding Southern states. Between 2005 and 2014, the Center for Disease Control has reported 582 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Texas. Because of the potential for increased incidence and prevalence in Texas, it has become essential for research and clinical efforts to be diverted to the region. The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Lyme Lab has been investigating the ecology of Lyme disease in Texas and developing a pan-specific serological test for Lyme diagnosis. This report aimed to exposure materials and raise awareness of Lyme disease to healthcare providers.

  20. Estimating Texas motor vehicle operating costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-10-01

    A specific Vcost model was developed for Texas conditions based on a sophisticated fuel model for light : duty vehicles, several excellent sources of secondary vehicle cost data, and the ability to measure heavy truck fuel : consumption through both ...

  1. Proceedings of the tenth annual DOE low-level waste management conference: Session 3: Disposal technology and facility development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-12-01

    This document contains ten papers on various aspects of low-level radioactive waste management. Topics include: design and construction of a facility; alternatives to shallow land burial; the fate of tritium and carbon 14 released to the environment; defense waste management; engineered sorbent barriers; remedial action status report; and the disposal of mixed waste in Texas. Individual papers were processed separately for the data base

  2. 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.

  3. Tiger Team Assessment of the Pantex Plant, Amarillo, Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1990-02-01

    This document contains the findings and associated root causes identified during the Tiger Team Assessment of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. This assessment was conducted by the Department's Office of Environment, Safety and Health between October 2 and 31, 1989. The scope of the assessment of the Pantex Plant covered all areas of environment, safety and health (ES H) activities, including compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, requirements, permits, agreements, orders and consent decrees, and DOE ES H Orders. The assessment also included an evaluation of the adequacy of DOE and site contractor ES H management programs. The draft findings were submitted to the Office of Defense Programs, the Albuquerque Operations Office, the Amarillo Area Office, and regulatory agencies at the conclusion of the on-site assessment activities for review and comment on technical accuracy. Final modifications and any other appropriate changes have been incorporated in the final report. The Tiger Team Assessment of the Pantex Plant is part of the larger Tiger Team Assessment program which will encompass over 100 DOE operating facilities. The assessment program is part of a 10-point initiative announced by Secretary of Energy James D. Watkins on June 27, 1989, to strengthen environmental protection and waste management activities in the Department. The results of the program will provide the Secretary with information on the compliance status of DOE facilities with regard to ES H requirements, root causes for noncompliance, adequacy of DOE and site contractor ES H management programs, and DOE-wide ES H compliance trends.

  4. 78 FR 53426 - Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 84; Houston, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-29

    ... 84; Houston, Texas Pursuant to its authority under the Foreign-Trade Zones Act of June 18, 1934, as..., the Port of Houston Authority, grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 84, submitted an application to the Board for authority to expand FTZ 84 to include a site in Brazos County, Texas, adjacent to the Houston...

  5. Status of the Texas low-level radioactive waste disposal site - construction sequencing and staffing patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobi, L.R. Jr.

    1996-01-01

    The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, an agency of the State of Texas, has been attempting to develop a site for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in Texas for more than fourteen years. Since 1991, the agency has been evaluating a site near Sierra Blanca, in far west Texas. Site characterization was completed in 1992, and a license application was filed that year. Construction plans were completed in 1993. In April 1996, the licensing agency, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, completed its review and proposed to issue a license. The administrative hearings on the proposed license should be completed by July 1997. The Authority is prepared to begin construction and operations as soon as a final license can be issued

  6. Environmental Safety and Health Analytical Laboratory, Pantex Plant, Amarillo, Texas. Final Environmental Assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-06-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the construction and operation of an Environmental Safety and Health (ES ampersand H) Analytical Laboratory and subsequent demolition of the existing Analytical Chemistry Laboratory building at Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality requirements contained in 40 CFR 1500--1508.9, the Environmental Assessment examined the environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and discussed potential alternatives. Based on the analysis of impacts in the EA, conducting the proposed action, construction of an analytical laboratory and demolition of the existing facility, would not significantly effect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations in 40 CFR 1508.18 and 1508.27

  7. Decommissioning of U.S. uranium production facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1995-02-01

    From 1980 to 1993, the domestic production of uranium declined from almost 44 million pounds U{sub 3}O{sub 8} to about 3 million pounds. This retrenchment of the U.S. uranium industry resulted in the permanent closing of many uranium-producing facilities. Current low uranium prices, excess world supply, and low expectations for future uranium demand indicate that it is unlikely existing plants will be reopened. Because of this situation, these facilities eventually will have to be decommissioned. The Uranium Mill Tailings and Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA) vests the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with overall responsibility for establishing environmental standards for decommissioning of uranium production facilities. UMTRCA also gave the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) the responsibility for licensing and regulating uranium production and related activities, including decommissioning. Because there are many issues associated with decommissioning-environmental, political, and financial-this report will concentrate on the answers to three questions: (1) What is required? (2) How is the process implemented? (3) What are the costs? Regulatory control is exercised principally through the NRC licensing process. Before receiving a license to construct and operate an uranium producing facility, the applicant is required to present a decommissioning plan to the NRC. Once the plan is approved, the licensee must post a surety to guarantee that funds will be available to execute the plan and reclaim the site. This report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) represents the most comprehensive study on this topic by analyzing data on 33 (out of 43) uranium production facilities located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

  8. Decommissioning of U.S. uranium production facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-02-01

    From 1980 to 1993, the domestic production of uranium declined from almost 44 million pounds U 3 O 8 to about 3 million pounds. This retrenchment of the U.S. uranium industry resulted in the permanent closing of many uranium-producing facilities. Current low uranium prices, excess world supply, and low expectations for future uranium demand indicate that it is unlikely existing plants will be reopened. Because of this situation, these facilities eventually will have to be decommissioned. The Uranium Mill Tailings and Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA) vests the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with overall responsibility for establishing environmental standards for decommissioning of uranium production facilities. UMTRCA also gave the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) the responsibility for licensing and regulating uranium production and related activities, including decommissioning. Because there are many issues associated with decommissioning-environmental, political, and financial-this report will concentrate on the answers to three questions: (1) What is required? (2) How is the process implemented? (3) What are the costs? Regulatory control is exercised principally through the NRC licensing process. Before receiving a license to construct and operate an uranium producing facility, the applicant is required to present a decommissioning plan to the NRC. Once the plan is approved, the licensee must post a surety to guarantee that funds will be available to execute the plan and reclaim the site. This report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) represents the most comprehensive study on this topic by analyzing data on 33 (out of 43) uranium production facilities located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington

  9. Occupational Safety Precautions among Nurses at Four Hospitals, Nablus District, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IA Al-Khatib

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Occupational hazards, exposure to blood and body fluids (BBF accidents and safety precautions constitute an important public health issue. We assessed the prevalence and determinants of exposure to occupational hazards among nurses, and their knowledge of occupational safety precautions. In a cross-sectional study, we surveyed 332 nurses working in 4 hospitals, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine, by a questionnaire. Bivariate analysis tested the associations between ever exposure and the high likelihood of BBF exposure and the independent socio-demographic and occupational variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the associations between the same two exposures and selected independent variables (those significant in the bivariate analysis. Prevalence of ever exposure to BBF was 51.7%, and was associated with working in private and charitable hospitals (OR 2.62, 2.68, respectively, having 4–6 family members (OR 0.52 and “nursing” being as one's top career choice at university (OR 0.48. The prevalence of high likelihood of BBF exposure was 62.2%, and was associated with working in charitable and private hospitals (OR 7.81, 2.43, respectively and “nursing” being as one's top career choice (OR 0.57. Regarding knowledge, most respondents believed it is necessary to enact laws and regulations regarding occupational safety precautions, reported the use of sharps containers, immediate disinfection after an accident, reporting an accident, and using personal protective equipment. Nurses had adequate knowledge of the risks of their hospital work. Nevertheless, they exhibited high prevalence of exposure to BBF accidents. Future studies are needed to re-evaluate existing occupational safety guidelines in hospitals, establish monitoring and evaluation protocols for health care workers' adherence to the guidelines, and institute well-defined policies for reporting occupational injury incidents so these can be handled appropriately.

  10. Motel DHW Retrofit--Dallas, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-01-01

    Solar-energy system designed to provide 65% of total domestic-hot-water (DHW) demands for 100-room motel in Dallas, Texas is subject of a report now available. System is retrofit, and storage-tank size was limited to 1,000 gallons (3,785 1) by size of room where it is located.

