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"We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the governmental activities and major fund of the Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority (Authority), as of and for the year ended June 30, 2021, and the related notes to the financial statements, which collectively comprise the Authority’s basic financial statements as listed in the table of contents."

[cat] Aquest article és una aproximació a l’essència de la Fundació Triangle Jove. Entenent que la seva tasca és diversa, s’ha exemplificat una de les línies d’acció: la Trobada Triangle Jove. Un espai divers, inclusiu i respectuós, que aglutina cada any joventuts de territoris diversos (Catalunya, Illes Balears i País Valencià). Aquest darrer encontre va tractar-se des de quatre perspectives diferents: el moviment ecofeminista, els models de producció i consum, la sostenibilitat a les entitats i la defensa del territori. I es va desenvolupar mitjançant tallers i ponències, on va haver-hi presència i participació d’entitats d’àmbits diferents: del lleure, socioeducatives, d’àmbit polític i de l’educació no formal. Aquesta diversitat de realitats i procedències fa d’aquesta trobada un espai especial, on el diàleg, els debats i les reflexions es troben molt presents, on les joventuts són les protagonistes, com a agents de decisió i de canvi., [spa] de la Fundación Triangle Jove. Entendiendo que su tarea es diversa, se ha ejemplificado una de sus líneas de acción: el encuentro Triangle Jove. Un espacio diverso, inclusivo y respetuoso que aglutina cada año a juventudes de varios territorios (Cataluña, Islas Baleares y País Valenciano). Este último encuentro se trató desde cuatro perspectivas diferentes: el movimiento ecofeminista; los modelos de producción y consumo; la sostenibilidad a las entidades y la defensa del territorio. Desarrollándose mediante talleres y ponencias donde hubo presencia y participación de entidades de ámbitos diferentes: ocio, socioeducativas, ámbito político y de la educación no formal. Esta diversidad de realidades y procedencias hace de este encuentro un espacio especial donde el diálogo, los debates y las reflexiones se encuentran muy presentes, donde las juventudes son las protagonistas, como agentes de decisión y agentes de cambio.

[CASTELLÀ] En el proyecto que se presenta a continuación, se procedió a buscar un diseño funcional a los expositores de la empresa Triangle Postals SL dado los problemas de estabilidad y poca versatilidad que presentaban los diseños utilizados hasta el momento. Para abarcar este problema, se optó en buscar posibles soluciones a los problemas expuestos mediante herramientas como el “Brainstorming” o “Mindmap”. Una vez tenido ya las posibles ideas que hagan frente al problema expuesto ya se pudo realizar los primeros bocetos que posiblemente puedan resolver las carencias de los expositores citadas anteriormente. Mediante un análisis riguroso se procedió a analizar las ventajas e inconvenientes de estos nuevos diseños. Una vez elegido el diseño se procedió a buscar materiales que puedan adaptarse a este último. La elección del material implicó también realizar unos cálculos previos con el fin de ver si estas aguantaban las fuerzas a la que estaba solicitada el nuevo diseño. Los primeros cálculos realizados no fueron del todo satisfactorios por lo que se volvió a diseñar aquellos elementos que se encontraban en una situación límite. Una vez realizado el rediseño de los elementos se decidió en repetir los cálculos de resistencia en donde esta vez se confirmó la fiabilidad y funcionalidad ante las fuerzas que solicitaban al diseño. Acabada esta fase, había que buscar un logo y una marca que represente a este diseño por lo que se estudió una baraja de posibles candidatos para ocupar este sito. El criterio para esta elección se basó en que el candidato final debería transmitir todo aquello que represente Barcelona, sin dejar de lado el tema turístico. Ya con el logo y marca del diseño se tuvo que pedir presupuestos a diferentes empresas con el fin de tener una idea de cuánto puede llegar a costar fabricar el diseño del expositor. La mayoría de las empresas especializadas en el sector de la fabricación de estructuras no atendieron a nuestra petición dado a que no disponían d, [ANGLÈS] In the project presented below, we proceeded to look for a functional design for the exhibitors of the company Triangle Postals SL given the problems of stability and versatility that the designs presented so far. To cover this problem, we opted for looking for different solutions to the problems exposed through tools such like Brainstorming or Mind Map. Once we have found the ideas that would help us we could make our first sketches that could possibly solve the shortcomings of the exhibitors mentioned above. Through a rigorous analysis we proceeded to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of these new designs. Once the design was chosen, we proceeded to look for materials that could adapt. The choice of material also involved performing some preliminary calculations in order to see if they were able to withstand the forces to which the new design was requested. The first calculations made were not entirely satisfactory, so those elements that were in a limit situation were redesigned.When the redesign of the elements was done, we decided to repeat the resistance where this time the reliability and functionality was confirmed before the forces that requested the design. Once this phase was finished, we had to look for a logo and a brand that represented this design, so we studied a lot of possible candidates to occupy this site. The criteria for this election was based on the fact that the final candidate should transmit everything that represented Barcelona, without neglecting the tourist issue.Already with the logo and brand design we had to ask for budgets from different companies in order to have an idea of how much it could cost to manufacture the design of the exhibitor. Most of the companies who are specialized in the sector of the manufacture of structures did not reply to our request because they didn’t have enough time and also because the prices were for a university project, however, other companies gave us orientative prices which already c

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two Web-based brief interventions (BIs) for reducing stress and substance use among post-deployment active duty and National Guard military personnel. The interventions are designed to (1) educate personnel about the use of substances as a poor coping mechanism for combat and operational stress reactions (COSRs) and (2) boost resilience to COSRs, thereby reducing the tendency to self-medicate through substance use. These data are vital to understanding additional steps the military might take in addressing issues of behavioral health, such as developing new, more broadly focused treatment interventions, and starting additional prevention approaches and programs. Volunteers will complete a brief Web assessment for alcohol use and current stress reactions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: Wait-list control, Stress BI, or Stress plus Substance Use BI. A Web-based intervention provides a private and convenient approach and should facilitate access to care by reducing the stigma and common barriers associated with seeking treatment., The original document contains color images.

