5,145 research outputs found
Symptom relief with moderate dose chemotherapy (mitomycin-C, vinblastine and cisplatin) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Twenty-four symptomatic patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy (mitomycin-C 8 mg m-2 q 6 weeks, vinblastine 6 mg m-2 q 3 weeks, cisplatin 50 mg m-2 q 3 weeks). Patients were assessed for symptom relief as well as for objective response. Although only five patients achieved an objective response (21%), 18 patients (75%) reported a complete disappearance or good improvement in at least one of their tumour-related symptoms. The overall symptomatic response rate was 67% with 16 patients feeling better or much better on treatment. The toxicity of treatment (primarily myelosuppression and nausea and vomiting) was mild and hair loss was minimal. The high incidence of symptomatic relief seen in this study, even in the absence of objective response, suggests that moderate dose chemotherapy may have a role in the palliation of NSCLC
Knowledge-based vision and simple visual machines
The vast majority of work in machine vision emphasizes the representation of perceived objects and events: it is these internal representations that incorporate the 'knowledge' in knowledge-based vision or form the 'models' in model-based vision. In this paper, we discuss simple machine vision systems developed by artificial evolution rather than traditional engineering design techniques, and note that the task of identifying internal representations within such systems is made difficult by the lack of an operational definition of representation at the causal mechanistic level. Consequently, we question the nature and indeed the existence of representations posited to be used within natural vision systems (i.e. animals). We conclude that representations argued for on a priori grounds by external observers of a particular vision system may well be illusory, and are at best place-holders for yet-to-be-identified causal mechanistic interactions. That is, applying the knowledge-based vision approach in the understanding of evolved systems (machines or animals) may well lead to theories and models that are internally consistent, computationally plausible, and entirely wrong
On the isospin dependence of the mean spin-orbit field in nuclei
By the use of the latest experimental data on the spectra of Sb and
Sn and on the analysis of properties of other odd nuclei adjacent to
doubly magic closed shells the isospin dependence of a mean spin-orbit
potential is defined. Such a dependence received the explanation in the
framework of different theoretical approaches.Comment: 52 pages, Revtex, no figure
Colonoscopy quality with Entonox®vs intravenous conscious sedation:18608 colonoscopy retrospective study
Lattice-Boltzmann and finite-difference simulations for the permeability for three-dimensional porous media
Numerical micropermeametry is performed on three dimensional porous samples
having a linear size of approximately 3 mm and a resolution of 7.5 m. One
of the samples is a microtomographic image of Fontainebleau sandstone. Two of
the samples are stochastic reconstructions with the same porosity, specific
surface area, and two-point correlation function as the Fontainebleau sample.
The fourth sample is a physical model which mimics the processes of
sedimentation, compaction and diagenesis of Fontainebleau sandstone. The
permeabilities of these samples are determined by numerically solving at low
Reynolds numbers the appropriate Stokes equations in the pore spaces of the
samples. The physical diagenesis model appears to reproduce the permeability of
the real sandstone sample quite accurately, while the permeabilities of the
stochastic reconstructions deviate from the latter by at least an order of
magnitude. This finding confirms earlier qualitative predictions based on local
porosity theory. Two numerical algorithms were used in these simulations. One
is based on the lattice-Boltzmann method, and the other on conventional
finite-difference techniques. The accuracy of these two methods is discussed
and compared, also with experiment.Comment: to appear in: Phys.Rev.E (2002), 32 pages, Latex, 1 Figur
Analytical solutions of the lattice Boltzmann BGK model
Analytical solutions of the two dimensional triangular and square lattice
Boltzmann BGK models have been obtained for the plain Poiseuille flow and the
plain Couette flow. The analytical solutions are written in terms of the
characteristic velocity of the flow, the single relaxation time and the
lattice spacing. The analytic solutions are the exact representation of these
two flows without any approximation.Comment: 10 pages, no postscript figure provide
Beat-wave generation of plasmons in semiconductor plasmas
It is shown that in semiconductor plasmas, it is possible to generate large
amplitude plasma waves by the beating of two laser beams with frequency
difference close to the plasma frequency. For narrow gap semiconductors (for
example n-type InSb), the system can simulate the physics underlying beat wave
generation in relativistic gaseous plasmas.Comment: 11 pages, LaTex, no figures, no macro
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