  11. Consultation draft: Site characterization plan overview, Deaf Smith County Site, Texas: Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 113)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing a site characterization plan for the candidate site in Deaf Smith County, Texas. The DOE has provided, for information and review, a consultation draft of the plan to the State of Texas and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The site characterization plan is a lengthy document that describes in considerable detail the program that will be conducted to characterize the geologic, hydrologic, and other conditions relevant to the suitability of the site for a repository. The overview presented here consists of brief summaries of important topics covered in the consultation draft of the site characterization plan; it is not a substitute for the site characterization plan. The arrangement of the overview is similar to that of the plan itself, with brief descriptions of the repository system - the site, the repository, and the waste package - preceding the discussion of the characterization program to be carried out at the Deaf Smith County site. It is intended primarily for the management staff of organizations involved in the DOE's repository program or other persons who might wish to understand the general scope of the site-characterization program, the activities to be conducted, and the facilities to be constructed rather than the technical details of site characterization. 15 figs., 1 tab

  12. Uranium favorability of southwestern Oklahoma and north-central Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stanton, G.D.; Brogdon, L.D.; Quick, J.V.; Thomas, N.G.; Martin, T.S.

    1977-10-01

    Results are presented of a project to identify and delineate units and (or) facies that are favorable for uranium in the Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata of north-central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma. To aid in this evaluation, an assessment of the probable uranium rocks (Wichita and Arbuckle Mountains) was necessary. Surface samples were collected from igneous and sedimentary rocks. Stream-sediment samples were also collected. However, the main emphasis of the investigation of the sedimentary units was on the identification of sedimentary facies trends in the subsurface and an evaluation of the uranium favorability within units studied. The area investigated centers along the Red River, the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma. The project area encompasses approximately 17,000 sq. mi. It includes all or parts of Cooke, Montague, Clay, Wichita, Wilbarger, Hardeman, Baylor, Knox, and Archer Counties in Texas and Love, Jefferson, Cotton, Tillman, Jackson, Stephens, Carter, Comanche, Harmon, and Greer Counties in Oklahoma

  13. Reporter Turnover on Texas Daily Newspapers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Marquita

    1978-01-01

    A survey of Texas daily newspapers yielded a picture of newspaper reporters as relatively young men who do not stay in one place very long, suggesting that the stereotype of the itinerant reporter may have its basis in fact. (GW)

  14. South Texas Native Plant Restoration Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-01

    The South Texas Native Plant Restoration Project was a resounding success in that the primary goal of : developing commercial sources of native seed has been substantially met. By the conclusion of the project : on August 31, 2011, 20 native seed sou...

  15. Austin, Texas: Solar in Action (Brochure)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-10-01

    This brochure provides an overview of the challenges and successes of Austin, Texas, a 2007 Solar America City awardee, on the path toward becoming a solar-powered community. Accomplishments, case studies, key lessons learned, and local resource information are given.

  16. The Smart Grid in Texas. An investigation for Dutch business opportunities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Ooijen, A.; Van Gellecum, P.

    2011-12-01

    This paper discusses the smart grid industry in the state of Texas, USA. A market scan for Dutch business opportunities is made. Currently, over 8 million smart meters have been installed in 18 smart grid projects in Texas. Its business climate is perceived as friendly and has attracted a lot of investments from the industry and over USD 1 billion from government grants. The deployment of smart meters is done mandatory. With the massive rollout of smart meters Texas has laid a profound foundation of the smart grid infrastructure. Some smart grid projects are mainly focused on the roll-out of smart meters, while others are holistically focused on the reduction of electricity consumption and include the use of solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles. The most important opportunities for Dutch business are in the in-home display industry, technologies for safety and security, smart grid applications, consumer involvement, bridging the smart grid to the smart city, deployment knowledge within Texas, and future pilot possibilities. Implications are discussed.

  17. Diversity and Innovation for Geosciences (dig) Texas Earth and Space Science Instructional Blueprints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellins, K. K.; Bohls-Graham, E.; Riggs, E. M.; Serpa, L. F.; Jacobs, B. E.; Martinez, A. O.; Fox, S.; Kent, M.; Stocks, E.; Pennington, D. D.

    2014-12-01

    The NSF-sponsored DIG Texas Instructional Blueprint project supports the development of online instructional blueprints for a yearlong high school-level Earth science course. Each blueprint stitches together three-week units that contain curated educational resources aligned with the Texas state standards for Earth and Space Science and the Earth Science Literacy Principles. Units focus on specific geoscience content, place-based concerns, features or ideas, or other specific conceptual threads. Five regional teams composed of geoscientists, pedagogy specialists, and practicing science teachers chose unit themes and resources for twenty-two units during three workshops. In summer 2014 three Education Interns (Earth science teachers) spent six weeks refining the content of the units and aligning them with the Next Generation Science Standards. They also assembled units into example blueprints. The cross-disciplinary collaboration among blueprint team members allowed them to develop knowledge in new areas and to share their own discipline-based knowledge and perspectives. Team members and Education Interns learned where to find and how to evaluate high quality geoscience educational resources, using a web-based resource review tool developed by the Science Education Resource Center (SERC). SERC is the repository for the DIG Texas blueprint web pages. Work is underway to develop automated tools to allow educators to compile resources into customized instructional blueprints by reshuffling units within an existing blueprint, by mixing units from other blueprints, or creating new units and blueprints. These innovations will enhance the use of the units by secondary Earth science educators beyond Texas. This presentation provides an overview of the project, shows examples of blueprints and units, reports on the preliminary results of classroom implementation by Earth science teachers, and considers challenges encountered in developing and testing the blueprints. The

  18. South Texas Maquiladora Suppliers Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patrick, J. Michael

    This project was undertaken to assist South Texas industries in improving export to nearby Mexican maquiladoras (factories). The maquiladora program is based on co-production by two plants under a single management, one on each side of the border. Activities addressed four objectives: (1) to determine the dollar value, quantity, and source of the…

  19. Position coincidence optical identifications using Texas interferometer radio positions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozyan, E.P.

    1979-01-01

    1048 radio source positions measured with the Texas Interferometer were searched for optical identifications on glass copies of the Palomar Sky Survey E and O plates, resulting in 242 identifications and 806 blank fields. Finding charts are presented for 124 of the 125 new identifications not previously reported in the literature, and for 73 blank fields containing nearby optical objects which may be real identifications. This brings the cumulative number of Texas radio positions searched to 2015, producing 864 optical identifications and 1151 blank fields

  20. An aerial radiological survey of the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station and surrounding area, Bay City, Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, J.M.

    1988-12-01

    An aerial radiological survey was conducted over the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STPEGS) near Bay City, Texas, during the period 25 March to 4 April 1988. The purpose of the 259-square-kilometer (100-square-mile) survey was to document the terrestrial gamma environment of the plant and surrounding area. An exposure rate contour map at 1 meter above ground level (AGL) was constructed from the gamma data and overlaid on an aerial photograph and map of the area. Exposure rates were observed up to 10μR/h over land. No areas of enhanced exposure rates were observed. Ground-based exposure rate measurements and soil samples were obtained to support the aerial data. Oblique aerial photographs of the plant were also acquired during the survey. 9 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

  1. Perceptions of Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassadors on Career Development, Higher Education, and Leadership Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanolini, William F.; Rayfield, John; Ripley, Jeff

    2013-01-01

    Selected 4-H youth participated in the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador program. Forty-five youth participated in the 3-day program delivered by university professors and staff, Texas AgriLife Extension faculty and industry representatives. An instrument was developed and administered to the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassadors at the end of their first…

  2. Test Plan for the Wake Steering Experiment at the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) Facility.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naughton, Brian Thomas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-02-01

    This document is a test plan describing the objectives, configuration, procedures, reporting, roles, and responsibilities for conducting the joint Sandia National Laboratories and National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wake Steering Experiment at the Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility near Lubbock, Texas in 2016 and 2017 . The purpose of this document is to ensure the test objectives and procedures are sufficiently detailed such that al l involved personnel are able to contribute to the technical success of the test. This document is not intended to address safety explicitly which is addressed in a separate document listed in the references titled Sandia SWiFT Facility Site Operations Manual . Both documents should be reviewed by all test personnel.

  3. Texas perpetual pavements : new design guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-01

    Since 2001, the State of Texas has been designing and constructing perpetual pavements : on some of its heavily trafficked highways where the expected 20-year truck-traffic estimate of : 18 kip ESALs is in excess of 30 million (TxDOT, 2001). To date,...

  4. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Residential Provisions of the 2015 IECC for Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendon, Vrushali V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhao, Mingjie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Taylor, Zachary T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Poehlman, Eric A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-02-15

    The 2015 IECC provides cost-effective savings for residential buildings in Texas. Moving to the 2015 IECC from the 2009 IECC base code is cost-effective for residential buildings in all climate zones in Texas.

  5. Evaluation of Wind Energy Production in Texas using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrer, L. M.

    2017-12-01

    Texas has the highest installed wind capacity in the United States. The purpose of this research was to estimate the theoretical wind turbine energy production and the utilization ratio of wind turbines in Texas. Windfarm data was combined applying Geographic Information System (GIS) methodology to create an updated GIS wind turbine database, including location and technical specifications. Applying GIS diverse tools, the windfarm data was spatially joined with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) wind data to calculate the wind speed at each turbine hub. The power output for each turbine at the hub wind speed was evaluated by the GIS system according the respective turbine model power curve. In total over 11,700 turbines are installed in Texas with an estimated energy output of 60 GWh per year and an average utilization ratio of 0.32. This research indicates that applying GIS methodologies will be crucial in the growth of wind energy and efficiency in Texas.

