Proposal for a study of computer mapping of terrain using multispectral data from ERTS-A for the Yellowstone National Park test site

The author has identified the following significant results. A terrain map of Yellowstone National Park showed plant community types and other classes of ground cover in what is basically a wild land. The map comprised 12 classes, six of which were mapped with accuracies of 70 to 95%. The remaining six classes had spectral reflectances that overlapped appreciably, and hence, those were mapped less accurately. Techniques were devised for quantitatively comparing the recognition map of the park with control data acquired from ground inspection and from analysis of sidelooking radar images, a thermal IR mosaic, and IR aerial photos of several scales. Quantitative analyses were made in ten 40 sq km test areas. Comparison mechanics were performed by computer with the final results displayed on line printer output. Forested areas were mapped by computer using ERTS data for less than 1/4 the cost of the conventional forest mapping technique for topographic base maps

Applying Principles of Crossbreeding to Maximize Hybrid Vigor

This fact sheet explains how crossbreeding can be a powerful tool to improve the productivity and profitability of a beef cattle operation when it is used correctly

Thirteen category recognition map of Yellowstone National Park produced from ERTS-1 MSS data

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Dirubidium digallium oxide bis­(ortho­borate)

The title compound, Rb2Ga2O(BO3)2, is part of the homologous series A 2Ga2O(BO3)2 (A = Na, K, Rb and Cs). The structure contains pairs of gallium-centered tetra­hedra connected through a shared oxygen vertex. Orthoborate triangles connect the basal vertices of the tetra­hedra, forming a three-dimensional network with voids occupied by rubidium ions

Galactic chemical evolution of heavy elements: from Barium to Europium

We follow the chemical evolution of the Galaxy for elements from Ba to Eu, using an evolutionary model suitable to reproduce a large set of Galactic (local and non local) and extragalactic constraints. Input stellar yields for neutron-rich nuclei have been separated into their s-process and r-process components. The production of s-process elements in thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch stars of low mass proceeds from the combined operation of two neutron sources: the dominant reaction 13C(alpha,n)16O, which releases neutrons in radiative conditions during the interpulse phase, and the reaction 22Ne(alpha,n)25Mg, marginally activated during thermal instabilities. The resulting s-process distribution is strongly dependent on the stellar metallicity. For the standard model discussed in this paper, it shows a sharp production of the Ba-peak elements around Z = Z_sun/4. Concerning the r-process yields, we assume that the production of r-nuclei is a primary process occurring in stars near the lowest mass limit for Type II supernova progenitors. The r-contribution to each nucleus is computed as the difference between its solar abundance and its s-contribution given by the Galactic chemical evolution model at the epoch of the solar system formation. We compare our results with spectroscopic abundances of elements from Ba to Eu at various metallicities (mainly from F and G stars) showing that the observed trends can be understood in the light of the present knowledge of neutron capture nucleosynthesis. Finally, we discuss a number of emerging features that deserve further scrutiny.Comment: 34 pages, 13 figures. accepted by Ap

Weak spatiotemporal response of prey to predation risk in a freely interacting system

1. The extent to which prey space use actively minimizes predation risk continues to ignite controversy. Methodological reasons that have hindered consensus include inconsistent measurements of predation risk, biased spatiotemporal scales at which responses are measured and lack of robust null expectations. 2. We addressed all three challenges in a comprehensive analysis of the spatiotemporal responses of adult female elk (Cervus elaphus) to the risk of predation by wolves (Canis lupus) during winter in northern Yellowstone, USA. 3. We quantified spatial overlap between the winter home ranges of GPS‐collared elk and three measures of predation risk: the intensity of wolf space use, the distribution of wolf‐killed elk and vegetation openness. We also assessed whether elk varied their use of areas characterized by more or less predation risk across hours of the day, and estimated encounter rates between simultaneous elk and wolf pack trajectories. We determined whether observed values were significantly lower than expected if elk movements were random with reference to predation risk using a null model approach. 4. Although a small proportion of elk did show a tendency to minimize use of open vegetation at specific times of the day, overall we highlight a notable absence of spatiotemporal response by female elk to the risk of predation posed by wolves in northern Yellowstone. 5. Our results suggest that predator–prey interactions may not always result in strong spatiotemporal patterns of avoidance

Efficacy and safety of rociletinib versus chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC: the results of TIGER-3, a phase 3 randomized study

Introduction: The TIGER-3 (NCT02322281) study was initiated to compare the efficacy and safety of rociletinib, a third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets EGFR T790M and common EGFR-activating mutations, versus chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC who progressed on first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs. Methods: Patients with advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC with disease progression on standard therapy (previous EGFR TKI and platinum-based chemotherapy) were randomized to oral rociletinib (500 or 625 mg twice daily) or single-agent chemotherapy (pemetrexed, gemcitabine, docetaxel, or paclitaxel). Results: Enrollment was halted when rociletinib development was discontinued in 2016. Of 149 enrolled patients, 75 were randomized to rociletinib (n = 53: 500 mg twice daily; n = 22: 625 mg twice daily) and 74 to chemotherapy. The median investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.6-5.4) in the rociletinib 500-mg group and 5.5 months (95% CI: 1.8-8.1) in the 625-mg group versus 2.5 months (95% CI: 1.4-2.9) in the chemotherapy group. An improved PFS was observed in patients with T790M-positive NSCLC treated with rociletinib (n = 25; 500 mg and 625 mg twice daily) versus chemotherapy (n = 20; 6.8 versus 2.7 mo; hazard ratio = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.28-1.07, p = 0.074). Grade 3 or higher hyperglycemia (24.0%), corrected QT prolongation (6.7%), diarrhea (2.7%), and vomiting (1.3%) were more frequent with rociletinib than chemotherapy (0%, 0%, 1.4%, and 0%, respectively). Conclusions: Rociletinib had a more favorable median PFS versus chemotherapy but had higher rates of hyperglycemia and corrected QT prolongation in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC who progressed on previous EGFR TKI. Incomplete enrollment prevented evaluation of the primary efficacy end point

Horizontal Branch Stars: The Interplay between Observations and Theory, and Insights into the Formation of the Galaxy

We review HB stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of globular clusters (GCs) in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude, with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC. A rediscussion of the second-parameter problem is presented. A technique is proposed to estimate the HB types of extragalactic GCs on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax measurements for the star RR Lyrae, is also revisited, giving a distance modulus to the LMC of (m-M)_0 = 18.44+/-0.11. RR Lyrae period change rates are studied. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of low-mass stars are investigated. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 56 pages, 22 figures. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Scienc