Covariance estimation is a key step in many target detection algorithms. To distinguish target from background requires that the background be well-characterized. This applies to targets ranging from the precisely known chemical signatures of gaseous plumes to the wholly unspecified signals that are sought by anomaly detectors. When the background is modelled by a (global or local) Gaussian or ...

A medium Mn steel has been designed to achieve an excellent combination of strength and ductility based on the TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity) concept for automotive applications. Following six passes of hot rolling at 850 °C, the Fe-7.9Mn-0.14Si-0.05Al-0.07C (wt.%) steel was warm-rolled at 630 °C for seven passes and subsequently air cooled to room temperature. The sample was subseque...

A number of studies have suggested that shyness and sociability may be orthogonal dimensions of personality, each of which is associated with distinct behavioral and psychophysiological correlates, and that a combination of shyness and sociability may be a risk factor for illicit drug use. We examined whether self-reported shyness, sociability, and sensation seeking measures predicted substance...

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Endobiliary brushing during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the main technique used to diagnose a malignant stricture, but has a poor sensitivity. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of bile aspiration associated with biliary brushing during ERCP to diagnose a malignant stricture, compared to brushing alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS B...

OBJECTIVE Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and medication can be administered in combination in treating tic disorders but there are no studies evaluating the effectiveness of CBT with and without medication. The current study compares the efficacy of CBT in combination with medication and without medication. METHOD CBT was administered in a consecutively referred sample of 76 people diagnose...

In the planning and design of new clinical trials, calculation of the required sample size and power is a critical part of the process. Power calculations are usually based on quantities estimated from analysis of historical data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. In many cases this is addressed by sensitivity analysis, but simple sensitivity analysis gives an incomplete picture of the u...

In this paper I address the question-how large is a phylogenetic sample? I propose a definition of a phylogenetic effective sample size for Brownian motion and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes-the regression effective sample size. I discuss how mutual information can be used to define an effective sample size in the non-normal process case and compare these two definitions to an already present con...