\u3ci\u3eLeucanthiza Dircella\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae): A Leafminer of Leatherwood, \u3ci\u3eDirca Palustris\u3c/i\u3e

Leatherwood, Dirca palustris (Thymelaeaceae), is an understory shrub ranging throughout most of the eastern and central United States and adjacent Canada. During 1997-1999, we conducted studies to identify and assess the impact of a leafminer that was causing significant damage to leather- wood plants in eastern Gogebic County, Michigan. Leucanthiza dircella was identified as the only insect responsible for the leaf mining activity on leatherwood. In northern Michigan, L. dircella completed one generation per year. Adult moths were captured on yellow sticky panels suspended from leatherwood branches. In 1997 and 1998, most adults were captured during the first sampling period of each year: 6-12 June 1997 and 3-19 May 199B. In 1999, no moths were collected during 5-29 April but adults were collected between 30 April and 22 June 1999. In 1999, initiation of adult flight coincided with D. palustris leaf flush. In 1997, leaf mines were very noticeable by 30 June. The mean number of live L. dircella larvae per mine was 3.5 on 17 July 1997 and then decreased as the season progressed, with most larvae having exited the mines by late August to pupate in the soil. In late August 1997, the mean surface area of a single leaf was 17.8 cm2 and the mean surface area of a single mine was 5.9 cm2. At the end of the 1997 growing sea­son, 31% of the leatherwood leaves contained L. dircella mines, and 11% of the total leaf surface area had been mined. In 1999, only 8% of the leaves in the study area contained L. dircella mines. No leatherwood mortality was evident as a result of L. dircella leaf mining. Seven species of hymenopteran parasitoids were reared from L. dircella larvae, including one braconid in the genus Pholetesor and six eulophids in the genera Chrysocharis, Closterocerus, Pnigalio, and Sympiesis. Three coleopterans that were commonly observed on leatherwood plants during all years included: Glyptina brunnea (Chrysomelidae), Phyllobius oblongus (Curculionidae) and Polydrusus sericeus (Curculionidae)

Possible X-ray diagnostic for jet/disk dominance in Type 1 AGN

Using Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Seyfert 1 and 1.2 data spanning 9 years, we study correlations between X-ray spectral features. The sample consists of 350 time-resolved spectra from 12 Seyfert 1 and 1.2 galaxies. Each spectrum is fitted to a model with an intrinsic powerlaw X-ray spectrum produced close to the central black hole that is reprocessed and absorbed by material around the black hole. To test the robustness of our results, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of the spectral sample. We find a complex relationship between the iron line equivalent width (EW) and the underlying power law index (Gamma). The data reveal a correlation between Gamma and EW which turns over at Gamma <~ 2, but finds a weak anti-correlation for steeper photon indices. We propose that this relationship is driven by dilution of a disk spectrum (which includes the narrow iron line) by a beamed jet component and, hence, could be used as a diagnostic of jet-dominance. In addition, our sample shows a strong correlation between the reflection fraction (R) and Gamma, but we find that it is likely the result of modeling degeneracies. We also see the X-ray Baldwin effect (an anti-correlation between the 2-10 keV X-ray luminosity and EW) for the sample as a whole, but not for the individual galaxies and galaxy types.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 14 page

A quantitative approach to the sexual reproductive biology and population structure in some arctic flowering plants: Dryas integrifolia, Silene acaulis and Ranunculus nivalis

The population ecology of three species in northwest Greenland (Dryas integrifolia, Silene acaulis and Ranunculus nivalis) was studied in two consecutive seasons. Flowering phenology, population structure, flowering biology (including numbers of pollen grains per anther, germinated pollen grains per stigma, ovules per gynoecium, seeds per fruit), pollination and insect activity were the main features investigated. They were related to the micro- and macroclimatic conditions. The results can be summarized as follows: The unpredictability of the quality and length of the growing season makes the success of the reproductive cycle (i.e. production of mature seeds) very uncertain. There are seedlings at the studied sites of the three species. Most of the seedlings disappear. Population structure results indicate that seedlings become established in at least some years, but input of new individuals is episodic. Of the three species studied, R. nivalis allocates most resources to reproduction. Percentage normal pollen varies mostly between plants, less between days and sites (D. integrifolia). All three species are self-compatible. Full seed set is obtained only after insect visits. In S. acaulis seed set may be limited by the number of pollen grains reaching the stigmas. The flowers provide food (pollen and nectar) for the insects. They also provide shelter, warmth, and a mating place for them. There are sufficient insect visits per flower to ensure seed set, except possibly in S. acaulis. About 1 % of total pollen grain production is found as germinated pollen grains on stigmas. The utilization of pollen and stigmas varies between the three species. R. nivalis is the most efficient, whereas D. integrifolia is the most extravagant. A cold and rainy summer in 1976 resulted in conspicuously lower seed set in 1977 in spite of the latter summer being comparatively dry and warm. A 'reproductive budget' quantifying the various steps in the reproductive cycle is presented