  6. Carbon Capture and Sequestration (via Enhanced Oil Recovery) from a Hydrogen Production Facility in an Oil Refinery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stewart Mehlman

    2010-06-16

    The project proposed a commercial demonstration of advanced technologies that would capture and sequester CO2 emissions from an existing hydrogen production facility in an oil refinery into underground formations in combination with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). The project is led by Praxair, Inc., with other project participants: BP Products North America Inc., Denbury Onshore, LLC (Denbury), and Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC) at the Bureau of Economic Geology of The University of Texas at Austin. The project is located at the BP Refinery at Texas City, Texas. Praxair owns and operates a large hydrogen production facility within the refinery. As part of the project, Praxair would construct a CO2 capture and compression facility. The project aimed at demonstrating a novel vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) based technology to remove CO2 from the Steam Methane Reformers (SMR) process gas. The captured CO2 would be purified using refrigerated partial condensation separation (i.e., cold box). Denbury would purchase the CO2 from the project and inject the CO2 as part of its independent commercial EOR projects. The Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Bureau of Economic Geology, a unit of University of Texas at Austin, would manage the research monitoring, verification and accounting (MVA) project for the sequestered CO2, in conjunction with Denbury. The sequestration and associated MVA activities would be carried out in the Hastings field at Brazoria County, TX. The project would exceed DOE’s target of capturing one million tons of CO2 per year (MTPY) by 2015. Phase 1 of the project (Project Definition) is being completed. The key objective of Phase 1 is to define the project in sufficient detail to enable an economic decision with regard to proceeding with Phase 2. This topical report summarizes the administrative, programmatic and technical accomplishments completed in Phase 1 of the project. It describes the work relative to project technical and design activities

  7. High energy physics program at Texas A&M University

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-10-01

    The Texas A&M high energy physics program has achieved significant mile-stones in each of its research initiatives. We are participating in two major operating experiments, CDF and MACRO; the development of two new detector technologies, liquid scintillating fiber calorimetry and knife-edge chambers; and two SSC detector proposals, SDC and TEXAS/EMPACT. We have developed prototypes of a liquid-scintillator fiber calorimeter system, in which internally reflecting channels are imbedded in a lead matrix and filled with liquid scintillator. This approach combines the performance features of fiber calorimetry and the radiation hardness of liquid scintillator, and is being developed for forward calorimetry in TEXAS/EMPACT. A new element in this program is the inclusion of a theoretical high energy physics research program being carried out by D. Nanopoulos and C. Pope. D. Nanopoulos has succeeded in building a string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. The impact of this work on string phenomenology certainly has far reaching consequences. C. Pope is currently working on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two- dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity, and W-string theory. The following report presents details of the accomplishments of the Texas A&M program over the past year and the proposed plan of research for the coming year.

  8. Final environmental statement related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-08-01

    This Final 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 archeological 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

  9. Broken trusts: The Texas Attorney General versus the oil industry, 1889-1909

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Jonathan Whitney

    The legal history of state antitrust enforcement and the oil industry in Texas illustrates how and why antitrust law contemplated complementary enforcement at the state and federal government level. Historians, economists, and lawyers have concentrated on federal antitrust law and enforcement, ignoring state efforts. Yet for most of the first twenty-five years following the enactment of the Sherman Antitrust Act, federal enforcement efforts were extremely limited, leaving the field to the states. Texas was one of several states that had strong antitrust laws, and whose attorneys general prosecuted antitrust violations with vigor. Political ambition was a factor in the decisions to investigate and prosecute cases against a highly visible target, the petroleum industry, but there was also a genuine belief in the goals of antitrust policy, and in the efficacy of enforcement of the laws. Enforcement efforts were also complicated by the fact that large oil companies provided vital commodities, articles of "prime necessity," to the citizens of Texas and following the discovery of large oil fields, played an increasingly important role in the economies of many Texas communities. The Texas Attorney General's antitrust enforcement efforts against the oil industry in this time of transition from an agricultural society to an industrial society provide insights into the litigation process, and reveal how well the rhetoric of trust-busting fit with the reality of antitrust enforcement. The antitrust crusade against the petroleum industry also highlights the changing roles of state government in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly the Attorney General's Department. The experience of Texas undermines the view that federal action has always dominated antitrust enforcement efforts and that antitrust litigation against Standard Oil was ineffective and ineffectual. Rather, the Texas Attorney General's litigations and their results suggest that some states

  10. Role and movement of nilgai antelope, Boselaphus tragocamelus, in the epizootiology of cattle fever ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in re-infestations along the Texas/Mexico border in south Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilgai antelope are the largest Asian antelope and are originally endemic to the Indian subcontinent. Nilgai were introduced into Texas in the 1940s for hunting purposes and are now the most abundant free-ranging ungulate in south Texas with population estimates in the early 1990s of more than 36,0...

  11. Nursing home ownership trends and their impacts on quality of care: a study using detailed ownership data from Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevenson, David G; Bramson, Jeffrey S; Grabowski, David C

    2013-01-01

    The role of ownership in the provision of nursing home care has long been a challenging issue for policy makers and researchers. Although much of the focus historically has been on differences between for-profit and not-for-profit facilities, this simple distinction has become less useful in recent years as companies have employed more complicated ownership and management structures. Using detailed ownership data from the state of Texas, we describe the evolution of nursing home corporate structures from 2000 to 2007, analyze the effect of these structures on quality of care and staffing in nursing homes, and discuss the policy implications of these changes.

  12. An overview of the facilities, activities, and developments at the University of North Texas Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rout, Bibhudutta; Dhoubhadel, Mangal S.; Poudel, Prakash R.; Kummari, Venkata C.; Pandey, Bimal; Deoli, Naresh T.; Lakshantha, Wickramaarachchige J.; Mulware, Stephen J.; Baxley, Jacob; Manuel, Jack E.; Pacheco, Jose L.; Szilasi, Szabolcs; Weathers, Duncan L.; Reinert, Tilo; Glass, Gary A.; Duggan, Jerry L.; McDaniel, Floyd D.

    2013-07-01

    The Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL) at the University of North Texas includes several accelerator facilities with capabilities of producing a variety of ion beams from tens of keV to several MeV in energy. The four accelerators are used for research, graduate and undergraduate education, and industrial applications. The NEC 3MV Pelletron tandem accelerator has three ion sources for negative ions: He Alphatross and two different SNICS-type sputter ion sources. Presently, the tandem accelerator has four high-energy beam transport lines and one low-energy beam transport line directly taken from the negative ion sources for different research experiments. For the low-energy beam line, the ion energy can be varied from ˜20 to 80 keV for ion implantation/modification of materials. The four post-acceleration beam lines include a heavy-ion nuclear microprobe; multi-purpose PIXE, RBS, ERD, NRA, and broad-beam single-event upset; high-energy ion implantation line; and trace-element accelerator mass spectrometry. The NEC 3MV single-ended Pelletron accelerator has an RF ion source mainly for hydrogen, helium and heavier inert gases. We recently installed a capacitive liner to the terminal potential stabilization system for high terminal voltage stability and high-resolution microprobe analysis. The accelerator serves a beam line for standard RBS and RBS/C. Another beamline for high energy focused ion beam application using a magnetic quadrupole lens system is currently under construction. This beam line will also serve for developmental work on an electrostatic lens system. The third accelerator is a 200 kV Cockcroft-Walton accelerator with an RF ion source. The fourth accelerator is a 2.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator, which was in operation for last several decades is currently planned to be used mainly for educational purpose. Research projects that will be briefly discussed include materials synthesis/modification for photonic, electronic, and

  13. An overview of the facilities, activities, and developments at the University of North Texas Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rout, Bibhudutta; Dhoubhadel, Mangal S.; Poudel, Prakash R.; Kummari, Venkata C.; Pandey, Bimal; Deoli, Naresh T.; Lakshantha, Wickramaarachchige J.; Mulware, Stephen J.; Baxley, Jacob; Manuel, Jack E.; Pacheco, Jose L.; Szilasi, Szabolcs; Weathers, Duncan L.; Reinert, Tilo; Glass, Gary A.; Duggan, Jerry L.; McDaniel, Floyd D. [Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory, University of North Texas, Department of Physics, 1155 Union Circle 311427, Denton, Texas 76203 (United States)