Among a broad range of scientific and technological discoveries resulting directly from the NMP program, a number of these stand out as particularly compelling and ground-breaking. These are highlighted, below. 1. The NMP project achieved 26% efficient, 3-stage cascade with advanced materials from NMP, in addition to optimization of thermoelectric leg area-to-length ratios. Results were validated and shown to be reproducible. 2. A major breakthrough in TE solid-state heat-to-electric conversion. 3. Expected to have a significant impact on DoD portable power, energy efficiency leading to less demand on fuel supply logistics, electric ships, quiet submarines, electric aircrafts, etc.; equally important for non-DoD applications in automotives to industrial platforms. 4. delta-doped n-type thin-film Bi2Te3-xSex superlattices were shown to exhibit a high-ZT 2 at 300K 5. Device development leveraged low-resistivity contacts and thicker films from DARPA Active Cooling Module program 6. Improved Power Factor and ZT in n-type GaSb/InAs SL mid-temp thin-films 7. Large ZT in p-type PbTe/GeTe SL mid-temperature films 8. ZT 1.7 was established in p-type and n-type nano-Bi2Te3 bulk; breakthrough TEM results and materials characterization 9. Highest ZT ever reported in p-type Bi2Te3 manuscript has been accepted for publication in Nature Nanotechnology.

Over the course of the last year, the study team received IRB approval and began recruiting participants from the remaining study site, Ft. Bragg, and continued recruitment at the other five study sites (Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Campbell, Ft. Carson, and Ft. Stewart). As of August 31, 2013, 1,320 total referrals across the six sites had been received; 666 participants had been enrolled and randomized into the study (332 participants into the STEPS UP arm; 334 participants into the optimized usual care arm); 556 participants completed the 3-month follow-up assessment; 418 participants completed the 6-month follow-up; and 181 participants completed the 12-month follow-up. At the end of June 2013 we stopped recruitment at five sites (JBLM, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Carson, Ft. Stewart, and Ft. Bragg), and stopped recruitment at Ft. Campbell at the end of July 2013. Multiple amendments have been approved by the WRNMMC IRB, including allowing for reimbursement for trial participation and offering multiple methods for collecting follow-up data. The study intervention has been refined; we continue site personnel training and coaching in the intervention and study procedures as well., The original document contains color images.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two Web-based brief interventions (BIs) for reducing stress and substance use among post-deployment active duty and National Guard military personnel. The interventions are designed to (1) educate personnel about the use of substances as a poor coping mechanism for combat and operational stress reactions (COSRs) and (2) boost resilience to COSRs, thereby reducing the tendency to self-medicate through substance use. These data are vital to understanding additional steps the military might take in addressing issues of behavioral health, such as developing new, more broadly focused treatment interventions, and starting additional prevention approaches and programs. Volunteers will complete a brief Web assessment for alcohol use and current stress reactions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: Wait-list control, Stress brief intervention, or Stress plus Substance Use brief intervention. A Web-based intervention provides a private and convenient approach and should facilitate access to care by reducing the stigma and common barriers associated with seeking treatment., The original document contains color images.

Work focused on four major activities during the first study year. First, IRB and human subjects approval were obtained from the NHRC, RTI, and USAMRMC. Second, an exhaustive literature review was conducted resulting in the identification and subsequent acquisition of more than three thousand journal articles relevant to the socio-ecological framework for the study of the factors correlated with violence perpetration by active duty and reserve service members; work began to draft a journal manuscript summarizing the current state of knowledge and describing our framework. Second, construction of the retrospective data base was begun. CHAMPS data for approximately 1.9 million soldiers and marines who were on active duty between 2000 and 2012 were acquired for the study by NHRC and cleaning and processing of these data began. In addition, requests and supporting materials were submitted to obtain other administrative data for the study, including the Defense Incidence Based Reporting System crime data and the PDHA and PDHRA data. We expect to receive these data early in year 2 of the study. Third, work began on the instrument for the prospective survey and a draft has been completed. Fourth, outreach to the six military installations proposed the prospective study was initiated., The original document contains color images.

The Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) is a research-based program that was sited at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL), NC. The overall objective of DCERP was to help ensure that MCBCL sustains military training and testing activities using adaptive management based on a relevant and applied monitoring and research program. This program provides a unique opportunity to integrate the results of broadly scoped ecological research to understand the structure and function of diverse coastal ecosystems, while directly integrating this research to address the Base's management needs. To facilitate an understanding of the ecosystem state and dynamics of MCBCL, the following five ecosystem modules were established for monitoring, modeling, and research: the Aquatic/Estuarine, Coastal Wetlands, Coastal Barrier, Terrestrial, and Atmospheric modules and a Data Management Module. This report includes the results and conclusions from the 13 research projects conducted at MCBCL during the first cycle of the DCERP (July 2007 to September 2012).

Critical military training and testing on lands along the nation s coastal and estuarine shorelines are increasingly placed at risk because of development pressures in surrounding areas, impairments due to other anthropogenic disturbances, and increasing requirements for compliance with environmental regulations. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has established ecosystem-based management as the preferred approach for military lands (Goodman, 1996). To expand its commitment to improving military readiness while demonstrating the science behind this approach, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) has made a commitment of a minimum of 10 years to fund research and monitoring projects that support the sustainability of military training and testing in ecologically and economically important ecosystems. To accomplish this goal, and in particular for coastal environments, SERDP launched the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) in North Carolina (Figure 1-1) in 2006. As a U.S. Marine Corps installation, MCBCL has a single and exclusive mission: military preparedness. MCBCL provides an ideal platform for DCERP because it integrates coastal barrier, aquatic/estuarine, coastal wetland, and terrestrial ecosystems, all within the boundaries of DoD properties. DCERP was implemented in two contract periods. The first cycle of DCERP, referred to as DCERP1, was conducted from July 2006 January 2013. The second cycle of DCERP, referred to as DCERP2, has a 3-month planning period (November 2012 to January 31, 2013) and an implementation period of 4 years and 9 months (February 1, 2013 through November 1, 2017). Since DCERP1 was implemented, the potential impacts of climate change on military training have been identified as a growing challenge to our nation s military readiness.