Significance of low energy impact damage on modal parameters of composite beams by design of experiments

This paper presents an experimental study on the effects of multi-site damage on the vibration response of composite beams damaged by low energy impacts around the barely visible impact damage limit (BVID). The variation of the modal parameters with different levels of impact energy and density of damage is studied. Vibration tests have been carried out with both burst random and classical sine dwell excitations in order to compare that which of the methods among Polymax and Half Bandwidth Method is more suitable for damping estimation in the presence of damage. Design of experiments (DOE) performed on the experimental data show that natural frequency is a more sensitive parameter for damage detection than the damping ratio. It also highlighted energy of impact as the factor having a more significant effect on the modal parameters. Half Bandwidth Method is found to be unsuitable for damping estimation in the presence of damage

Radiative corrections to all charge assignments of heavy quark baryon semileptonic decays

In semileptonic decays of spin-1/2 baryons containing heavy quarks up to six charge assignments for the baryons and lepton are possible. We show that the radiative corrections to four of these possibilities can be directly obtained from the final results of the two possibilities previously studied. There is no need to recalculate integrals over virtual or real photon momentum or any traces.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, RevTex. Extended discussion. Final version to appear in Physical Review

Ozone Depletion from Nearby Supernovae

Estimates made in the 1970's indicated that a supernova occurring within tens of parsecs of Earth could have significant effects on the ozone layer. Since that time, improved tools for detailed modeling of atmospheric chemistry have been developed to calculate ozone depletion, and advances have been made in theoretical modeling of supernovae and of the resultant gamma-ray spectra. In addition, one now has better knowledge of the occurrence rate of supernovae in the galaxy, and of the spatial distribution of progenitors to core-collapse supernovae. We report here the results of two-dimensional atmospheric model calculations that take as input the spectral energy distribution of a supernova, adopting various distances from Earth and various latitude impact angles. In separate simulations we calculate the ozone depletion due to both gamma-rays and cosmic rays. We find that for the combined ozone depletion roughly to double the ``biologically active'' UV flux received at the surface of the Earth, the supernova must occur at <8 pc. Based on the latest data, the time-averaged galactic rate of core-collapse supernovae occurring within 8 pc is ~1.5/Gyr. In comparing our calculated ozone depletions with those of previous studies, we find them to be significantly less severe than found by Ruderman (1974), and consistent with Whitten et al. (1976). In summary, given the amplitude of the effect, the rate of nearby supernovae, and the ~Gyr time scale for multicellular organisms on Earth, this particular pathway for mass extinctions may be less important than previously thought.Comment: 24 pages, 4 Postscript figures, to appear in The Astrophysical Journal, 2003 March 10, vol. 58

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

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

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

Operational experience, improvements, and performance of the CDF Run II silicon vertex detector

The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) pursues a broad physics program at Fermilab's Tevatron collider. Between Run II commissioning in early 2001 and the end of operations in September 2011, the Tevatron delivered 12 fb-1 of integrated luminosity of p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. Many physics analyses undertaken by CDF require heavy flavor tagging with large charged particle tracking acceptance. To realize these goals, in 2001 CDF installed eight layers of silicon microstrip detectors around its interaction region. These detectors were designed for 2--5 years of operation, radiation doses up to 2 Mrad (0.02 Gy), and were expected to be replaced in 2004. The sensors were not replaced, and the Tevatron run was extended for several years beyond its design, exposing the sensors and electronics to much higher radiation doses than anticipated. In this paper we describe the operational challenges encountered over the past 10 years of running the CDF silicon detectors, the preventive measures undertaken, and the improvements made along the way to ensure their optimal performance for collecting high quality physics data. In addition, we describe the quantities and methods used to monitor radiation damage in the sensors for optimal performance and summarize the detector performance quantities important to CDF's physics program, including vertex resolution, heavy flavor tagging, and silicon vertex trigger performance.Comment: Preprint accepted for publication in Nuclear Instruments and Methods A (07/31/2013