    2013-07-03

    The Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL) at the University of North Texas includes several accelerator facilities with capabilities of producing a variety of ion beams from tens of keV to several MeV in energy. The four accelerators are used for research, graduate and undergraduate education, and industrial applications. The NEC 3MV Pelletron tandem accelerator has three ion sources for negative ions: He Alphatross and two different SNICS-type sputter ion sources. Presently, the tandem accelerator has four high-energy beam transport lines and one low-energy beam transport line directly taken from the negative ion sources for different research experiments. For the low-energy beam line, the ion energy can be varied from {approx}20 to 80 keV for ion implantation/modification of materials. The four post-acceleration beam lines include a heavy-ion nuclear microprobe; multi-purpose PIXE, RBS, ERD, NRA, and broad-beam single-event upset; high-energy ion implantation line; and trace-element accelerator mass spectrometry. The NEC 3MV single-ended Pelletron accelerator has an RF ion source mainly for hydrogen, helium and heavier inert gases. We recently installed a capacitive liner to the terminal potential stabilization system for high terminal voltage stability and high-resolution microprobe analysis. The accelerator serves a beam line for standard RBS and RBS/C. Another beamline for high energy focused ion beam application using a magnetic quadrupole lens system is currently under construction. This beam line will also serve for developmental work on an electrostatic lens system. The third accelerator is a 200 kV Cockcroft-Walton accelerator with an RF ion source. The fourth accelerator is a 2.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator, which was in operation for last several decades is currently planned to be used mainly for educational purpose. Research projects that will be briefly discussed include materials synthesis/modification for photonic, electronic, and

  14. Clinician Survey to Determine Knowledge of Dengue and Clinical Management Practices, Texas, 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Jessica K; Abeyta, Roman; Smith, Brian; Gaul, Linda; Thomas, Dana L; Han, George; Sharp, Tyler M; Waterman, Stephen H; Tomashek, Kay M

    2017-03-01

    AbstractDengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is increasingly being identified as a cause of outbreaks in the United States. During July-December 2013, a total of three south Texas counties reported 53 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases; 26 were locally acquired, constituting the largest outbreak in Texas since 2005. Because dengue outbreaks are expected to continue in south Texas and early case identification and timely treatment can reduce mortality, we sought to determine clinicians' knowledge of dengue and its clinical management. A survey was sent to 2,375 south Texas clinicians; 217 (9%) completed the survey. Approximately half of participants demonstrated knowledge needed to identify dengue cases, including symptoms (56%), early indicators of shock (54%), or timing of thrombocytopenia (48%). Fewer than 20% correctly identified all prevention messages, severe dengue warning signs, or circumstances in which a dengue patient should return for care. Knowledge of clinical management was limited; few participants correctly identified scenarios when plasma leakage occurred (10%) or a crystalloid solution was indicated (7%); however, 45% correctly identified when a blood transfusion was indicated. Because of the ongoing threat of dengue, we recommend clinicians in south Texas receive dengue clinical management training.

  15. Clinician Survey to Determine Knowledge of Dengue and Clinical Management Practices, Texas, 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Jessica K.; Abeyta, Roman; Smith, Brian; Gaul, Linda; Thomas, Dana L.; Han, George; Sharp, Tyler M.; Waterman, Stephen H.; Tomashek, Kay M.

    2017-01-01

    Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is increasingly being identified as a cause of outbreaks in the United States. During July–December 2013, a total of three south Texas counties reported 53 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases; 26 were locally acquired, constituting the largest outbreak in Texas since 2005. Because dengue outbreaks are expected to continue in south Texas and early case identification and timely treatment can reduce mortality, we sought to determine clinicians' knowledge of dengue and its clinical management. A survey was sent to 2,375 south Texas clinicians; 217 (9%) completed the survey. Approximately half of participants demonstrated knowledge needed to identify dengue cases, including symptoms (56%), early indicators of shock (54%), or timing of thrombocytopenia (48%). Fewer than 20% correctly identified all prevention messages, severe dengue warning signs, or circumstances in which a dengue patient should return for care. Knowledge of clinical management was limited; few participants correctly identified scenarios when plasma leakage occurred (10%) or a crystalloid solution was indicated (7%); however, 45% correctly identified when a blood transfusion was indicated. Because of the ongoing threat of dengue, we recommend clinicians in south Texas receive dengue clinical management training. PMID:28138048

  16. Hazardous air pollutants and primary liver cancer in Texas.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luca Cicalese

    Full Text Available The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, the most common primary liver cancer, is increasing in the US and tripled during the past two decades. The reasons for such phenomenon remain poorly understood. Texas is among continental states with the highest incidence of liver cancer with an annual increment of 5.7%. Established risk factors for HCC include Hepatitis B and C (HBV, HCV viral infection, alcohol, tobacco and suspected risk factors include obesity and diabetes. While distribution of these risk factors in the state of Texas is similar to the national data and homogeneous, the incidence of HCC in this state is exceptionally higher than the national average and appears to be dishomogeneous in various areas of the state suggesting that other non-recognized risk factors might play a role. No population-based studies are currently available investigating the effect of exposure to Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs as a contributing risk factor for liver cancer. Incidence rate of liver cancer in Texas by counties for the time period between 2002 and 2012 was obtained from the Texas Cancer Registry (TCR. Through Principal Component Analysis (PCA a subgroup of pollutants, explaining almost all the dataset variability, were identified and used to cluster Texas counties. The analysis generated 4 clusters showing liver cancer rate either higher or lower than national average in association with either high or low levels of HAPs emission in the environment. The study shows that the selected relevant HAPs, 10 among 253 analyzed, produce a significant correlation (P = 0.01-0.05 and some of these have been previously identified as carcinogens. An association between the increased production and consequent exposure to these HAPs and a higher presence of liver cancer in certain counties is suggested. This study provides a new insight on this complex multifactorial disease suggesting that environmental substances might play a role in the etiology of this

  17. Wildlife Contact Rates at Artificial Feeding Sites in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Tyler A.; Long, David B.; Shriner, Susan A.

    2013-06-01

    Given the popularity of feeding white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) in Texas and the increasing amount of corn that is distributed, more information is needed on the impacts of this activity on non-target wildlife. Our objectives were to report visitation, intra- and interspecific contact, and contact rates of wildlife at artificial feeding sites in Texas. Our study was conducted at three sites in Kleberg and Nueces counties, Texas. We trapped animals from February to April and August to September, 2009 and marked animals with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. At each site and season, we placed one feeder system containing a PIT tag reader within 600 m of trap locations. Readers detected PIT tags from a distance of 25 cm. We determined a contact event to occur when two different PIT tags were detected by feeder systems within 5 s. We recorded 62,719 passes by raccoons ( Procyon lotor), 103,512 passes by collared peccaries ( Pecari tajacu), 2,923 passes by feral swine ( Sus scrofa), 1,336 passes by fox squirrels ( Sciurus niger), and no passes by opossums ( Didelphis virginiana) at feeder systems. For site-season combinations in which contact events occurred, we found intraspecific contact rates (contacts per day) for raccoons, collared peccaries, and feral swine to be 0.81-124.77, 0.69-38.08, and 0.0-0.66, respectively. Throughout our study we distributed ~2,625 kg of whole kernel corn, which resulted in 6,351 contact events between marked wildlife (2.4 contacts per kg of corn). If 136 million kg of corn is distributed in Texas annually, we would expect >5.2 billion unnatural contact events between wildlife would result from this activity each year in Texas. Consequently, we do not believe that it is wise for natural resource managers to maintain artificial feeding sites for white-tailed deer or other wildlife due to pathogen transmission risks.

  18. Five Years of Women in Nuclear at Texas A&M University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dromgoole, L.

    2015-01-01

    Texas A&M University Women in Nuclear (WiN–TAMU) seeks to provide professional development opportunities for its members while also reaching out to the public both on the university campus and the surrounding local community. The purpose of this poster is to share best practices and learning experiences promoting the career development and education of women in nuclear-related fields acquired over five years of existence as a chapter. Since its reestablishment in 2010, WiN–TAMU has hosted events for women in disciplines related to nuclear technology, including presentations from experts in the nuclear field, Q&A sessions with nuclear engineering faculty, workshops on communicating technical issues about nuclear to the public, public screenings of nuclear films, technical tours of nuclear power plants, medical facilities and regulatory bodies, and socials to build camaraderie among members. WiN–TAMU collaborates with the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) by interacting with high school students in NPI’s POWER SET programmes. POWER SET (Powerful Opportunities forWomen Eager and Ready for Science, Engineering, and Technology) provides young women with the educational tools and support to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The POWER SET students also interact with members of WiN at Texas’s two nuclear power plants, Comanche Peak and South Texas Project. This tiered approach provides the students with the perspectives of WiN members at various stages in their education and careers. As of the end of the 2014 school year, 81% of the students self-identified that they will pursue STEM course of study (as opposed to the U.S. average of 15–17%). The POWER SET model has recently been implemented internationally in the Philippines with a new programme of 50 young women and is being considered for implementation at the Vienna International School as well. (author)

