Principal Components as a Data Reduction and Noise Reduction Technique

The potential of principal components as a pipeline data reduction technique for thematic mapper data was assessed and principal components analysis and its transformation as a noise reduction technique was examined. Two primary factors were considered: (1) how might data reduction and noise reduction using the principal components transformation affect the extraction of accurate spectral classifications; and (2) what are the real savings in terms of computer processing and storage costs of using reduced data over the full 7-band TM complement. An area in central Pennsylvania was chosen for a study area. The image data for the project were collected using the Earth Resources Laboratory's thematic mapper simulator (TMS) instrument

The Use of Principal Components for Creating Improved Imagery for Geometric Control Point Selection

A directed principal component (PC) analysis and its transformation was applied to 7-channel thematic mapper simulator (TMS) data and 4-channel LANDSAT multispectral scanner system (MSS) data collected over the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to create improved imagery for geometric control point selection for image to image registration. Nineteen temporally stable geometric control points, such as road interactions and bridges, were selected for a 236 sq km area. The control points were visible on both the TMS and MSS imagery. On the first attempt the corresponding image control points were selected on both data sets without using the principal components transformation. Many of the road intersection locations were visible but the actual road crossings could not be distinguished. As a result, mensuration errors using raw data exceeded the equivalent of two (79 x 79 m) pixels. The application of a guided principal components transformation yielded TMS and MSS single band images showing improved detail in the scene's urban and residential infrastructure. The PC transformed data sets were then utilized for the reselection of geometric control points. By shown greater detail, control points on both the TMS and MSS imagery could be located with greater precision using the PC transformed data

Thiorhodococcus mannitoliphagus sp. nov., a new purple sulfur bacterium from the White Sea

A novel purple sulfur bacterium, strain WS(T), was isolated from a microbial mat from an estuary of the White Sea. Individual cells are coccoid shaped, motile by flagella and do not contain gas vesicles. The mean cell diameter is 1.85 mum (range 1.5-2.0 mum). Cell suspensions exhibit a purple-violet colour. They contain bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the rhodopinal series as photosynthetic pigments. The novel bacterium is an anoxygenic photoautotroph, using sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfite and elemental sulfur as electron donors for photosynthesis and is capable of photoassimilating several organic carbon sources in the presence of carbonate and a reduced sulfur source (sulfide and/or thiosulfate). Sulfur globules, formed during oxidation of sulfide, are stored transiently inside the cells. Optimal salinity and pH for growth are at 0.5-2.0 % NaCl and pH 7.0-7.5. The DNA base composition of strain WS(T) is 61.8 mol% G+C. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the new isolate belongs to the genus Thiorhodococcus, with Thiorhodococcus minor CE2203(T) as the nearest relative (sequence similarity of 97.3 %). Several distinct differences from described species necessitate the description of a novel species. Thiorhodococcus mannitoliphagus sp. nov. is the proposed name, with strain WS(T) (=ATCC BAA-1228(T)=VKM B-2393(T)) as the type strain

The ultraviolet variability of the T Tauri star RW Aurigae

Between 1978 and 1979 the visible brightness of RW Aurigae increased by 0.9 mag. During this time (1) CIV and SiIV increased by factors of 2 to 4 while the lower ionization lines remained unchanged; (2) the fluorescent OI line increased by a factor of 8; (3) the shell spectrum changed from emission to absorption; and (4) the ultraviolet continuum brightened by 2.3 mag. On a time scale of a week the continuum varied by as much as 0.8 mag., but the MgII emission lines showed no variability over 10 percent. An active chromosphere, transition region, and envelope cooled by mass loss are hypothesized in order to explain the ultraviolet observations of RW Aur

Analysis of High Dimensional Data from Intensive Care Medicine

As high dimensional data occur as a rule rather than an exception in critical care today, it is of utmost importance to improve acquisition, storage, modelling, and analysis of medical data, which appears feasable only with the help of bedside computers. The use of clinical information systems offers new perspectives of data recording and also causes a new challenge for statistical methodology. A graphical approach for analysing patterns in statistical time series from online monitoring systems in intensive care is proposed here as an example of a simple univariate method, which contains the possibility of a multivariate extension and which can be combined with procedures for dimension reduction

MACS: Multi-agent COTR system for Defense Contracting

The field of intelligent multi-agent systems has expanded rapidly in the recent past. Multi-agent architectures and systems are being investigated and continue to develop. To date, little has been accomplished in applying multi-agent systems to the defense acquisition domain. This paper describes the design, development, and related considerations of a multi-agent system in the area of procurement and contracting for the defense acquisition community

