CROSS-VALIDATORY CHOICE OF A SPECTRUM ESTIMATE AND ITS CONNECTIONS WITH AIC

Abstract. This paper concerns the use of a generalized version of the cross-validated log likelihood criterion (CVLL) for selecting a spectrum estimator from an arbitrary class of candidate estimators. It is shown that CVLL is asymptotically equivalent to the expected Kullback-Leibler information of the candidate estimator. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) is also asymptotically equivalent to Kullback-Leibler information, but the applicability of AIC is limited to parametric estimators. Thus CVLL can be viewed as a cross-validatory generalization of AIC. Monte Carlo results show that CVLL is able to provide an effective choice from a class of candidates which simultaneously includes autoregressive and classical smoothed periodogram estimators. To save computation time, CVLL can be evaluated only for the classical estimators while the computationally more efficient AIC is evaluated for the parametric estimators. The criterion values are all directly comparable in this case. As an additional computation-saving device, a non-cross-validatory version of CVLL for classical estimators is proposed and studied.     

Monitoring for nitrate in UK-grown lettuce and spinach

To comply with European Commission requirements, the UK is carrying out a monitoring programme on nitrate concentrations in lettuce and spinach. This paper reports the results obtained between June 1996 and April 1998. A total of 182 samples of protected lettuce, 131 samples of outdoor-grown lettuce and 34 samples of fresh spinach were taken from the main growing areas of the UK. Nitrate concentrations in protected lettuce were influenced by the season with summer-grown crops (mean of 2382mg/kg) having lower levels than those grown in the winter (mean of 3124mg/kg). Weather conditions also affected concentrations in protected lettuces with long hours of sunshine and low rainfall associated with low nitrate levels. Nitrate concentrations in outdoor-grown lettuces were lower (mean of 1085mg/kg) than those in protected lettuces but there were insufficient data to determine if they were affected by the weather conditions or season. Similarly there were insufficient data to determine if weather conditions or season influenced nitrate concentrations in spinach (mean of 1900mg/kg) but regional differences were observed.     

On the theory of Δk radar observations of ocean surface waves

We consider the theory of waves scattered from a moving, rough, and dispersive surface in the small perturbation limit. The first-order scattered field for a time-dependent surface is obtained in the far zone of scattering in terms of the two-dimensional spectral amplitude of the surface and its dispersion relation. We develop a rigorous Δk radar theory and show that the nonzero output of a Δk radar occurs only when the Bragg condition for each signal component is satisfied separately. The frequency correlation function of the scattered field is then proportional to the mean value of the product of the spectral amplitudes of the surface at the corresponding Bragg wavenumbers. The mean value of this product is nonzero only for surfaces that have a locally varying spectrum and is proportional to the Fourier transform (with the argument Δk) of the variation of the local spectrum with respect to the pattern position. Such variations may be caused by either amplitude or phase modulation of the surface structure. In the former case, our results are similar to the results of existing theory. The latter case of phase modulation of the surface (for example, internal waves interacting with capillary waves) cannot be explained by previous theory     

Effect of acid anion on the behavior of single component molecular resists incorporating ionic photoacid generators

A series of single component chemically amplified molecular resists were made using an onium salt cation core of tris(4-(tert-butoxycarbonyloxy)-3,5-dimethylphenyl)sulfonium (TAS) with five different acid anions: chloride (Cl), hexafluoroantimonate (SbF₆), triflate (Tf), nonaflate (Nf), and tosylate (Ts). The counter-ion had a large effect on both the performance and physical characteristics of the resists. TAS–SbF₆ and TAS–Tf imaged as positive tone resists with good LER, but suffered from acid diffusion problems which limited resolution. TAS–Ts and TAS–Cl had high water solubility that prevented their use as positive tone resists. TAS–Nf had poor wetting and adhesion that prevented it from being spin-coated into films. Using onium salts as single molecule resists places great restriction on the choice of anion used because of the large effect it has on the properties of the resist. Using extreme ultraviolet lithography, TAS–SbF₆, the best performing derivative, was able to resolve 50 nm 1:1 line/space patterns with LER (3σ) of 5.2 nm.     

The determination of trypsin inhibitor levels in foodstuffs

The trypsin inhibitor activity of processed foods can be determined by measuring the loss of activity of added trypsin under standard conditions. Observed values are not usually independent of the degree of inhibition, and averaging over a range of inhibition levels or extrapolation to zero inhibition may not produce a more reliable value. A somewhat modified method is described which has been tested in two laboratories and used for large numbers of different samples on a routine basis; its application and limitations are discussed.     

Comparison of somatic development in children born at term or prematurely

Ultrastructural examination was performed in 9 biopsy specimens from 4 patients with the Cockayne-Touraine type of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica dominans. The specimens were taken from: 1. clinically normal skin from the blister-nonpredilected sites (trunk) as well as 2. atrophic, 3. intact, and 4. experimentally frictioned skin regions from the blister-predilected sites (extremities). In the frictioned skin a dermolytic blister formations was observed. Development of anchoring fibrils showed a marked regional difference, the counts of fibrils being significantly lower (40%) in the predilection sites than in the nonpredilection sites. In addition the anchoring fibrils showed a variable degree of abnormal structure. The low frequency of often abnormally structured anchoring fibrils in the blister-preferred sites provides a good explanation for the clinical features. More studies are needed to see if regional differences in fibril frequency is a feature also of normal skin, in which case the dominant epidermolysis gene may represent a mutated structural anchoring fibril gene.     

A multifactorial study of patients with asthma. Part 2: air pollution, animal dander and asthma symptoms

As part of a multifactorial computer-assisted study of patients with asthma, the relationship between air pollution, animal dander and asthma symptoms was evaluated. No association was found between four major air pollutants (carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide) and asthma symptoms. Patients who owned cats and dogs reported more severe asthma symptoms (p less than .01) than patients who did not own cats and dogs. The evaluations completed to date indicate that daily exposure to cats and dogs accounts for more of the asthma symptoms differences between patients than daily exposure to air pollutants.