  19. PATIENT RADIATION DOSE FROM CHEST X-RAY EXAMINATIONS IN THE WEST BANK-PALESTINE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahham, Adnan; Issa, Ahlam; ALMasri, Hussein

    2018-02-01

    Radiation doses to patients resulting from chest X-ray examinations were evaluated in four medical centers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem-Palestine. Absorbed organ and effective doses were calculated for a total of 428 adult male and female patients by using commercially available Monte Carlo based softwares; CALDOSE-X5 and PCXMC-2.0, and hermaphrodite mathematical adult phantoms. Patients were selected randomly from medical records in the time period from November 2014 to February 2015. A database of surveyed patients and exposure factors has been established and includes: patient's height, weight, age, gender, X-ray tube voltage, electric current (mAs), examination projection (anterior posterior (AP), posterior anterior (PA), lateral), X-ray tube filtration thickness in each X-ray equipment, anode angle, focus to skin distance and X-ray beam size. The average absorbed doses in the whole body from different projections were: 0.06, 0.07 and 0.11 mGy from AP, PA and lateral projections, respectively. The average effective dose for all surveyed patients was 0.14 mSv for all chest X-ray examinations and projections in the four investigated medical centers. The effect of projection geometry was also investigated. The average effective doses for AP, PA and lateral projections were 0.14, 0.07 and 0.22 mSv, respectively. The collective effective dose estimated for the exposed population was ~60 man-mSv. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Texas Team: Academic Progression and IOM Toolkit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Helen; Tart, Kathryn; Tietze, Mari; Joseph, Nitha Mathew; Easley, Carson

    The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Future of Nursing report, identified eight recommendations for nursing to improve health care for all Americans. The Texas Team for Advancing Health Through Nursing embraced the challenge of implementing the recommendations through two diverse projects. One group conducted a broad, online survey of leadership, practice, and academia, focusing on the IOM recommendations. The other focused specifically on academic progression through the use of CABNET (Consortium for Advancing Baccalaureate Nursing Education in Texas) articulation agreements. The survey revealed a lack of knowledge and understanding of the IOM recommendations, prompting development of an online IOM toolkit. The articulation agreements provide a clear pathway for students to the RN-to-BSN degree students. The toolkit and articulation agreements provide rich resources for implementation of the IOM recommendations.

  1. Discharge between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, southern Gulf Coast, Texas, May-September 1999

    Science.gov (United States)

    East, Jeffery W.

    2001-01-01

    Along the Gulf Coast of Texas, many estuaries and bays are important habitat and nurseries for aquatic life. San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, located about 50 and 30 miles northeast, respectively, of Corpus Christi, are two important estuarine nurseries on the southern Gulf Coast of Texas (fig. 1). According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Almost 80 percent of the seagrasses [along the Texas Gulf Coast] are located in the Laguna Madre, an estuary that begins just south of Corpus Christi Bay and runs southward 140 miles to South Padre Island. Most of the remaining seagrasses, about 45,000 acres, are located in the heavily traveled San Antonio, Aransas and Corpus Christi Bay areas” (Shook, 2000).Population growth has led to greater demands on water supplies in Texas. The Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission have the cooperative task of determining inflows required to maintain the ecological health of the State’s streams, rivers, bays, and estuaries. To determine these inflow requirements, the three agencies collect data and conduct studies on the need for instream flows and freshwater/ saline water inflows to Texas estuaries.To assist in the determination of freshwater inflow requirements, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, conducted a hydrographic survey of discharge (flow) between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay during the period May–September 1999. Automated instrumentation and acoustic technology were used to maximize the amount and quality of data that were collected, while minimizing personnel requirements. This report documents the discharge measured at two sites between the bays during May–September 1999 and describes the influences of meteorologic (wind and tidal) and hydrologic (freshwater inflow) conditions on discharge between the two bays. The movement of water between the bays is

  2. Upper Cretaceous molluscan record along a transect from Virden, New Mexico, to Del Rio, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobban, W.A.; Hook, S.C.; McKinney, K.C.

    2008-01-01

    Updated age assignments and new collections of molluscan fossils from lower Cenomanian through upper Campanian strata in Texas permit a much refined biostratigraphic correlation with the rocks of New Mexico and the Western Interior. Generic names of many Late Cretaceous ammonites and inoceramid bivalves from Texas are updated to permit this correlation. Strata correlated in the west-to-east transect include the lower Cenomanian Beartooth Quartzite and Sarten Sandstone of southwest New Mexico, and the Eagle Mountains Formation, Del Rio Clay, Buda Limestone, and. basal beds of the Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations of the Texas-Mexico border area. Middle Cenomanian strata are lacking in southwestern New Mexico but are present in the lower parts of the Chispa Summit and Boquillas Formations in southwest Texas. Upper Cenomanian and lower Turonian rocks are present at many localities in New Mexico and Texas in the Mancos Shale and Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations. Middle Turonian and younger rocks seem to be entirely nonmarine in southwestern New Mexico, but they are marine in the Rio Grande area in the Chispa. Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations. The upper part of the Chispa Summit and Boquillas contain late Turonian fossils. Rocks of Coniacian and Santonian age are present high in the Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations, and in the lower part of the Austin. The San Carlos, Aguja, Pen, and Austin Formations contain fossils of Campanian age. Fossils representing at least 38 Upper Cretaceous ammonite zones are present along the transect. Collections made in recent years in southwestern New Mexico and at Sierra de Cristo Rey just west of downtown El Paso, Texas, have been well treated and do not need revision. Taxonomic names and zonations published in the pre-1970 literature on the Rio Grande area of Texas have been updated. New fossil collections from the Big Bend National Park, Texas, allow for a much refined correlation

  3. Public perceptions and information gaps in solar energy in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Varun; Beck, Ariane L.

    2015-07-01

    Studying the behavioral aspects of the individual decision-making process is important in identifying and addressing barriers in the adoption of residential solar photovoltaic (PV). However, there is little systematic research focusing on these aspects of residential PV in Texas, an important, large, populous state, with a range of challenges in the electricity sector including increasing demand, shrinking reserve margins, constrained water supply, and challenging emissions reduction targets under proposed federal regulations. This paper aims to address this gap through an empirical investigation of a new survey-based dataset collected in Texas on solar energy perceptions and behavior. The results of this analysis offer insights into the perceptions and motivations influencing intentions and behavior toward solar energy in a relatively untapped market and help identify information gaps that could be targeted to alleviate key barriers to adopting solar, thereby enabling significant emissions reductions in the residential sector in Texas.

  4. Preliminary environmental analysis of a geopressured-geothermal test well in Brazoria County, Texas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    White, W.A.; McGraw, M.; Gustavson, T.C.; Meriwether, J.

    1977-11-16

    Preliminary environmental data, including current land use, substrate lithology, soils, natural hazards, water resources, biological assemblages, meteorological data, and regulatory considerations have been collected and analyzed for approximately 150 km/sup 2/ of land near Chocolate Bayou, Brazoria County, Texas, in which a geopressured-geothermal test well is to be drilled in the fall of 1977. The study was designed to establish an environmental data base and to determine, within spatial constraints set by subsurface reservoir conditions, environmentally suitable sites for the proposed well. Preliminary analyses of data revealed the eed for focusing on the following areas: potential for subsidence and fault activation, susceptibility of test well and support facilities to fresh- and salt-water flooding, possible effects of produced saline waters on biological assemblages and groundwaer resources, distribution of expansive soils, and effect of drilling and associated support activities on known archeological-cultural resources.

  5. Phosphine Exposure Among Emergency Responders - Amarillo, Texas, January 2017.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Emily M; Patel, Ketki; Victory, Kerton R; Calvert, Geoffrey M; Nogueira, Leticia M; Bojes, Heidi K

    2018-04-06

    Phosphine is a highly toxic gas that forms when aluminum phosphide, a restricted-use pesticide* typically used in agricultural settings, reacts with water. Acute exposure can lead to a wide range of respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal symptoms, and can be fatal (1). On January 2, 2017, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) was notified by the Texas Panhandle Poison Center of an acute phosphine exposure incident in Amarillo, Texas. DSHS investigated potential occupational phosphine exposures among the 51 on-scene emergency responders; 40 (78.4%) did not use respiratory protection during response operations. Fifteen (37.5%) of these 40 responders received medical care for symptoms or as a precaution after the incident, and seven (17.5%) reported new or worsening symptoms consistent with phosphine exposure within 24 hours of the incident. Emergency response organizations should ensure that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is used during all incidents when an unknown hazardous substance is suspected. Additional evaluation is needed to identify targeted interventions that increase emergency responder PPE use during this type of incident.