The purpose of this project is to help prevent psychological disorders in high-risk individuals with early symptoms of stress, depression, substance use, and other health problems. Military medicine is increasingly concerned with the incidence of psychological casualties and the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in returning personnel. This incidence increases the need for medical care and reduces operational readiness. Few preventive methods are available to mitigate subclinical psychological health issues upon the return of personnel from deployment. The PHIT for Duty system is a personal health intervention tool (PHIT) using mobile smartphone technology to integrate personal health assessment with targeted self-help intervention for the mitigation of psychological symptoms, modification of risky behaviors, and provision of cognitive support. The study will identify self-help interventions to assist individuals in dealing with combat and operational stress; develop smartphone applications for health assessment and self-help intervention; and evaluate the PHIT methodology for prevention of psychological disorders in post-deployed personnel. Improvements in patient-related outcomes are expected to be demonstrated in 2-3 years. The PHIT for Duty mobile health approach can be transitioned for chronic disease management, obesity prevention, substance use intervention, and other domains where better personal health management could improve wellness and clinical outcomes., The original document contains color images.

We present the results of the development of high-density 3-D interconnect technology that is applicable to the integration of heterogeneous integrated circuits. The technology relies on through-silicon vias, advanced thinning of silicon wafers, and copper/tin-copper solid-liquid diffusion bonding to produce vertical interconnects at a density of 1 x 10(exp 6)/sq cm. The processing approach allows for the integration of known-good-die in either die-to-die or die-to-wafer bonding configurations, providing the flexibility desirable for the implementation in mixed-signal microsystems., See also ADB387878. Presented at the GOMACTech-13 Government Microcircuit Applications and Critical Technology Conference (38th) on Microelectronics for Net-Enabled and Cyber Transformational Technologies held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 11-14 March 2013, p641-644.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two Web-based brief interventions (BIs) for reducing stress and substance use among post-deployment active duty and National Guard military personnel. The interventions are designed to (1) educate personnel about the use of substances as a poor coping mechanism for combat and operational stress reactions (COSRs) and (2) boost resilience to COSRs, thereby reducing the tendency to self-medicate through substance use. These data are vital to understanding additional steps the military might take in addressing issues of behavioral health, such as developing new, more broadly focused treatment interventions, and starting additional prevention approaches and programs. Volunteers will complete a brief Web assessment for alcohol use and current stress reactions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: Wait-list control, Stress BI, or Stress plus Substance Use BI. A Web-based intervention provides a private and convenient approach and should facilitate access to care by reducing the stigma and common barriers associated with seeking treatment., The original document contains color images.

Over the course of the last year, all instruments have been completed, programmed, and tested on the study website. The RTI team has hired and trained site coordinators at all six participating installations. In addition, the study team received IRB approval and began recruiting participants at five of the six study sites (Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Campbell, Ft. Carson, and Ft. Stewart). As of August 31, 2012, 368 total referrals across the five active sites had been received; 179 participants had been enrolled and randomized into the study (86 participants into the STEPS UP arm; 93 participants into the optimized usual care arm); 53 participants completed the 3-month follow-up assessment; and 6 participants completed the 6-month follow-up. We are awaiting HRPO approval of our final site (Ft. Bragg); we anticipate beginning recruitment at Ft. Bragg in September 2012. Multiple amendments have been approved by the RTI IRB, including an amendment that revised eligibility criteria and updated data collection forms., The original document contains color images.

The purpose of this project is to help prevent psychological disorders in high-risk individuals with early symptoms of stress, depression, substance use, and other health problems. Military medicine is increasingly concerned with the incidence of psychological casualties and the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in returning personnel. This incidence increases the need for medical care and reduces operational readiness. Few preventive methods are available to mitigate subclinical psychological health issues upon the return of personnel from deployment. The PHIT for Duty system is a personal health intervention tool (PHIT) using mobile smartphone technology to integrate personal health assessment with targeted self-help intervention for the mitigation of psychological symptoms, modification of risky behaviors, and provision of cognitive support. The study will identify self-help interventions to assist individuals in dealing with combat and operational stress; develop smartphone applications for health assessment and self-help intervention; and evaluate the PHIT methodology for prevention of psychological disorders in post-deployed personnel. Improvements in patient-related outcomes are expected to be demonstrated in 2-3 years. The PHIT for Duty mobile health approach can be transitioned for chronic disease management, obesity prevention, substance use intervention, and other domains where better personal health management could improve wellness and clinical outcomes.

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info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The current project was undertaken to identify the impact of deployment injury on measures of family functioning (i.e., relationship adjustment, parental stress, and family chaos) as well as on measures of psychological symptoms of the service member (i.e., PTSD, depression, and alcohol use).Returning NG service members and their spouses rated family functioning as lower in the face of psychological difficulties experienced by the service member. Physical injury was positively related to psychological distress among service members. Neither the spouses of returning NG members nor the service members themselves reported significantly reduced family functioning in the face of physical dysfunction. Likewise, neither group reported significantly reduced family functioning in the face of physical dysfunction coupled with psychological difficulties. Thus, at least at this point in the reunification process, although invisible wounds of war are a detriment to family functioning, visible wounds of war appear to be protective against family dysfunction, even when psychological problems are present., The original document contains color images.

