Fractal error for detecting man-made features in aerial images

A technique is proposed for aiding photointerpreters in detecting man-made features in aerial reconnaissance images. The technique, which uses a metric called fractal error, is based on the observed propensity of natural image features to fit a fractional Brownian motion model. Man-made features usually do not fit this model well, and consequently the fractal error metric may be used as a discriminant function for detecting man-made scene features     

Driver detection and recognition of lineside signals and signs at different approach speeds

A study was carried out using simulation to investigate driver responses to lineside signals and signs at various approach speeds. The objectives of the study were: (1) to find out whether train speed would significantly affect signal/sign reading; (2) to examine at which point certain types of signs or signals could be detected or recognised, and (3) to determine a speed cut-off level above which certain types of signs or signals are no longer recognisable or detectable. Fifty-seven train drivers from 12 Train Operating Companies in the UK participated in the trials. Twenty different types of lineside signs and ten types of signals were tested under six different approach speeds ranging from 100 to 350 km/h (62–218 mph). Driver performance measures were ‘time remaining to the signal/sign’ at the point of detection or recognition, and reading error rate. The results showed a significant influence of train speed on driver responses to lineside signals/signs and demonstrated a non-linear relationship between driver responses to signals/signs and approach speed. This has been used to estimate a maximum approach speed limit within which a specific signal or sign can be correctly detected or recognised. The findings and implications of the study are discussed in the paper.     

THEORETICAL STUDY OF A NEW MATERIAL FOR FILTERS: AEROGELS

Aerogels are highly porous materials made by removing the liquid phase of a dilute suspension of solids by taking off the vapor under super-critical temperature and pressure conditions. The aerogel structure has a skeleton of nanometer-size elements forming pores that are tens of nanometers in dimension. In some cases the structure of the aerogel arises from clusters having fractal geometry. The collection efficiency and pressure drop for such material is predicted here from models in the literature. A quality factor is used to compare aerogel material with other filter materials. The quality factor relating gas filtration efficiency with pressure drop is predicted to be unusually high for these materials in comparison with other common fibrous filter media, predicting lower flow resistance for aerogels at equivalent particle collection efficiency levels.     

Structural and Superconducting Property Variations with Nominal Mg Non‐Stoichiometry in MgxB2 and Its Enhancement of Upper Critical Field

By applying a combination of characterisation tools, changes in structural and superconducting properties with nominal Mg non‐stoichiometry in Mg_xB₂ are found. The non‐stoichiometry produces enhanced in‐field critical current densities (J_c's) and upper critical field / irreversibility field (H_c2/H_irr(T)) values. Upper critical fields of ～ 21 T (4.2 K) were obtained in nominal Mg‐deficient samples compared to ～ 17 T (4.2 K) for near‐stoichiometric samples.     

Halo effects in grading student projects.

Halo effects in rating specific pieces of work, as in educational grading, have received little attention. Grades awarded by 2 independent graders to undergraduate projects were analyzed with a correlated uniqueness model. Grades showed substantial halo despite being awarded by expert assessors at the time of reading the work. There was greater halo between different grades applying to the same section of the project than between grades applying to different sections. Supervisors who had regular contact with the student whose work they were grading showed no more halo than other graders. More reliable graders showed less within-section halo than graders of lower reliability but equal between-sections halo. The halo effects observed cannot be entirely attributable to a unitary general impression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abnormal behavioral responses to fenfluramine in patients with affective and personality disorders. Correlation with increased serotonergic responsivity

Serotonergic responsivity was assessed in 20 psychiatric patients by the prolactin response to a fenfluramine challenge test. During the fenfluramine challenge 6 of 20 patients (30%) spontaneously reported psychopathologic reactions that included: increased anxiety/agitation, psychotic symptoms, illusions, mood elevation, and anergia. The time of peak behavioral symptoms (2.5 +/- 0.8 hrs) corresponded closely to the time of peak increase in prolactin levels (3.0 +/- 1.1 hr). Abnormal behavioral responders had statistically significant greater increases in prolactin 1 to 4 hr after fenfluramine when compared to normal responders. Patients who developed an abnormal psychopathologic response to fenfluramine were characterized by higher levels of anxiety and agitation at the time of admission to the hospital but otherwise were not distinguishable on the basis of severity of other psychiatric symptoms. This study suggests that increased serotonergic transmission may trigger anxiety, psychosis, and mood elevation in specific vulnerable individuals, whereas other patients with similar psychiatric illnesses are not affected.     

Postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin appears to improve locoregional control of advanced, resectable head and neck cancers: RTOG 88-24

PURPOSE: Despite aggressive surgery and postoperative radiation therapy, only 30% of patients who have advanced, potentially resectable carcinomas of the head and neck survive for 5 years. In the hope of improving this situation we studied the effect of postoperative radiotherapy delivered concurrently with cisplatin. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients who had Stage IV tumors and/or involved surgical margins received 60 Gy in 30 fractions over 6 weeks plus 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin on radiotherapy days 1, 23 and 43. Fifty-two patients participated in this trial and 51 were evaluated. Forty-three (84%) patients had pathologic T3 or T4 disease, 43 (84%) had Stage IV disease, and 27 (53%) had histologically involved surgical margins. RESULTS: Severe and life-threatening toxicities occurred in 20% and 12% of patients, respectively; the most common drug-related toxicities were leukopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting. Seventeen patients (43%) remain alive with no evidence of disease. Four patients (8%) died with no evidence of neoplastic disease, and one patient has died of a second independent malignancy. By actuarial analysis at 3 years, 48% of patients are alive, 81% have locoregional control of disease, and 57% are free of distant metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Based on comparison with similar patients treated in a prior Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/Intergroup trial (RTOG), we conclude that postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin may improve locoregional control rates and should be prospectively tested.