Degree-Day Summation and Hatching of the Forest Tent Caterpillar, \u3ci\u3eMalacosoma Disstria\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)

(excerpt) The forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria (Htibner), is a common defoliater of deciduous trees throughout most of the United States and Canada. It is a well known outbreak species, whose populations erupt periodically (every 10 to 16 years) when forest conditions are suitable. Typical outbreaks last three to six years in a given geographic area and then collapse as quickly as they arise. This note documents the relation between forest tent caterpillar egg hatching in the field and heat accumulation (degree-days) leading up to hatch. This information will permit (a) predicting the date on which eggs will hatch by summing degree days during the insect\u27s overwintering period, and (b) comparing with populations in other years and areas. The data came from an outbreak in northern Minnesota that began near International Falls in 1966 and collapsed in 1972 (Witter et al., 1975)

Adult Female Spruce Bedworm, \u3ci\u3eChoristoneura Fumiferana\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Dry Weight in Relationship to Pupal Fresh Weight and Case Diameter

(excerpt) The weights of adult insects are often measured in production and population studies in order to estimate such variables as growth rates, food conversion efficiencies, fecundity, and others. For the eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), both pupal fresh weights and pupal case diameters have been measured as indicators of adult fecundity and adult dry weights (Miller 1957). However, there are no reports explicitly showing the relationship between these metric pupal variables and adult dry weights. This is the goal of this note

Thermal expansion method for lining tantalum alloy tubing with tungsten

A differential-thermal expansion method was developed to line T-111 (tantalum - 8 percent tungsten - 2 percent hafnium) tubing with a tungsten diffusion barrier as part of a fuel element fabrication study for a space power nuclear reactor concept. This method uses a steel mandrel, which has a larger thermal expansion than T-111, to force the tungsten against the inside of the T-111 tube. Variables investigated include lining temperature, initial assembly gas size, and tube length. Linear integrity increased with increasing lining temperature and decreasing gap size. The method should have more general applicability where cylinders must be lined with a thin layer of a second material

Heat-transfer and pressure drop correlations for hydrogen and nitrogen flowing through tungsten wire mesh at temperatures to 5200 deg r

Heat transfer and friction pressure drop for forced convection of hydrogen and nitrogen through electrically heated tungsten wire mes

A 4500 deg R /2500 deg K/ flowing-gas facility

High temperature flowing gas heater consisting of four stages for heating gase

Debris cover and surface melt at a temperate maritime alpine glacier: Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Melt rates on glaciers are strongly influenced by the presence of supraglacial debris, which can either enhance or reduce ablation relative to bare ice. Most recently, Franz Josef Glacier has entered into a phase of strong retreat and downwasting, with the increasing emergence of debris on the surface in the ablation zone. Previously at Franz Josef Glacier, melt has only been measured on bare ice. During February 2012, a network of 11 ablation stakes was drilled into locations of varying supraglacial debris thickness on the lower glacier. Mean ablation rates over 9 days varied over the range 1.2–10.1 cm d−1, and were closely related to debris thickness. Concomitant observations of air temperature allowed the application of a degree-day approach to the calculation of melt rates, with air temperature providing a strong indicator of melt. Degree-day factors (d f) varied over the range 1.1–8.1 mm d−1 °C−1 (mean of 4.4 mm d−1 °C−1), comparable with rates reported in other studies. Mapping of the current debris cover revealed 0.7 km2 of the 4.9 km2 ablation zone surface was debris-covered, with thicknesses ranging 1–50 cm. Based on measured debris thicknesses and d f, ablation on debris-covered areas of the glacier is reduced by a total of 41% which equates to a 6% reduction in melt overall across the entire ablation zone. This study highlights the usefulness of a short-term survey to gather representative ablation data, consistent with numerous overseas ablation studies on debris-covered glaciers

Non-Newtonian fluid flow through three-dimensional disordered porous media

We investigate the flow of various non-Newtonian fluids through three-dimensional disordered porous media by direct numerical simulation of momentum transport and continuity equations. Remarkably, our results for power-law (PL) fluids indicate that the flow, when quantified in terms of a properly modified permeability-like index and Reynolds number, can be successfully described by a single (universal) curve over a broad range of Reynolds conditions and power-law exponents. We also study the flow behavior of Bingham fluids described in terms of the Herschel-Bulkley model. In this case, our simulations reveal that the interplay of ({\it i}) the disordered geometry of the pore space, ({\it ii}) the fluid rheological properties, and ({\it iii}) the inertial effects on the flow is responsible for a substantial enhancement of the macroscopic hydraulic conductance of the system at intermediate Reynolds conditions. This anomalous condition of ``enhanced transport'' represents a novel feature for flow in porous materials.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. This article appears also in Physical Review Letters 103 194502 (2009

Validating a generic cancer consumer quality index in eight European countries, patient reported experiences and the influence of cultural differences

BackgroundTaking patient centeredness into account is important in healthcare. The European Cancer Consumer Quality Index (ECCQI) is a validated tool for international benchmarking of patient experiences and satisfaction.This study aimed to further validate the ECCQI in larger and more uniform groups of high volume tumours such as breast and prostate cancer. A second objective was the verification of the influence of cultural factors of the country to determine its possible use in international benchmarking.MethodsData from two survey studies in eight European countries were combined. Socio-demographic correlations were analysed with Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to validate internal consistency. Influences of masculinity (MAS), power distance (PD) and uncertainty avoidance (UA) were determined by linear regression analysis in a general model and subgroup models.ResultsA total of 1322 surveys were included in the analysis (1093 breast- and 348 prostate cancer patients). Cronbach's alpha was good (alpha >= 0.7) or acceptable (0.5Peer reviewe

Off-Equilibrium Dynamics in Finite-Dimensional Spin Glass Models

The low temperature dynamics of the two- and three-dimensional Ising spin glass model with Gaussian couplings is investigated via extensive Monte Carlo simulations. We find an algebraic decay of the remanent magnetization. For the autocorrelation function $C(t,t_w)=[]_{av}$ a typical aging scenario with a $t/t_w$ scaling is established. Investigating spatial correlations we find an algebraic growth law $\xi(t_w)\sim t_w^{\alpha(T)}$ of the average domain size. The spatial correlation function $G(r,t_w)=[< S_i(t_w)S_{i+r}(t_w)>^2]_{av}$ scales with $r/\xi(t_w)$. The sensitivity of the correlations in the spin glass phase with respect to temperature changes is examined by calculating a time dependent overlap length. In the two dimensional model we examine domain growth with a new method: First we determine the exact ground states of the various samples (of system sizes up to $100\times 100$) and then we calculate the correlations between this state and the states generated during a Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: 38 pages, RevTeX, 14 postscript figure

System for and method of performing evaluation techniques on a log or round timber

A system for and method of evaluating a log. The system includes an analysis module having at least one input terminal connectable to the at least one input device. The at least one input terminal is operable to receive at least one signal representing at least one measured property of the log and at least one determined parameter of the log determined in response to an energy being applied to the log. The analysis module further includes a processor coupled to the at least one input terminal. The processor determines a predictive modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the log based at least in part on the at least one measured property and the at least one sensed parameter. The analysis module also includes an output terminal coupled to the processor and connectable to an output device. The output terminal transmits a third signal representing the predictive MOE.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1042/thumbnail.jp