A–C Estrogens as Potent and Selective Estrogen Receptor-Beta Agonists (SERBAs) to Enhance Memory Consolidation under Low-Estrogen Conditions

Estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ) is a drug target for memory consolidation in postmenopausal women. Herein is reported a series of potent and selective ERβ agonists (SERBAs) with in vivo efficacy that are A–C estrogens, lacking the B and D estrogen rings. The most potent and selective A–C estrogen is selective for activating ER relative to seven other nuclear hormone receptors, with a surprising 750-fold selectivity for the β over α isoform and with EC50s of 20–30 nM in cell-based and direct binding assays. Comparison of potency in different assays suggests that the ER isoform selectivity is related to the compound’s ability to drive the productive conformational change needed to activate transcription. The compound also shows in vivo efficacy after microinfusion into the dorsal hippocampus and after intraperitoneal injection (0.5 mg/kg) or oral gavage (0.5 mg/kg). This simple yet novel A–C estrogen is selective, brain penetrant, and facilitates memory consolidation

Thioalkalicoccus limnaeus gen. nov., sp. nov., a new alkaliphilic purple sulfur bacterium with bacteriochlorophyll b

Four strains of purple sulfur bacteria containing bacteriochlorophyll b were isolated from cyanobacterial mats of soda lakes in the steppe of south-east Siberia, Russia. Cells of all strains were cocci without gas vesicles. Eventually, cells with flagella were seen in the electron microscope, but motile cells were observed very rarely in cultures. Internal photosynthetic membranes were of the tubular type. Photosynthetic pigments were bacteriochlorophyll b and carotenoids with spectral characteristics similar to 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydrospirilloxanthin. The bacteria were obligately phototrophic and strictly anaerobic. Hydrogen sulfide and elemental sulfur were used as photosynthetic electron donors. Thiosulfate was not used. During growth on sulfide, sulfur globules were formed as intermediate oxidation products, deposited inside the cells and centrally located. In the presence of sulfide and sodium bicarbonate, acetate, malate, propionate, pyruvate, succinate, fumarate and yeast extract were photoassimilated. Growth factors were not required. The new bacterium is an obligate alkaliphile growing at pH 8-10 with an optimum at pH 9. It showed good growth up to 6.0% sodium chloride and up to 8.5% sodium carbonates. Phenotypically, it is similar to Thiococcus pfennigii, but different by virtue of its alkaliphily and salt tolerance. The DNA G+C content was 63.6-64.8 mol %, compared to 69.4-69.9 mol % for Thiococcus pfennigii. The 16S rDNA sequence of strain A26T was approximately 92% similar to that of Thiococcus pfennigii DSM 226 and therefore a new genus and species name, Thioalkalicoccus limnaeus gen. nov. and sp. nov., are proposed for the new bacteriu

Thiorhodospira sibirica gen. nov., and sp. nov., a new alkaliphilic purple sulfur bacterium from a Siberian soda lake

A new purple sulfur bacterium was isolated from microbial films on decaying plant mass in the near-shore area of the soda lake Malyi Kasytui (pH 9.5, 0.2% salinity) located in the steppe of the Chita region of south-east Siberia. Single cells were vibrioid- or spiral-shaped (3-4 microns wide and 7-20 microns long) and motile by means of a polar tuft of flagella. Internal photosynthetic membranes were of the lamellar type. Lamellae almost filled the whole cell, forming strands and coils. Photosynthetic pigments were bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin group. The new bacterium was strictly anaerobic. Under anoxic conditions, hydrogen sulfide and elemental sulfur were used as photosynthetic electron donors. During growth on sulfide, sulfur globules were formed as intermediate oxidation products. They were deposited outside the cytoplasm of the cells, in the peripheral periplasmic space and extracellularly. Thiosulfate was not used. Carbon dioxide, acetate, pyruvate, propionate, succinate, fumarate and malate were utilized as carbon sources. Optimum growth rates were obtained at pH 9.0 and optimum temperature was 30 degrees C. Good growth was observed in a mineral salts medium containing 5 g sodium bicarbonate l-1 without sodium chloride. The new bacterium tolerated up to 60 g sodium chloride l-1 and up to 80 g sodium carbonates l-1. Growth factors were not required. The DNA G + C composition was 56.0-57.4 mol%. Based on physiological, biochemical and genetic characteristics, the newly isolated bacterium is recognized as a new species of a new genus with the proposed name Thiorhodospira sibirica