  6. Urban gas drilling and distance ordinances in the Texas Barnett Shale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fry, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    Newly accessible shale deposits and other unconventional sources of natural gas have dramatically increased global gas reserves and are regarded as major future energy sources. Shale gas drilling began in Texas and is expanding throughout the U.S. and globally. In Texas and other regions, large population centers overlie these deposits. As a result, city residents increasingly come into contact with extraction activities. The proximity of drilling activities to residential areas raises a number of concerns, including noise, dust and emissions hazards, public safety, diminished quality of life, and effects on neighborhood aesthetics and property values. Cities in Texas address these concerns through setback ordinances that regulate the distance between gas wells and residences, schools, floodplains, etc. Although the state of Texas permits drilling 200 ft (61 m) from residences, many municipalities in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW) have established longer setback distances. This paper analyzes the purpose and basis for setback distances among 26 municipalities in DFW. Findings show that there is no uniform setback distance, distances have increased over time, and, rather than technically-based, setbacks are political compromises. For policy makers confronted with urban shale gas drilling, deriving setback distances from advanced emissions monitoring could decrease setback distance ambiguity. -- Highlights: •Urban shale gas drilling is expanding across the globe. •Municipal distance regulations address many concerns associated with urban drilling. •In Texas, setbacks have no empirical basis, but are political compromises. •Advanced monitoring methods could be used to standardize setback distances

  7. "Fisher v. Texas": Strictly Disappointing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieli, Russell K.

    2013-01-01

    Russell K. Nieli writes in this opinion paper that as far as the ability of state colleges and universities to use race as a criteria for admission goes, "Fisher v. Texas" was a big disappointment, and failed in the most basic way. Nieli states that although some affirmative action opponents have tried to put a more positive spin on the…

  8. 75 FR 18061 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Texas; Control of Air Pollution...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-09

    ...The EPA is approving revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP). We are approving revisions to Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 114, which the State submitted on May 15, 2006, October 10, 2006, January 17, 2008, and February 28, 2008. These revisions establish the Rebate Grant Process and the Texas Clean School Bus Program, amend the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), and amend the Locally Enforced Motor Vehicle Idling Limitations. The EPA is approving these revisions pursuant to section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

  9. Evaluation of implementation of municipal roads’ maintenance plans in Palestine: A pilot case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amjad Issa

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The recent preparation of the Operation and Maintenance (O&M Manual for Palestinian municipalities is an important step to guide them towards preparing and implementing their O&M priority-based plans, considering scare resources. During the course of preparation of the Manual, the proposed procedures were applied at ten pilot municipalities. This study aims to explore the outcome of the implementation of the 2014 O&M road maintenance plans at these municipalities. To achieve this, analysis of the outcome of a questionnaire designed to collect relevant information from these municipalities was conducted. The results show that seven of the targeted municipalities used the prioritization criteria proposed in the O&M Manual. Despite that the remaining municipalities had the liberty to slightly change the relative weight of the indicators, sensitivity analysis was conducted and indicated robustness of the indicators. The average percentage of roads’ lengths of the actually maintained to the planned was 35%, suggesting that the plans were ambitious and need to be more rational. Most of the allocated funds for road maintenance came from the municipalities own budgets, indicating need to have more financing by the government to ensure the integrity of the municipal road infrastructure assets. The results also indicated that 95% of the maintenance works were executed through external contracts, and that the municipalities need to be supported and equipped to conduct the basic road maintenance works. Keywords: Road maintenance plans, Maintenance prioritization, Municipal roads’ maintenance, Maintenance plans evaluation, Palestine

  10. Value of information analysis for groundwater quality monitoring network design Case study: Eocene Aquifer, Palestine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khader, A.; McKee, M.

    2010-12-01

    Value of information (VOI) analysis evaluates the benefit of collecting additional information to reduce or eliminate uncertainty in a specific decision-making context. It makes explicit any expected potential losses from errors in decision making due to uncertainty and identifies the “best” information collection strategy as one that leads to the greatest expected net benefit to the decision-maker. This study investigates the willingness to pay for groundwater quality monitoring in the Eocene Aquifer, Palestine, which is an unconfined aquifer located in the northern part of the West Bank. The aquifer is being used by 128,000 Palestinians to fulfill domestic and agricultural demands. The study takes into account the consequences of pollution and the options the decision maker might face. Since nitrate is the major pollutant in the aquifer, the consequences of nitrate pollution were analyzed, which mainly consists of the possibility of methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). In this case, the value of monitoring was compared to the costs of treating for methemoglobinemia or the costs of other options like water treatment, using bottled water or importing water from outside the aquifer. And finally, an optimal monitoring network that takes into account the uncertainties in recharge (climate), aquifer properties (hydraulic conductivity), pollutant chemical reaction (decay factor), and the value of monitoring is designed by utilizing a sparse Bayesian modeling algorithm called a relevance vector machine.

  11. Exploratory study : vehicle mileage fees in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    This project evaluates Vehicle Mileage (VM) fees as a possible funding mechanism for meeting the State of Texas : long-term transportation needs. Researchers conducted listening sessions with the general public and stakeholders to : gather input o...

  12. Atlas of depth-duration frequency of precipitation annual maxima for Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asquith, William H.; Roussel, Meghan C.

    2004-01-01

    The objective of this Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperatively funded project was to develop a simple-to-use atlas of precipitation depths in Texas for selected storm durations and frequencies on the basis of the research results and unpublished digital archives of Asquith (1998). The selected storm durations are 15 and 30 minutes; 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 hours; and 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. The selected storm frequencies or annual recurrence intervals are 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 years. Depth-duration frequency (DDF) of annual precipitation maxima is important for cost-effective, risk-mitigated hydrologic design. DDF values are in common and wide-spread use by public and private entities throughout Texas.

  13. Potential of sustainable biomass production systems in Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanderson, M.A.; Hussey, M.A.; Wiselogel, A.E.

    1992-01-01

    Biomass production for liquid fuels feedstock from systems based on warm-season perennial grasses (WSPG) offers a sustainable alternative for forage-livestock producers in Texas. Such systems also would enhance diversity and flexibility in current production systems. Research is needed to incorporate biomass production for liquid fuels, chemicals, and electrical power into current forage-livestock management systems. Our research objectives were to (i) document the potential of several WSPG in diverse Texas environments for biomass feedstock production, (ii) conduct fundamental research on morphological development of WSPG to enhance management for biomass feedstock production, (iii) examine current on-farm production systems for opportunities to incorporate biomass production, and (iv) determine feedstock quality and stability during storage

  14. Residential Segregation in Texas in 1980.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Sean-Shong; Murdock, Steve H.

    1982-01-01

    Between 1970 and 1980 racial and ethnic segregation for major Texas cities declined for all groups, but declines were small between Anglo and Spanish groups. Segregation is unaffected by variation in size of city, percent of population that is Spanish or Black, or central city status. (Author/AM)

  15. Zero-Based Budgeting: The Texas Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, William L.

    1982-01-01

    Zero-based budgeting was instituted in all Texas state-funded agencies in 1975-76, including colleges. The first two years of using this procedure are reviewed and its applicability to higher education institutions is examined in light of the need to consider educational quality as well as costs. (MSE)

  16. Wound center facility billing: A retrospective analysis of time, wound size, and acuity scoring for determining facility level of service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fife, Caroline E; Walker, David; Farrow, Wade; Otto, Gordon

    2007-01-01

    Outpatient wound center facility reimbursement for Medicare beneficiaries can be a challenge to determine and obtain. To compare methods of calculating facility service levels for outpatient wound centers and to demonstrate the advantages of an acuity-based billing system (one that incorporates components of facility work that is non-reimbursable by procedure codes and that represents an activity-based costing approach to medical billing), a retrospective study of 5,098 patient encounters contained in a wound care-specific electronic medical record database was conducted. Approximately 500 patient visits to the outpatient wound center of a Texas regional hospital between April 2003 and November 2004 were categorized by service level in documentation and facility management software. Visits previously billed using a time-based system were compared to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' proposed three-tiered wound size-based system. The time-based system also was compared to an acuity-based scoring system. The Pearson correlation coefficient between billed level of service by time and estimated level of service by acuity was 0.442 and the majority of follow-up visits were billed as Level 3 and above (on a time level of 1 to 5) , confirming that time is not a surrogate for actual work performed. Wound size also was found to be unrelated to service level (Pearson correlation = 0.017) and 97% of wound areas were billings than extremes; no other method produced this distribution. Hospital-based outpatient wound centers should develop, review, and refine acuity score-based models on which to determine billed level of service.

  17. Texas Student Success Council: Finding Common Ground to Increase Community College Completion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Michael Lawrence

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, a prominent Texas business group erected provocative billboards condemning low completion rates at the state's community colleges and questioning the value of tax dollars spent there. The Texas Association of Business put up the signs to prod community colleges to do more to increase student success and help create a better educated…

  18. Hydrologic data for North Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1978

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidwell, C.C.

    1980-01-01

    The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood- and soil-erosion reducing structures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service has found that approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures would be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1978, 1,786 of these structures had been built.

  19. Interim status of the Texas uranium survey experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jupiter, C.; Wollenberg, H.