The purpose of the STEPS UP (STepped Enhancement of PTSD Services Using Primary Care) trial is to compare centralized telephonic stepped-care management to optimized usual post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression care. We hypothesize that the STEPS UP intervention will lead to improvements in the following: (1) PTSD and depression symptom severity (primary hypothesis); (2) anxiety and somatic symptom severity, alcohol use, mental health functioning, and work functioning; and (3) cost-effectiveness. We hypothesize that patients, their family members, and participating clinicians will find that the STEPS UP intervention is an acceptable, effective, and satisfying approach to delivering and receiving PTSD and depression care. In the last year, The RTI Institutional Review Board (IRB) has reviewed and approved the study protocol, consent form, and related study materials. RTI finalized the listing and ordering of items to be included on the baseline questionnaire instrument. A survey methodologist reviewed and evaluated those items. Web programming of the baseline instrument is nearly complete. It incorporates the study instrumentation, randomization scheme, emergency response protocol, data security protocol, data collection and other study reports, and other functions. In preparation for study launch, the STEPS UP team has conducted three site visits at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Fort Bliss, and Fort Carson to initiate intervention awareness and training for primary care and behavioral health providers, clinic nurses and clerical staff, and RESPECT-Mil personnel. We have developed job descriptions and timelines to hire study support personnel. RTI has conducted recruiting, interviewing, and hiring activities for research coordinators and assistants for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA (coordinator hired) and Fort Bliss, TX (candidates identified).

This one year project explored novel concepts for light management in light weight, flexible solar cells by engineering surface topography to enhance the overall efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) devices. During the project methods were developed to enable the fabrication of PV substrates with corrugated, buckled surfaces formed by thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes. These substrates were then used in the fabrication of PV devices based upon thin film small molecule organic materials and thin film solution processed quantum dot materials; two emerging technologies with inherently low cost and scalable manufacturing methods. This allowed us to demonstrate that high surface area topographies can increase light absorption in thin film PV devices and lead to increased performance by enhancing the devices' ability to harvest incident light.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with comorbidity of many somatic and mental disorders. Such psychiatric comorbidity poses increased treatment challenges for a military population that already tends to underutilize treatment services. Further, the prevalence and pattern of these comorbidities within the total force are unknown. Although some of these comorbidities may be associated with combat-related traumas, others may be more associated with separate noncombat risk and protective factors such as childhood trauma, cognitive abilities, sociodemographic factors, or genetic factors. Because different patterns may represent different underlying etiologies, optimal intervention and treatment efforts need to take them into account. These efforts require two concurrent lines of investigation: (a) identification of multiple patterns of disorders, and (b) examination of risk and protective factors for each disorder pattern. This study is the first to examine both critical lines of investigation in the total force. To conduct this unique investigation, we conducted in-depth secondary analyses of two comprehensive parallel datasets that together provide key information on PTSD symptoms and other risk behaviors for the total force, both active duty and reserve components. Findings from the analyses were presented at professional association meetings, in annual reports, in briefings to military leadership, and in several peer-reviewed papers., The original document contains color images.

(2S,5S,8R)-Strobamine (+)-1a was synthesized by adding cinnamoyl cyanide 6a to tropinone 3 lithium enolate generated by treatment of (S,S')-alpha, alpha-dimethyldibenzylamide with butyl lithium in the presence of lithium chloride to give (-)-chalcostrobamine (-)-7a, which yielded a one-to-one mixture of (+)-1a and its C-2 epimer (-)-2a on treatment with 2N sulfuric acid. Compounds (+)-1a and (-)-2a could be separated by column chromatography. (-)-Strobamine (-)-1a and (+)-2a were synthesized by a similar set of reactions using the tropinone 3 lithium enolate generated with butyl lithium in the presence of (R,R')-alpha, alpha'-dimethyldibenzylamide and lithium chloride. (+)- and (-)-p-Methylstrobamine (+)- and (-)-1b and (+)- and (-)-epi-p-methylstrobamine (+)- and (-)-2b were synthesized by a similar procedure. The absolute configuration of (+)-epi-p-methylstrobamine (+)-2b was determined by X-ray analysis to have the (2S,5R,8S) configuration., Pub. in Arkat USA Inc,, p96-103. ISSN 1551-7012.

We conducted a systematic review on outcomes and costs of community health worker (CHW) interventions. CHWs are increasingly expected to improve health outcomes cost-effectively for the underserved. We searched Medline, Cochrane Collaboration resources, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature for studies conducted in the United States and published in English from 1980 through November 2008. We dually reviewed abstracts, full-text articles, data abstractions, quality ratings, and strength of evidence grades and resolved disagreements by consensus. We included 53 studies on outcomes of CHW interventions and 6 on cost or cost-effectiveness. For outcomes, limited evidence (5 studies) suggests that CHW interventions can improve participant knowledge compared with alternative approaches or no intervention. We found mixed evidence for participant behavior change (22 studies) and health outcomes (27 studies). Some studies suggested that CHW interventions can result in greater improvements in participant behavior and health outcomes compared with various alternatives, but other studies suggested that CHW interventions provide no statistically different benefits than alternatives. We found low or moderate strength of evidence suggesting that CHWs can increase appropriate health care utilization for some interventions (30 studies). Six studies with economic information yielded insufficient data to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CHW interventions relative to other interventions. CHWs can improve outcomes for underserved populations for some health conditions. The effectiveness of CHWs in many health care areas requires further research that addresses the methodologic limitations of prior studies and that contributes to translating research into practice., Prepared in cooperation with Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey PA. and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

The overriding objective of this research was to reduce hazardous drinking in a military sample by implementing two motivational interventions and comparing them to a treatment-as-usual (substance abuse awareness seminar) condition. Personnel referred to the Air Force Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) program as the result of an alcohol incident or who were self-referred were consented and then randomly assigned to one of three interventions: (1) group motivational interviewing (GMI), (2) individual motivational interviewing (IMI), or (3) a substance abuse awareness seminar (SAAS) group. Participants provided data regarding drinking and related problems at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months following the baseline. Analyses focused on (1) determining the effectiveness of the interventions in reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, (2) testing factors that may mediate or moderate responses to the interventions, and (3) determining the cost of treatment. Results indicated that the IMI was the most effective in reducing substance use. In addition, the average implementation costs were highest for SAAS ($148 per client), followed by IMI ($84) and GMI ($70). Finally, increased heavy episodic drinking at baseline predicted a more negative outcome at 3-month follow-up., The original document contains color images.

