An Analysis of M0 and M1 Measurement Conditions

The increased use of optical brightening agents (OBAs) in substrates for printing is well documented, as are the complications surrounding spectrophotometric color measurement when OBAs are present. In an effort to better address measurement of OBAs, the International Standards Organization (ISO) has published ISO 13566:2009, where the illuminations utilized in spectrophotometric instrumentation is more clearly defined than in previous standards. It is recognized that moving ahead the illuminant utilized in spectrophotometers should be able to better correlate to standardized viewing conditions, including the amount of ultra-violet (UV) present in the illuminant, as the effect of the OBAs is dependent on the amount of UV. Of particular note, ISO 13655:2009 recognizes measurement condition M0 as a \u27legacy\u27 condition, representative of the wide range of spectrophotometers utilized in the field. Condition M0 instruments illuminants correspond to illuminant A, while measurement condition M1 specifies that that the instrument illumination corresponds to D50, which is better correlated to standardized viewing conditions and has a more clearly defined UV component. One goal of M1 is to achieve better agreement between various manufacturers and models of instrumentation. While M1 instruments are being utilized more and more frequently in the field, there is a large population of legacy M0 instruments also in use. For those interested in understanding the variation that can be expected in the comparison of various instruments, the question of how much variation can be eliminated through the exclusive adoption of M1 instruments is especially germane

Clinical features and long-term follow-up of 70 cases of canine idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Canine idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease (ELD) is sparsely documented in the literature. METHODS: Clinical presentation and outcome of dogs diagnosed with ELD (eosinophilic bronchitis or eosinophilic bronchopneumonia) were reviewed. Subgroups were made based on chronicity of clinical signs and findings of thoracic imaging: NCI (no changes in thoracic imaging), BRON (bronchial/peribronchial pattern), INT (bronchointerstitial/interstitial/alveolar). RESULTS: Seventy cases were included. There were more young to adult, crossbreed and female dogs. Compared with the other two groups NCI dogs showed lower bronchoalveolar lavage fluid eosinophilic pleocytosis and absence of circulating eosinophilia, bronchiectasis or death due to respiratory disease. All dogs responded clinically to corticosteroids. Median treatment duration was four months. Remission (no clinical signs after treatment discontinuation for >one month) and long-term remission (>six months) was achieved in 60 per cent, and 51 per cent of patients, respectively. Relapse occurred in 26 per cent of cases after remission but was rare (3 per cent) after long-term remission. The one-year, two-year and four-year survival to death due to respiratory disease was 98 per cent, 97 per cent and 91 per cent, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prognosis and initial clinical response for ELD was generally good although achievement of long-term remission was only seen in 51 per cent of dogs. Different outcomes based on chronicity of signs, corticosteroid dose, thoracic imaging abnormalities and other clinical variables were not appreciated

Does the Establishment of Sustainable Use Reserves Affect Fire Management in the Humid Tropics?

Tropical forests are experiencing a growing fire problem driven by climatic change, agricultural expansion and forest degradation. Protected areas are an important feature of forest protection strategies, and sustainable use reserves (SURs) may be reducing fire prevalence since they promote sustainable livelihoods and resource management. However, the use of fire in swidden agriculture, and other forms of land management, may be undermining the effectiveness of SURs in meeting their conservation and sustainable development goals. We analyse MODIS derived hot pixels, TRMM rainfall data, Terra-Class land cover data, socio-ecological data from the Brazilian agro-census and the spatial extent of rivers and roads to evaluate whether the designation of SURs reduces fire occurrence in the Brazilian Amazon. Specifically, we ask (1) a. Is SUR location (i.e., de facto) or (1) b. designation (i.e. de jure) the driving factor affecting performance in terms of the spatial density of fires?, and (2), Does SUR creation affect fire management (i.e., the timing of fires in relation to previous rainfall)? We demonstrate that pre-protection baselines are crucial for understanding reserve performance. We show that reserve creation had no discernible impact on fire density, and that fires were less prevalent in SURs due to their characteristics of sparser human settlement and remoteness, rather than their status de jure. In addition, the timing of fires in relation to rainfall, indicative of local fire management and adherence to environmental law, did not improve following SUR creation. These results challenge the notion that SURs promote environmentally sensitive fire-management, and suggest that SURs in Amazonia will require special attention if they are to curtail future accidental wildfires, particularly as plans to expand the road infrastructure throughout the region are realised. Greater investment to support improved fire management by farmers living in reserves, in addition to other fire users, will be necessary to help ameliorate these threats

Aerospace research through statistical engineering

The article of record as published may be found at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08982112.2012.641146The application of statistical engineering as described here is applied to fundamental research I support of hypersonic air breathing propulsion. An aerospace experiment that took place in a wind tunnel is the application of interest. One goal of the project was to accurately model the relationship between specific input and output parameters in the hypersonic combustion process within a controlled environment. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied in a nontraditional manner to develop the response surface as the final deliverable rather than a tool to optimize a product or process.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Modeling and Analysis of Exhaustive Probabilistic Search

The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nav.21574This article explores a probabilistic formulation for exhaustive search of a bounded area by a single searcher for a single static target. The searcher maintains an aggregate belief of the target’s presence or absence in the search area, concluding with a positive or negative search decision on crossing of decision thresholds. The measure of search performance is defined as the expected time until a search decision is made as well as the probability of the search decision being correct. The searcher gathers observations using an imperfect detector, that is, one with false positive and negative errors, and integrates them in an iterative Bayesian manner. Analytic expressions for the Bayesian update recursion of the aggregate belief are given, with theoretical results describing the role of positive and negative detections, as well as sensitivity results for the effect of the detection errors on the aggregate belief evolution. Statistical studies via design of simulation experiments provide insights into the significant search parameters, including imperfect sensor characteristics, initial belief value, search decision threshold values, and the available prior probability information. Regression analysis yields statistical models to provide prescriptive guidance on the search performance as a function of these search parameters

Design of experiments for information technology systems

Recent mandates require that rigorous statistical and mathematical approached be applied to all tests that fall under developmental and operational test and evaluation (T&SE). On October 19, 2010, J. Michael Gilmore, director of Operational Test and Evaluation, released a memorandum to the T&E community within DoD that describes an initiative designed to increase the use of scientific and statistical methods to develop rigorous methods for test and data analysis. Dr. Gilmore's memo specifies the need for using rigorous statistical based testing methods in order to ensure that proper and sufficient data is collected to answer the question of interest.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Optimizing promotion opportunity and in-zone range for the unrestricted Marine Corps Reserve officer population

The article of record as published may be found at: http://dx.doi.org/10.5711/1082598317425This paper illustrates the development of a five-year promotion plan and 10-year forecast for the unrestricted Marine Corps Reserve (MCR) colonel (06) population using Markov chains and goal programming. A Markov chain model is used to represent the 05 and 06 MCR population. A goal program allows the specification of grade strength targets set by statutory limitations for the rank of 06. Using a linear program with promotion opportunity and in-zone-time-in-grade (TIG) range as decision variables for a five-year planning horizon, the goals of the model are to meet grade strength target and produce consistent promotion opportunity and in-zone values across the planning horizon. The entire unrestricted Reserve officer population is then modeled for an additional five years to monitor company and field grade officer strengths upon returning to the running mate system.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited