\u3ci\u3eUrophora Affinis\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eU. Quadrifasciata\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Tephritidae) Released and Monitored by USDA, APHIS, PPQ as Biological Control Agents of Spotted and Diffuse Knapweed

USDA, APHIS, PPQ has distributed the seedhead gall flies Urophora affinis and U. quadrifasciata (Diptera: Tephritidae) as classical biological agents of the introduced weeds spotted and diffuse knapweed (Centaurea maculosa and C. diffusa, respectively) (Asteraceae) in the United States. From 1987 to 1996, Urophora spp. have been released in 97 counties in 14 midwestern and western states. Established populations of U. affinis and U. quadrifasciata are confirmed in 85 and 95 counties, respectively, among all 14 states. These include the first reports of successful establishment of Urophora spp. in Arizona (two counties), Colorado (eight counties), Michigan (one county), Minnesota (six counties), Nebraska (four counties), Nevada (two counties), North Dakota (one county), South Dakota (four coun­ties), Utah (three counties), and Wisconsin (two counties). The first confirmed establishment of U. quadrifasciata in Indiana and Michigan is also reported

Application of automatic vehicle location in law enforcement: An introductory planning guide

A set of planning guidelines for the application of automatic vehicle location (AVL) to law enforcement is presented. Some essential characteristics and applications of AVL are outlined; systems in the operational or planning phases are discussed. Requirements analysis, system concept design, implementation planning, and performance and cost modeling are described and demonstrated with numerous examples. A detailed description of a typical law enforcement AVL system, and a list of vendor sources are given in appendixes

True and False Foodplants of \u3ci\u3eCallosamia Promethea\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Southern Michigan

A survey in 1980 of the associations of over 400 cocoons of Callosamia promethea Drury in vegetation along and adjacent to southern Michigan roadsides gave evidence for seven species of true larval foodplants (not including two others known in the area from other studies) and 17 species of false foodplants, the latter determined by the (1) rarity of their association with cocoons, (2) only one or two cocoons per plant, and (3) their proximity to a well known true foodplant. Three species, sassafras, black cherry, and buttonbush, are evidently the most important true foodplants in this area. Comparisons are made of the foodplants in terms of past literature, geography, and taxonomic relationships

Helicopter simulation validation using flight data

A joint NASA/Army effort to perform a systematic ground-based piloted simulation validation assessment is described. The best available mathematical model for the subject helicopter (UH-60A Black Hawk) was programmed for real-time operation. Flight data were obtained to validate the math model, and to develop models for the pilot control strategy while performing mission-type tasks. The validated math model is to be combined with motion and visual systems to perform ground based simulation. Comparisons of the control strategy obtained in flight with that obtained on the simulator are to be used as the basis for assessing the fidelity of the results obtained in the simulator

Feasibility study of an Integrated Program for Aerospace vehicle Design (IPAD). Volume 3: Support of the design process

The user requirements for computer support of the IPAD design process are identified. The user-system interface, language, equipment, and computational requirements are considered

Experimental Comparisons of Derivative Free Optimization Algorithms

In this paper, the performances of the quasi-Newton BFGS algorithm, the NEWUOA derivative free optimizer, the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES), the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimizers (PSO) are compared experimentally on benchmark functions reflecting important challenges encountered in real-world optimization problems. Dependence of the performances in the conditioning of the problem and rotational invariance of the algorithms are in particular investigated.Comment: 8th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms, Dortmund : Germany (2009

Extensions of Lieb's concavity theorem

The operator function (A,B)\to\tr f(A,B)(K^*)K, defined on pairs of bounded self-adjoint operators in the domain of a function f of two real variables, is convex for every Hilbert Schmidt operator K, if and only if f is operator convex. As a special case we obtain a new proof of Lieb's concavity theorem for the function (A,B)\to\tr A^pK^*B^{q}K, where p and q are non-negative numbers with sum p+q\le 1. In addition, we prove concavity of the operator function (A,B)\to \tr(A(A+\mu_1)^{-1}K^* B(B+\mu_2)^{-1}K) on its natural domain D_2(\mu_1,\mu_2), cf. Definition 4.1Comment: The format of one reference is changed such that CiteBase can identify i

Is there Ornstein-Zernike equation in the canonical ensemble?

A general density-functional formalism using an extended variable-space is presented for classical fluids in the canonical ensemble (CE). An exact equation is derived that plays the role of the Ornstein-Zernike (OZ) equation in the grand canonical ensemble (GCE). When applied to the ideal gas we obtain the exact result for the total correlation function h_N. For a homogeneous fluid with N particles the new equation only differs from OZ by 1/N and it allows to obtain an approximate expression for h_N in terms of its GCE counterpart that agrees with the expansion of h_N in powers of 1/N.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

A Ka-band (32 GHz) beacon link experiment (KABLE) with Mars Observer

A proposal for a Ka-Band (32 GHz) Link Experiment (KABLE) with the Mars Observer mission was submitted to NASA. The experiment will rely on the fourth harmonic of the spacecraft X-band transmitter to generate a 33.6 GHz signal. The experiment will rely also on the Deep Space Network (DSN) receiving station equipped to simultaneously receive X- and Ka-band signals. The experiment will accurately measure the spacecraft-to-Earth telecommunication link performance at Ka-band and X-band (8.4 GHz)