This study examines substance use and mental health issues among U.S. military personnel. Data were from the 2008 (and before) population-based Department of Defense Health Related Behavior Surveys (HRBS). The sample size for the 2008 survey was 28,546 (70.6% response rate). The study examined military members' substance use, stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation and attempts, deployment, and job satisfaction. Trends show reductions in tobacco use and illicit drug use. but increases in prescription drug misuse, heavy alcohol use, stress, PTSD, and suicidal attempts. Deployment exacerbated some of these behavior changes. Despite the demanding lifestyle, job satisfaction was high. The authors conclude that the military has shown progress in decreasing cigarette smoking and illicit drug use. Additional emphasis should be placed on understanding increases in prescription drug misuse, heavy alcohol use, PTSD, and suicide attempts, and on planning additional effective interventions and prevention programs. Challenges remain in understanding and addressing military mental health needs., Published in Military Medicine, v175 n6 p390-399, June 2010. Sponsored in part by the U.S. Coast Guard through Task Order HSCG23-07-F-PMD047.

The current study aimed to identify the impact of deployment injury on three measures of family functioning (relationship adjustment, parental stress, and family chaos) as well as on three measures of psychological symptoms of the service member (PTSD, depression, and alcohol use). Spouses of returning NG members and the service members both rated family functioning lower in the face of psychological difficulties experienced by the service member. Physical injury was related to psychological distress among service members. Neither the spouses of returning NG members nor the service members themselves reported significantly reduced family functioning in the face of physical dysfunction. Neither the spouses of returning NG members nor the service members themselves reported significantly reduced family functioning in the face of physical dysfunction coupled with psychological difficulties. Thus, at least at this point in the reunification process, although invisible wounds of war are a detriment to family functioning, visible wounds of war appears to be protective against family dysfunction, even when invisible wounds are present., The original document contains color images.

type:Journal Article, The tensor analyzing power Ayy in the symmetric constant relative energy geometry for the dp breakup reaction has been calculated using solutions of the three-nucleon Faddeev equations based on the Argonne AV14, AV18, Bonn-B, Nijm78, Nijm93, NijmI, NijmII, and Paris potentials, as well as the Bonn-B potential in conjunction with the Tucson-Melbourne three-nucleon interaction. The comparison with recent dp data at Ed=94.5 MeV revealed a clear discrepancy in the region where the data exhibit a pronounced structure which is not present in the theoretical results., source:http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevC.52.2906

This report presents findings from the 2008 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel (HRB Survey), conducted by RTI International (RTI) of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. It describes trends in substance use between 1980 and 2008, health behaviors related to selected Healthy People 2010 objectives (Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2000a, 2000b), mental health and mental health service utilization, progress toward achieving health-related goals set forth by DoD, and the relationships between combat exposure and deployment and substance use and mental health. For this report, substance use includes use of alcohol, illicit drugs (illegal drugs or prescription drugs used without a doctor?s prescription, in greater amounts than prescribed, or in order to ?get high?), and tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, pipes, and cigars). Indicators of mental health include the need for further depression evaluation, serious psychological distress, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), considering or attempting suicide, possible traumatic brain injury (TBI), and physical or sexual abuse., Sponsored in part by Coast Guard contract no. HSCG23-07-F-PMD047.

A Personal Health Monitor (PHM) for Ambulatory PTSD (and TBI) Assessment has been developed which integrates the collection of subjective health information, daily activities and behaviors, and objective physiological and environmental measurements in a handheld data collection system. Psychometric health scales can be used in concert with self-reported daily stressors and behavioral diaries, such as work stress, dietary intake, substance use, and exercise patterns. Passive monitoring of heart rate variability enables arousal assessment, while passive motion and location sensors enable indirect assessment of mobility, vigor, and social interaction. Clinicians and research investigators are able to customize data collection protocols by selecting a subset of available assessment, diary, survey and sensor modalities to suit their needs using a set of protocol definition files and database structures. Using mobile handheld computer and smart phone technology, the PHM enables psychological health assessments on a more continuous basis than traditional clinical encounters. The PHM enables collection of personal health data with privacy and anonymity, which may improve the quality, frequency, and accuracy of the psychometric assessments.p, The original document contains color images.

For a well-defined domain of knowledge, the process of learning can be characterized as a student's construction of a mental model of the domain's elements and their inter-relationships. It follows that a student's mental model can be compared against a desired mental model (such as an expert's) before, during, and at the conclusion of instruction. Differences between mental models could be useful for student diagnosis and assessment and for curriculum modification. In this investigation mental models of test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment (TMDE) usage for novice, intermediate, and expert U.S. Army ordnance electronics maintenance personnel were characterized and compared. Comparisons revealed differences between non-experts and experts, and also differences among experts.

This guide examines an intervening force's contribution to creating a functional state that can deliver services effectively, is responsive and accountable to its citizens, and is capable of assuring security. For each of these three areas, the discussion summarizes key issues, trade-offs, and options for military strategists, planners, and personnel that relate to the restoration and rebuilding of government in the context of full spectrum operations. The guide provides counsel for military personnel in planning and executing stability operations tasks related to lines of operation to rebuild a capable government, but it is neither a blueprint nor a "how to" checklist. It is designed to supplement existing and emerging guidance, fill in gaps, and consolidate from some of these sources information specifically relevant to addressing the needs of public sector rebuilding in post-conflict situations. The material presented draws both from theory and from on-the-ground experience of military and civilian practitioners. This guide will focus on three central aspects identified above but first will elaborate and clarify the central terminology and concepts-government, governance, and the social contract between citizens and the state. The Guide then discusses the three core functions of a state: 1) effective service delivery; 2) responsiveness to the citizenry; and 3) security. This discussion is set within the context of a review of the state structure or model (federal or unitary) and the relationship between the center and the subnational units (decentralization)., Editor: Susan Merrill