    1974-01-01

    The objective of the Texas uranium survey experiment is to evaluate an improved method for prospecting for uranium by determining correlations among (a) geologic analysis, (b) soil sample radiochemical analysis, (c) aerial radiometric data, (d) aerial infrared scans, and (e) aerophotographic data. Although aerial radiometric measurements have been used previously in mineral prospecting, the development of useful correlative techniques based on analysis of data from large terrestrial areas employing the five parameters (a through e, above) remains to be evaluated, and could be of significant value to the need for establishing uranium resource pools to meet the nation's energy crisis. The Texas uranium survey field experiment began on June 13, 1973, employing a Martin-404 aircraft to fly gamma-ray recording equipment at a 500-ft altitude over two areas in southeast Texas. The areas surveyed are referred to as the Dubose area (approximately 120 sq. miles) and the Clay West area (approximately 24 sq. miles). This document briefly summarizes the work which has been done, describes the kind and quality of calibrations and data analysis carried out thus far and outlines recommended additional work which would bring the experiment to some degree of completion, providing a basis for evaluating the techniques

  20. Development and Application of Improved Long-Term Datasets of Surface Hydrology for Texas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyungtae Lee

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Freshwater availability and agricultural production are key factors for sustaining the fast growing population and economy in the state of Texas, which is the third largest state in terms of agricultural production in the United States. This paper describes a long-term (1918–2011 grid-based (1/8° surface hydrological dataset for Texas at a daily time step based on simulations from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC hydrological model. The model was calibrated and validated against observed streamflow over 10 Texas river basins. The simulated soil moisture was also evaluated using in situ observations. Results suggest that there is a decreasing trend in precipitation and an increasing trend in temperature in most of the basins. Droughts and floods were reconstructed and analyzed. In particular, the spatially distributed severity and duration of major Texas droughts were compared to identify new characteristics. The modeled flood recurrence interval and the return period were also compared with observations. Results suggest the performance of extreme flood simulations needs further improvement. This dataset is expected to serve as a benchmark which may contribute to water resources management and to mitigating agricultural drought, especially in the context of understanding the effects of climate change on crop yield in Texas.

  1. Environmental considerations. Environmental impacts of uranium mining in South Texas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kallus, M.F.

    1977-01-01

    Recent investigations of uranium mining and milling activities in the Grants Mineral Belt of New Mexico revealed serious environmental problems associated with these activities. An investigation was undertaken in the South Texas Uranium Belt to determine whether or not similar or other environmental problems existed. The study describes: (1) the history of uranium mining and milling in South Texas, (2) the area economy and demography, (3) the occurrence of uranium ore and (4) the regulatory aspects of uranium mining and milling in South Texas. The commercial recovery and processing of uranium in this area is described in some detail. Exploration, open pit mining, in-situ solution mining and processing techniques for ''yellowcake'' (U 3 O 8 ), the uranium product of the area, are discussed. The state and federal regulations pertinent to uranium mining and milling are summarized. Finally, the environmental effects of these activities are discussed and conclusions and recommendations are drawn

  2. Texas' Influence over Textbook Content Could Shift with Changes in the Market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robelen, Erik W.

    2010-01-01

    As the Texas board of education prepares to adopt controversial new standards for social studies in May, many observers and news outlets have emphasized that the action may have ripple effects that reach classrooms far beyond the Lone Star State. Yet the extent of Texas' reach is a matter of debate, and recent legislation opens up new sources of…

  3. School Consolidation Impact on State and Local Revenues and Expenditures in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Marvin

    2011-01-01

    This study examined financial aspects of the consolidation or annexation of 12 pairs of school districts in Texas during the period 1996-2006. Nine of the twelve districts consolidated by mutual agreement of the two school boards and three annexations were by order of the Commissioner of Education of Texas. Financial criteria studied were: (a) per…

  4. Missing Pages from the Human Story: World History According to Texas Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noboa, Julio

    2012-01-01

    For more than a decade, the world history course taught in the public high schools of Texas has provided the only comprehensive overview of the story of humanity to millions of students, most of whom are of Mexican descent. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum standard for world history has been foundational for textbook selection,…

  5. Noise measurements of highway pavements in Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-10-01

    This report presents the results of noise testing performed on Texas pavements between May of 2006 and the : summer of 2008. Two field test methodologies were used: roadside noise measurement with SPL meters and onvehicle : sound intensity measuremen...

  6. Notes from the Field: Zika Virus-Associated Neonatal Birth Defects Surveillance - Texas, January 2016-July 2017.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Noemi Borsay; Broussard, Kelly; Evert, Nicole; Canfield, Mark

    2017-08-11

    On November 28, 2016, the Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas DSHS) reported its first confirmed case of local mosquitoborne Zika virus transmission in the city of Brownsville, located in south Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Zika virus infection during pregnancy has been linked to adverse congenital outcomes including microcephaly, neural tube defects, early brain malformations, structural eye abnormalities, congenital deafness, and limb contractures (1). On January 1, 2016, Texas DSHS established enhanced surveillance to identify women with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy and suspected cases of Zika virus-associated birth defects among completed pregnancies.

  7. Relationship between Leadership Behaviors of High School Principals and Teacher Retention in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Debra L.

    2010-01-01

    The study investigated the relationship between leadership behaviors of high school principals and teacher retention in Texas. A total of 88 Texas high school principals participated in the survey. Leadership behaviors were measured using the Culturally Adapted Leadership for Inspired Business Excellence and Results (CALIBER) Leadership Assessment…

  8. Microbial water quality of coastal recreational water in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAZEN T. ABUALTAYEF

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Abualtayef MT, Abd Rabou AN, Abu Foul AA, Ghabayen SM, Elsinwar HM. 2014. Microbial water quality of coastal recreational water in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Nusantara Bioscience 6: 26-32. Wastewater disposal into the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza Strip has many negative effects, whether on the environment or on human health, thus microbiological analysis of seawater samples was carried out. The microbial analysis was confined on two types of fecal indicators (fecal coliform and fecal streptococci, in addition to a single type of bacteria (pseudomonas. This study was conducted between the beginning of July 2012 to the mid of October 2012 over an area extended from the proposed Khan Younis fishing port to Gaza fishing port, with a length of about 23 km. The study area was divided into five zones. The samples were collected in two rounds: the first round included 75 samples that collected along the study area during the summer season. The second round included 19 samples that collected in the autumn season to compare it with their counterparts that have been collected in the summer season. Laboratory analysis showed the presence of contamination in many of these samples. The results also showed that the pollution was concentrated in and surrounding the mouths of wastewater outfalls. Depending on the microbial analyses, which have been collected in the first round, the fecal coliform appeared in 61% of the samples, while fecal streptococci appeared in all samples and pseudomonas appeared in 33% of the samples. The pollutants were widespread along the study area, which are the result mainly from wastewater discharge into the sea. A risk analysis was done for season variations using the second moment method; in general, it was found that risk in both seasons was high especially in summer.

  9. Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Escondido Creek, San Antonio River basin, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, D.R.

    1971-01-01

    following objectives:To determine the net effect of floodwater-retarding structures on the regimen of streamflow at downstream points.To determine the effectiveness of the structures as ground-water recharge facilities.To determine the effect of the structures on the sediment yield at downstream points.To develop relationships between maximum rates and/or volumes of runoff with rainfall in small natural watersheds.To develop a stream-system model for basins with floodwater-retarding structures.To determine the minimum instrumentation necessary for estimating the flood hydrographs below a system of structures, as needed for downstream water-management operation.Purpose and Scope of this Basic-Data ReportThis report, which is the tenth in a series of basic-data reports published annually for the Escondido Creek study area, contains the rainfall, runoff, and storage data collected during the 1970 water year for the 72.4-square-mile area above the stream-gaging station Escondido Creek at Kenedy, Texas. The location of floodwater-retarding structures and hydrologic-instrument installations in the Escondido Creek study area are shown on figure 2.This investigation is scheduled to continue through a period of both above- and below-normal precipitation to define the various factors used in the analyses of rainfall-runoff relationship.To facilitate the publication and distribution of this report at the earliest feasible time, certain material contained herein does not conform to the formal publication standards of the U.S. Geological Survey.

  10. 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 ...

