SedLog: A shareware program for drawing graphic logs and log data manipulation

SedLog is a free multi-platform software package for creating graphic sediment logs providing an intuitive graphical user interface. The graphic sediment logs generated by SedLog can be exported as PDF, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), or JPEG for use by other drawing applications or for publications. Log data can be imported and exported in Comma Separated Values (CSV) format. The logs can also be printed to any paper size the user wants. Zoom In, Zoom Out, Fit page, Fit Height and Fit Width facilities are also provided to enable the user to customise the workspace size.     

Interactive Visual User Interfaces: A Survey

Following a short survey of input data types onwhich to construct interactive visual userinterfaces, we report on a new and recentimplementation taking concept hierarchies asinput data. The visual user interfacesexpress domain ontologies which are based onthese concept hierarchies. We detail aweb-based implementation, and show examples ofusage. An appendix surveys related systems,many of them commercial.     

Development of a Management Tool to Support the Beneficial Use of Treated Coal Seam Gas Water for Irrigation in Eastern Australia

An infiltration and salinity transport model (ISTM) based on the HYDRUS modeling platform was developed to support the beneficial use of treated coal seam gas (CSG) water to irrigate perennial forage plots in eastern Australia. The ISTM was used to support the expansion of irrigated areas under the CSG industry’s first specific irrigation beneficial use approval issued by the Queensland environmental regulatory administering authorities in March 2009. To support meeting regulatory requirements for expansion beyond the original irrigation area, forward modelling within the vadose zone was used to evaluate the fate and transport of the irrigation water as it migrates through the shallow soils and unsaturated bedrock toward the saturated zone; simulations beneath three agricultural systems with contrasting infiltration capacities were assessed. The model simulation results were used to guide irrigation activities to maximize water use in the readily available soil water capacity range for these agroecosystems, without detrimental impacts to plant growth or surface water/groundwater and soil resources. In this paper, a practical irrigation and rainfall systems-driven hydrogeochemical conceptual model is presented to identify processes that are likely to govern infiltration from the land surface, root water uptake, and solute transport into, and potentially through, the unsaturated zone. A numerical model is then parameterized to represent the primary processes hypothesized to affect water and salinity movement in the vadose zone. Finally, a series of simulations, conducted to identify the key parameters and processes governing the potential movement of water and salt through the root zone and into the bedrock vadose zone, are discussed. The simulations are used to support continuous improvement in modeling approaches for sustainably managing treated CSG extraction water allocated to irrigation.     

Linear flaw detection in woven textiles using model-based clustering

We combine image-processing techniques with a powerful new statistical technique to detect linear pattern production faults in woven textiles. Our approach detects a linear pattern in preprocessed images via model-based clustering. It employs an approximate Bayes factor which provides a criterion for assessing the evidence for the presence of a defect. The model used in experimentation is a (possibly highly elliptical) Gaussian cloud superimposed on Poisson clutter. Results are shown for some representative examples, and contrasted with a Hough transform. Software for the statistical modeling is available.     

Effects of clinical practice on psychologists: Treating depressed clients, perceived stress, and ways of coping.

Do psychologists become depressed themselves from working with depressed clients, as J. C. Coyne's ( 1976) dysphoric mood induction would predict? An assessment of psychologists' moods before and after sessions with depressed clients over a 3-week period showed no such effect. Rather, it appeared that the use of specific coping strategies by these psychologists in dealing with the stress of working with depressed clients (mainly planful problem solving and self-controlling) prevented the therapists from becoming depressed. Clinical practice is frequently stressful, and it is recommended that psychotherapists engage in problem-focused coping strategies to lessen the effect of this stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fitting straight lines to point patterns

In many types of point patterns, linear features are of greatest interest. A very general algorithm is presented here which determines non-overlapping clusters of points which have large linearity. Given a set of points, the algorithm successively merges pairs of clusters or of points, encompassing in the merging criterion both contiguity and linearity. The algorithm is a generalization of the widely-used Ward's minimum variance hierarchical clustering method. The application of this algorithm is illustrated using examples from the literature in biometrics and in character recognition.     

Identifying effective psychological treatments for insomnia: A meta-analysis.

Insomnia is a debilitating and widespread complaint. Concern over the iatrogenic effects of pharmacological therapies has led to the development of several psychological treatments for insomnia. To clarify the effects of these treatments, 66 outcome studies representing 139 treatment groups were included in a meta-analysis. The results indicated that psychological treatments produce considerable enhancement of both sleep patterns and the subjective experience of sleep. In terms of enhancing sleep onset, active treatments were all superior to placebo therapies but did not differ greatly in efficacy. Greater therapeutic gains were available for participants who were clinically referred and who were not regular users of sedative hypnotics. Future research directions are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exonuclease enhances hybridization efficiency: improved direct cycle sequencing and point mutation detection

The title compounds (6-9) were prepared and evaluated for serotonin 5-HT4 agonistic activity in in vitro tests. Introducing a propyl or allyl group at the 3-position of benzamide caused only a slight enhancement of agonistic activity. Construction of the benzo[b]furan skeleton and 2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]furan skeleton caused a significant enhancement of the activity. 4-amino-N-[2-(1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-5-yl)ethyl]-5-chloro- 2-methylbenzo[b]furan-7-carboxamide (7b) hemifumarate was as potent as cisapride. 4-Amino-N-[2-(1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-5-yl)ethyl]-5-chloro- 2,3-dihydro-2-methylbenzo[b]furan-7-carboxamide (8a) hemifumarate, 4-amino-N-[2-(1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-5-yl)ethyl]-5-chloro- 2,3-dihydro-2-ethylbenzo[b]furan-7-carboxamide (8c) hemifumarate, and 4-amino-N-[2-(1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-5-yl)ethyl]-5-chloro- 2,3-dimethylbenzo[b]furan-7-carboxamide (8d) hemifumarate were more potent than cisapride. Furthermore, 8a hemifumarate was free from dopamine D1, D2, serotonin 5-HT1, 5-HT2 and muscarine M1, M2 receptor binding activity in the in in vitro tests. On the other hand, construction of the indole skeleton caused a remarkable decrease in activity.