BMPRIA and its high-affinity ligand BMP4 have recently been shown to be expressed in the ??-cells of the pancreas. Here, we report the abnormalities of heterozygous mice for Bmpr1a in glucose metabolism during the course of intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. The heterozygous mice had increased blood glucose levels throughout the first 2.5 h after the administration of glucose. Analysis of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) indicates that insulin secretion in the heterozygous mice is compromised, and induction of secreted insulin by stimulation is substantially lower compared with the wild-type controls. No apparent abnormalities in pancreas, thyroid, and liver were seen upon histological examination. Real-time PCR results of selected genes showed an increase in the mRNA level of Ins1 and Ins2 in the heterozygous group. These results indicate that the glucose-sensing pathway in these heterozygous mice is altered because of the heterozygosity in Bmpr1a . Together, our data suggest that BMP signaling through BMPRIA plays an important role in glucose metabolism and possibly working through the GSIS pathway. genesis 47:385???391, 2009. ?? 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The proteome of human salivary fluid has the potential to open new doors for disease biomarker discovery. A recent study to comprehensively identify and catalog the human ductal salivary proteome led to the compilation of 1166 proteins. The protein complexity of both saliva and plasma is large, suggesting that a comparison of these two proteomes will provide valuable insight into their physiological significance and an understanding of the unique and overlapping disease diagnostic potential that each fluid provides. To create a more comprehensive catalog of human salivary proteins, we have first compiled an extensive list of proteins from whole saliva (WS) identified through MS experiments. The WS list is thereafter combined with the proteins identified from the ductal parotid, and submandibular and sublingual (parotid/SMSL) salivas. In parallel, a core dataset of the human plasma proteome with 3020 protein identifications was recently released. A total of 1939 nonredundant salivary proteins were compiled from a total of 19 14474 unique peptide sequences identified from whole and ductal salivas[semi] 740 out of the total 1939 salivary proteins were identified in both whole and ductal saliva. A total of 597 of the salivary proteins have been observed in plasma. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed similarities in the distributions of the saliva and plasma proteomes with regard to cellular localization, biological processes, and molecular function, but revealed differences which may be related to the different physiological functions of saliva and plasma. The comprehensive catalog of the salivary proteome and its comparison to the plasma proteome provides insights useful for future study, such as exploration of potential biomarkers for disease diagnostics.

The overriding objective of this research is to reduce hazardous drinking in a military sample by implementing two motivational interventions and comparing them to a treatment-as-usual condition. Individuals who are referred to the Air Force Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) program as the result of an alcohol incident or who are self-referred are randomly assigned to one of three interventions: (1) a group motivational intervention (2) an individual motivational intervention or (3) a treatment-as-usual group. All participants provide data regarding drinking and related problems at baseline and at 3 6 and 12 months following the interventions. Analyses focus on (1) determining the effectiveness of the interventions in reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related problems (2) testing factors that may mediate or moderate responses to the interventions and (3) determining the cost and cost-effectiveness of treatment. The research includes a large sample and an extended follow-up on intervention effects components that most previous intervention studies have lacked. From a practical perspective the ability to classify which individuals will benefit from a motivational intervention has important military readiness and alcohol policy implications., The original document contains color images.

Critical military training and testing on lands along the nation s coastal and estuarine shorelines are increasingly placed at risk because of development pressures in surrounding areas, impairments due to other anthropogenic disturbances, and increasing requirements for compliance with environmental regulations. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) intends to enhance and sustain its training and testing assets and to optimize its stewardship of natural resources through the development and application of an ecosystem-based management approach on DoD facilities. To accomplish the above goal, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) launched the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) in North Carolina. MCBCL provides an ideal platform for DCERP because it integrates coastal barruerm estuarine, coastal wetland, and terrestrla ecosystems, all within the boundaries of DoD properties.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) intends to enhance and sustain its training and testing assets and to optimize its stewardship of natural resources through the development and application of an ecosystem-based management approach on DoD facilities. To accomplish the above goal, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) launched the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) in North Carolina. MCBCL provides an ideal platform for DCERP because it integrates coastal barrier, estuarine, coastal wetland, and terrestrial ecosystems, all within the boundaries of DoD properties. The purpose of this DCERP Baseline Monitoring Plan is to describe the baseline monitoring program that will be conducted at MCBCL to provide an historic reference of selected environmental parameters. The baseline monitoring data to be collected include the following: * Basic fundamental parameters that support the broader ecosystem-based research agenda * Parameters that provide data useful to more than one ecosystem module * Parameters that must be monitored intensively and/or continuously for a minimum of 5 10 years to determine trends and natural variability. The baseline monitoring program is seen as an adaptive program, in which monitoring may be adjusted over time in response to weather events, the availability of more efficient methods, and new information gained from ongoing monitoring and research efforts. At the end of the DCERP contract, it is the ultimate goal to transition to MCBCL a scaled-down version of the baseline monitoring program that identifies key measurement parameters for continued monitoring.

Critical military training and testing on lands along the nation's coastal and estuarine shorelines are increasingly placed at risk because of development pressures in surrounding areas, impairments due to other anthropogenic disturbances, and increasing requirements for compliance with environmental regulations. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) intends to enhance and sustain its training and testing assets and to optimize its stewardship of natural resources through the development and application of an ecosystem-based management approach on DoD facilities. To accomplish the above goal, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) launched the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) in North Carolina. MCBCL provides an ideal platform for DCERP because it integrates coastal barrier, estuarine, coastal wetland, and terrestrial ecosystems, all within the boundaries of DoD properties.