  11. Botulism associated with commercially canned chili sauce--Texas and Indiana, July 2007.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-08-03

    On July 7 and July 11, 2007, public health officials in Texas and Indiana, respectively, reported to CDC four suspected cases of foodborne botulism, two in each state. Investigations conducted by state and local health departments revealed that all four patients had eaten brands of Castleberry's hot dog chili sauce before illness began. Botulinum toxin type A was detected in the serum of one Indiana patient and in a leftover chili mixture obtained from his home. CDC informed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the apparent link between illness and consumption of the chili sauce. On July 18, FDA issued a consumer advisory, and the manufacturer, Castleberry's Food Company (Augusta, Georgia), subsequently recalled the implicated brand and several other products produced in the same set of retorts (commercial-scale pressure cookers for processing canned foods) at the same canning facility. Examination of the canning facility in Georgia during the outbreak investigation had identified deficiencies in the canning process. On July 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a press release that announced a recall of chili and certain meat products from the Castleberry canning facility and provided recommendations to consumers. That recall was expanded on July 21 to include additional canned products. A fifth case of botulism potentially linked to one of the recalled products is under investigation in California. This report describes the ongoing investigation by members of OutbreakNet and others and the measures undertaken to control the outbreak, which is the first outbreak of foodborne botulism in the United States associated with a commercial canning facility in approximately 30 years. Clinicians should be vigilant for symptoms of botulism, including symmetric cranial nerve palsies, especially if accompanied by descending flaccid paralysis. Consumers should not eat any of the recalled chili sauce or other recalled

  12. Harvest timing and techniques to optimize fiber quality in the Texas High Plains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Production conditions typical to the Texas High Plains region can produce cotton crops with high short fiber and nep content, both of which have a detrimental impact on ring spinning performance. Since Texas now produces nearly 50% of the US cotton crop annually, it is critical that research focuses...

  13. Teenage Pregnancy in the Texas Panhandle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvez-Myles, Rosa; Myles, Thomas D.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: This study compares rural and small-city teenage and adult pregnancies, with respect to complication rates and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Chart review of Medicaid patients (513 teenage [under 20 years] and 174 adult controls [ages 25-34]) delivered (excluding multiple gestation) in Amarillo, Texas, from January 1999 to April 2001.…

  14. Oxidation-reduction processes in ground water at Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Dallas, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, S.A.; Braun, Christopher L.; Lee, Roger W.

    2003-01-01

    Concentrations of trichloroethene in ground water at the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Dallas, Texas, indicate three source areas of chlorinated solvents?building 1, building 6, and an off-site source west of the facility. The presence of daughter products of reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene, which were not used at the facility, south and southwest of the source areas are evidence that reductive dechlorination is occurring. In places south of the source areas, dissolved oxygen concentrations indicated that reduction of oxygen could be the dominant process, particularly south of building 6; but elevated dissolved oxygen concentrations south of building 6 might be caused by a leaking water or sewer pipe. The nitrite data indicate that denitrification is occurring in places; however, dissolved hydrogen concentrations indicate that iron reduction is the dominant process south of building 6. The distributions of ferrous iron indicate that iron reduction is occurring in places south-southwest of buildings 6 and 1; dissolved hydrogen concentrations generally support the interpretation that iron reduction is the dominant process in those places. The generally low concentrations of sulfide indicate that sulfate reduction is not a key process in most sampled areas, an interpretation that is supported by dissolved hydrogen concentrations. Ferrous iron and dissolved hydrogen concentrations indicate that ferric iron reduction is the primary oxidation-reduction process. Application of mean first-order decay rates in iron-reducing conditions for trichloroethene, dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride yielded half-lives for those solvents of 231, 347, and 2.67 days, respectively. Decay rates, and thus half-lives, at the facility are expected to be similar to those computed. A weighted scoring method to indicate sites where reductive dechlorination might be likely to occur indicated strong evidence for anaerobic biodegradation of chlorinated solvents at six sites

  15. Reflections on the Texas Youth Evaluation Project and Implications for the Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Kenneth H.

    2010-01-01

    The passage of Senate Bill 530 in June 2007 increased visibility about the importance of health-related fitness in Texas. As a result of the mandate, more than 2.6 million 3rd- through 12th-grade students from all Texas counties were evaluated between January 1, 2008, and June 1, 2008, using a standardized test of health-related physical fitness…

  16. High energy physics program at Texas A ampersand M University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-10-01

    The Texas A ampersand M high energy physics program has achieved significant mile-stones in each of its research initiatives. We are participating in two major operating experiments, CDF and MACRO; the development of two new detector technologies, liquid scintillating fiber calorimetry and knife-edge chambers; and two SSC detector proposals, SDC and TEXAS/EMPACT. We have developed prototypes of a liquid-scintillator fiber calorimeter system, in which internally reflecting channels are imbedded in a lead matrix and filled with liquid scintillator. This approach combines the performance features of fiber calorimetry and the radiation hardness of liquid scintillator, and is being developed for forward calorimetry in TEXAS/EMPACT. A new element in this program is the inclusion of a theoretical high energy physics research program being carried out by D. Nanopoulos and C. Pope. D. Nanopoulos has succeeded in building a string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. The impact of this work on string phenomenology certainly has far reaching consequences. C. Pope is currently working on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two- dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity, and W-string theory. The following report presents details of the accomplishments of the Texas A ampersand M program over the past year and the proposed plan of research for the coming year

  17. Initial Results from the New Stress Map of Texas Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lund Snee, J. E.; Zoback, M. D.

    2015-12-01

    Modern techniques for characterizing tectonic stress orientation and relative magnitude have been successfully used for more than 35 years. Nevertheless, large areas of North America lack high spatial resolution maps of stress orientation, magnitude, and faulting regime. In Texas, for example, data are foundational elements of attempts to characterize tectonic driving forces, understand hazards associated with induced seismicity, and optimize production of oil, gas, and geothermal resources. This year, we launched the Texas Stress Map project to characterize tectonic stress patterns at higher spatial resolution across Texas and nearby areas. Following a successful effort just completed in Oklahoma, we will evaluate borehole breakouts, drilling-induced tensile fractures, shear wave anisotropy, and earthquake data. The principal data source will be FMI (fullbore formation microimager), UBI (ultrasonic borehole imager), cross-dipole sonic, density, and caliper logs provided by private industry. Earthquake moment tensor solutions from the U.S. Geological Survey, Saint Louis University and other sources will also be used. Our initial focus is on the Permian Basin and Barnett Shale petroleum plays due to the availability of data, but we will expand our analysis across the state as the project progresses. In addition, we hope to eventually apply the higher spatial resolution data coverage to understanding tectonic and geodynamic characteristics of the southwestern United States and northeastern Mexico. Here we present early results from our work to constrain stress orientations and faulting regime in and near Texas, and we also provide a roadmap for the ongoing research.

  18. Top 10% Admissions in the Borderlands: Access and Success of Borderland Top Students at Texas Public Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, Cristóbal

    2016-01-01

    This study focuses on Texas Borderland students admitted through the Texas Top 10% admissions policy, which assumes that Top 10% students are college ready for any public university and provides Top 10% high school graduates automatic admission to any 4-year public university in Texas. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, results…

  19. Isotope identification as a part of the decommissioning of San Diego State University's Texas Nuclear neutron generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, D.

    1997-07-01

    The Department of Physics at San Diego State University has maintained a Neutron Generator facility in room P-32C since the mid 1960's. This facility has provided students and faculty with a resource for the study of neutron interactions with matter, such as activation analysis, flux determinations, cross section determinations and shielding studies. The model 9500 was built by Texas Nuclear Research in the early 1960's, and could be used for either photon or neutron generation, depending on the source ions introduced into the accelerator's plasma bottle and the target material. In February of 1988, the Texas Nuclear Research neutron generator was replaced by a unit manufactured by Kaman Sciences Corporation. The Texas Nuclear unit was then removed and stored for later disassembly and disposal. In the summer of 1993, the neutron generator was disassembled into three large sections consisting of the titanium-tritide target, the oil diffusion pump and the corona shield/accelerator tube assembly. The target was packaged and stored in room P-33A and the other 2 assemblies were wrapped in plastic for storage. In June of 1995 the neutron generator was further disassembled to enable storage in 55 gallon drums and thoroughly surveyed for loose surface contamination. Openings on the disassembled hardware components were closed off using either duct tape or bolted stainless steel flanges to prevent the possible spread of contamination. Significant levels of removable surface contamination could be found on system internal and some external surfaces, up to five hundred thousand disintegrations per minute. Initial analysis of the removable contamination using aluminum absorbers and a Geiger-Meuller tube indicated beta particle or possibly photon emitters with an energy of approximately 180 keV. This apparent radiation energy conflicted with what one would be expected to find, given knowledge of the source material and the possible neutron activated products that would be

  20. A new species of Elasmia Möschler from New Mexico and Texas, and a new subspecies of Elasmia mandela (Druce) from Texas and Oklahoma (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae, Nystaleinae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzler, Eric H; Knudson, Edward C

    2011-01-01

    Hippia packardii (Morrison) and Hippia insularis (Grote) are moved to the genus Elasmia Möschler as comb. n.Elasmia cave Metzler,sp. n. is described from New Mexico and Texas, and Elasmia mandela santaana Metzler & Knudson,ssp. n. is described from Texas and Oklahoma. A key to the species of Elasmia of southwestern U.S. is provided. Adult male and female moths of Elasmia from southwestern U.S. and their genitalia are illustrated.