The overriding objective of this research is to reduce hazardous drinking in a military sample by implementing two motivational interventions and comparing them to a treatment-as-usual condition. Individuals who are referred to the Air Force Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) program as the result of an alcohol incident or who are self-referred are randomly assigned to one of three interventions: (1) a group motivational intervention (2) an individual motivational intervention or (3) a treatment-as-usual group. All participants provide data regarding drinking and related problems at baseline and at 3 6 and 12 months following the interventions. Analyses focus on (1) determining the effectiveness of the interventions in reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related problems (2) testing factors that may mediate or moderate responses to the interventions and (3) determining the cost and cost-effectiveness of treatment. The research includes a large sample (N = 675) and an extended follow-up (1 year) on intervention effects components that most previous intervention studies have lacked. From a practical perspective the ability to classify which individuals will benefit from a motivational intervention has important military readiness and alcohol policy implications., The original document contains color images.

This report presents the primary results of the 2005 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health-Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel. This study is the 9th in a series of surveys of active-duty military personnel conducted in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002, and 2005 under the direction of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). All of the surveys investigated the prevalence of alcohol use, illicit drug use, and tobacco use, as well as negative consequences associated with substance use. The 1985 through 1992 surveys also covered an expanded set of health behaviors and related issues. In 1995 and 1998, health behavior questions were revised and items were added to assess selected "Healthy People 2000" objectives. In addition, questions were added to examine the mental health of the active force, specific health concerns of military women and military men, oral health, and gambling behaviors. The 2002 and 2005 surveys continued the general focus of the 1998 survey and expanded it to include "Healthy People 2010" objectives. They also augmented the items on exercise, nutrition, and mental health and added new items on dietary supplement use, risk taking and impulsive behavior, job satisfaction, deployment, and religiosity/spirituality. The final sample consisted of 16,146 military personnel (3,639 Army, 4,627 Navy, 3,356 Marine Corps, and 4,524 Air Force) who completed self-administered questionnaires anonymously. Following an introductory chapter, chapters are as follows: (2) Methodology of the 2005 DoD Active Duty Survey; (3) Overview of Trends in Substance Use and "Healthy People 2010" Objectives; (4) Alcohol Use; (5) Illicit Drug Use; (6) Tobacco Use; (7) Healthy Lifestyles and Disease Prevention; (8) Health Behavior and Health Promotion; (9) Stress and Mental Health; and (10) Other Health-Related Issues in the Military. The report includes 137 tables., The original document contains color images.

The Navy-wide Personnel Survey (NPS) is a major product of the Navy-Wide Survey Program (NWSP, formerly known as the Navy Personnel Survey System (NPSS)). Administered regularly by Navy Personnel Research, Studies, and Technology (NPRST) of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), the NPS focuses on quality of work-life topics. This information provides valuable metrics to senior leadership and program managers that assist in the evaluation of Navy quality of work life, current personnel policies, and programs. The 2005 Navy-wide Personnel Survey (NPS) was administered to active duty officer and enlisted Sailors between March and June 2005. This report presents the results of the psychometric analyses of the survey data, including item and scale reliability. In addition, two new indices were developed: the Navy Climate Index (NCI) and Re-enlistment/Continuation Intention Index., Prepared in cooperation with Navy Personnel Research, Studies, and Technology, Millington, TN. The original document contains color images.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from testes and kidneys of the inbred strain of mice (DBA/2J) by a simple two-step affinity column procedure. This involved the sequential application of 8-(6-aminohexyl)-amino-AMP-and -2???, 5???-ADP-Sepharose columns and biospecific elution with NADP + in both steps. The molecular and biochemical properties of the purified enzyme were studied in detail. These include the molecular weight determination, amino acid composition, steady-state kinetics, inactivation by high temperature, urea and iodoacetate, and immunology. The purified enzyme from mouse kidneys or testes was shown to be a tetramer with a molecular weight of 220,000. The enzyme is highly specific for glucose-6-phosphate, exhibits almost no activity with NAD + as a coenzyme and is little inhibited by AMP or ATP. Michaelis constants for glucose-6-phosphate and NADP + were determined to be 50??m and 10??m respectively. NADPH is a competitive inhibitor of NADP + and has a K i of 18?? m . Rabbit antisera against glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were raised. The antisera also cross-react with the same enzyme from human and guinea pig.

The Acne-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (Acne-QoL) was developed to measure the impact of facial acne across four dimensions of patient quality of life. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the responsiveness of this instrument. Secondarily, this study provided an opportunity to extend the developer's psychometric validation. The Acne-QoL was utilized in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of the efficacy of Estrostep?? (norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol) in the treatment of facial acne; a total of 296 Estrostep?? and 295 placebo patients were evaluated. The Acne-QoL was completed at the beginning, middle (cycle 3), and end (cycle 6) of the 6-month treatment period. The responsiveness of the Acne-QoL was demonstrated through its ability to detect both small (baseline to mid-study) and moderate (baseline to study end) treatment advantages for Estrostep?? patients. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the subscale structure, and internal consistency estimates were excellent. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported by correlations between Acne-QoL scores and clinical measures that were both in the direction and relative magnitude hypothesized. Finally, item response theory analyses confirmed that each item is highly related to its subscale's latent construct and that each subscale is sensitive across a broad range of the underlying continuum. The results of this evaluation confirm that the Acne-QoL is responsive, internally consistent, and valid.

A 1 month intensive summertime field study conducted in rural western Maryland resulted in a comprehensive set of fine particle, gaseous and meteorological data. Sulfur in the assumed form of ammonium sulfate accounted for 67% of the average fine particle mass and had a very high correlation with fine particle mass (r=0.99). Other measured species, includiqg carbon and nitrate, made only minor contributions to the fine mass. Peak sulfate concentrations, averaged over 6-h intervals, exceeded 50 [mu]g m-3. Nitric acid concentrations showed strong daytime maxima and on a 24 h basis were about four times those of fine particle nitrate. Sulfur in the gas phase (SO2) constituted more than half of the total sulfur, indicating that the sampling site was being influenced by local sources. Fine particle selenium was well correlated with fine particle sulfur (r=0.70). The ratio of fine particle sulfur to selenium was 2800, characteristic of a rural site downwind of coal-burning areas. Mixed-layer back trajectories were used to identify possible source regions for the measured parameters. Wind frequency-normalized concentrations of parameters associated with coal-burning (S, Se, SO2 and mass) were highest for back trajectories arriving at Deep Creek Lake from the west-northwest. Use of Rahn and Lowenthal regional signatures showed an overwhelming dominance by the Lower Midwest region, and a surprisingly weak impact by the Upper Midwest region, at the site.

In order to define the nature of the genetic lesion which gave rise to Sxr, the sex-limited autosomal dominant sex reversal condition in the mouse

An approach to quantitatively describe the relationship between the volatile organic chemical profile associated with human emanations, as measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and genetic composition, specifically the HLA complex, was developed. To reduce random noise in the analysis, variable selection was carried out. Subsequently, two statistical analysis methods were evaluated and used to further eliminate those elements that did not significantly contribute to the distinction of the genotypes. These methods were: analysis of variance and Stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis (SLDA). Not surprisingly, the latter was found to be superior because it takes into account the data covariance structure. For classification of the chemical profiles, several linear and nonlinear discriminant analyses were evaluated. These results showed that Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) are preferred among the linear and nonlinear classification methods, respectively. RTI methods successfully classified individual samples into the correct genotype 90% of the time when the number of genotypes was relatively small (less than 10). The recommended approach is SLDA to select important components followed by LDA when the sample size is small and SVM when the sample size is moderate or large for classification purposes.

The objective of this study was to assess a pilot version of the Web-based, behaviorally based, performance management (HPFD) and appraisal system (ePerformance). Specifically, the objectives were to capture quantitative and objective data as well as qualitative and subjective data from participants to identify potential sources of error and user burden. To capture these data, the Performance Vector Research Team (PVRT) and RTI International conducted usability testing and user surveys. This study assessed problems and errors using the Web-based system and the users' perceptions about the proposed new system., RTI Project No. 09166.002.

The U.S. Department of the Navy has a number of challenges in facilitating a high level of military readiness. Currently, operational commanders and policymakers examine ratings on the Status of Training and Resources System (SORTS) as a readiness metric. SORTS generally consists of three primary military readiness factors--manning levels, equipment and supplies, and completed training evolutions. Clearly, Sailor retention and training play key roles in developing and maintaining military readiness. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) chartered the Executive Review of Navy Training (2001), which subsequently led to the formation of a Task Force for Excellence through Commitment to Education and Learning (EXCEL). Task Force EXCEL's goal was to identify new ways for the U.S. Navy to train, grow, place, and utilize personnel who maximize the Navy's ability to accomplish its military mission while developing a more productive yet satisfying workplace. Task Force EXCEL consists of five components or vectors that are essential to how personnel meet their missions and manage the Navy workforce. These five vectors include Professional Development, Personal Development, Professional Military Education and Leadership, Certifications and Qualifications, and Performance. The primary tasking of the Performance Vector includes an examination of the Navy performance appraisal and management system. One challenge for the Performance Vector was the need for a performance appraisal and management system that is aligned with the changing workplace performance needs of the U.S. Navy. Since 1996, the Navy has operated with a trait-based performance appraisal system, where supervisors have rated personnel on traits such as leadership, teamwork, equal opportunity, and military bearing/character (BUPERSINST 1600.10, 1995). One recommendation from initial Task Force EXCEL meetings was a behaviorally based performance appraisal system.

This report presents the primary results of the 2002 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Military Personnel. This study is the eighth in a series of surveys of active-duty military personnel conducted in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1998, and 2002 under the direction of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). All of the surveys investigated the prevalence of alcohol use, illicit drug use, and tobacco use, as well as negative consequences associated with substance use. The 1985 through 1992 surveys also covered an expanded set of health behaviors and related issues. In 1995 and 1998, health behavior questions were revised and items were added to assess selected Healthy People 2000 objectives. In addition, questions were added to examine the mental health of the Active Force, specific health concerns of military women and military men, oral health, and gambling behaviors. The 2002 survey continued the focus of the 1998 survey and expanded it to include Healthy People 2010 objectives. It also augmented the items on nutrition and mental health and added new items on supplement use, risk taking and impulsive behavior, job satisfaction, and religiosity/spirituality. The eligible population for the 2002 survey consisted of all active-duty military personnel except recruits, Service academy students, persons absent without official leave (AWOL), and persons who had a permanent change of station (PCS) at the time of data collection. The final sample consisted of 12,756 military personnel (3,269 Army, 3,625 Navy, 3,008 Marine Corps, and 2,854 Air Force) who completed self-administered questionnaires anonymously. Participants were selected to represent men and women in all pay grades of the Active Force throughout the world., Project Director, Robert M. Bray, Ph.D, (919) 541-6433, The original document contains color images.

This objective of this project was to verify by direct measurement the filtration efficiency of the gas mask C2A1 canister in light of new bioaerosol threats. HEPA filters are routinely tested using an oil aerosol at the most penetrating particle diameter at 0.3 micrometer to verify that the efficiency is at least 99.97%. The program addressed two questions: 1. What is the filtration efficiency of the C2A1 canister under use conditions for the particle size range of potential biological threats in the 1 to 5 micrometers size range; and 2. What would be the likely dose under conditions of extended use in highly biologically contaminated areas?, The original document contains color images.

The longevity of the catalytic hydrotreatment of chloroethyl ethyl sulfide has been demonstrated over Ni-Mo/AC and Pt/MZ391 catalysts. 99.996% to 99.999% destruction efficiency was achieved. The results suggest that catalytic Hydrotreatment is a promising technology for the detoxification of mustard gas. The RF non-thermal plasma technology has been successfully demonstrated to be effective for the removal and destruction of DNT, TNT, RDX, and Comp B on shell surfaces. Destruction and removal efficiency above 99.99% was achieved for most of the tests. N2, CO2, and H2O are the major decontamination products with small amounts of NO(sub x), mainly NO, generated. The process is economical and environmentally benign. It is estimated that the current nondestructive decontamination process can be scaled up to decontaminate shell casings at an operating cost of less than $30/metric ton.