Search

Recent stroke studies have shown that the ipsi-lesional thalamus longitudinally and significantly decreases after stroke in the acute and subacute stages. However, additional considerations in the chronic stages of stroke require exploration including time since stroke, gender, intracortical volume, aging, and lesion volume to better characterize thalamic differences after cortical infarct. This cross-sectional retrospective study quantified the ipsilesional and contralesional thalamus volume from 69 chronic stroke subjects’ anatomical MRI data (age 35–92) and related the thalamus volume to time since stroke, gender, intracortical volume, age, and lesion volume. The ipsi-lesional thalamus volume was significantly smaller than the contra-lesional thalamus volume (t(68) = 13.89, p

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a condition that affects over a million Americans, and despite current medical therapies, the progression of the disease results in impaired generation of internally timed or guided (IG) movements. To address this loss of motor function, previous rehabilitation therapies have focused on remediating the affected striatal-thalamic-cortical circuits (STC), primarily thought to be responsible in generating timed motor patterns. However, given the disease leads to the cell death of dopaminergic cells that are essential for proper STC function, we propose a motor therapy aimed at utilizing a compensatory parallel cerebellar-thalamic-cortical (CTC) pathway, recruited to perform externally guided (EG) movements, in which gait initiation is driven from sensory input. Our previous study has shown efficacy in our novel argentine tango therapy and improves behavioral measures above the relevant MCID threshold, but it has not been established that the CTC are in the causal pathway that are responsible for these changes. Using neural measures from task fMRI, we have begun to characterize networks that have changed and quantify any associations with behavioral metrics. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Patients were randomly assigned to an IG (n=18), EG (n=18), or education contact control (n=14). Participants were assessed preintervention and postintervention for behavioral motor and cognitive measures and neurophysiologically with task based fMRI. In the task, participants performed a foot tapping task under both IG (tap their foot in previously learned rhythm) or EG (tap immediately after receiving a tactile cue on their hand) conditions. The fMRI data were preprocessed using AFNI and registered to MNI standard space. The brainnetome atlas was applied and the average time series of each region of interest (ROI) was used to increase the signal to noise ratio. The activation of these ROI with respect to the stimulus was modeled using GLM, and we estimated the area under the curve during the task blocks. A 1-way ANOVA analysis on these betas were performed between the pre and the post intervention time points and the ROIs that were above a significance of 0.95 were identified and corrected for multiple comparisons. The change in beta in all ROIs for each individual were calculated and then correlated with the changes in the behavioral data, to see which changes in ROI areas matched the best with the behavioral changes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The EG group showed significant changes only in the EG task in 2 areas—inferior frontal gyrus and inferior temporal sulcus. Correlating to the cognitive behavioral measures show reduced error from the Inferior frontal gyrus (corr>0.5) best reflect changes in observed. There were no changes to either the STC or the CTC pathways. The IG group showed no changes behaviorally and showed no changes neurally as well. The control group showed no changes behaviorally, but neuronally certain DMN nodes, such as the precuneus and inferior temporal regions showed a significant change for both tasks. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Addressing the damaged STC pathway directly through IG therapy may not be effective. The EG therapy may not be able to enhance the STC pathway. However, the therapy appears to utilize new areas in the frontal regions and correlates with positively with changes in spatial memory and balance tasks. Contrary to our hypothesis the CTC circuit was not upregulated for performance of the IG or EG task, but therapy may have enhanced recruitment of other cognitively engaged areas. The educational control group interestingly showed changes in the DMN network, which has been shown to be linked to attention during tasks blocks.

This paper introduces a methodology for speech data mining along with the tools that the methodology requires. We show how they increase the productivity of the analyst who seeks relationships among the contents of multiple utterances and ultimately must link some newly discovered context into testable hypotheses about new information. While, in its simplest form, one can extend text data mining to speech data mining by using text tools on the output of a speech recognizer, we have found that it is not optimal. We show how data mining techniques that are typically applied to text should be modified to enable an analyst to do effective semantic data mining on a large collection of short speech utterances. For the purposes of this paper, we examine semantic data mining in the context of semantic parsing and analysis in a specific situation involving the solution of a business problem that is known to the analyst. We are not attempting a generic semantic analysis of a set of speech. Our tools and methods allow the analyst to mine the speech data to discover the semantics that best cover the desired solution. The coverage, in this case, yields a set of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) classifiers that serve as testable hypotheses.

We study the use of support vector machines (SVM's) in classifying e-mail as spam or nonspam by comparing it to three other classification algorithms: Ripper, Rocchio, and boosting decision trees. These four algorithms were tested on two different data sets: one data set where the number of features were constrained to the 1000 best features and another data set where the dimensionality was over 7000. SVM's performed best when using binary features. For both data sets, boosting trees and SVM's had acceptable test performance in terms of accuracy and speed. However, SVM's had significantly less training time.

The use of percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support (PCPS) has in creased as an aggressive resuscitative measure for hemodynamically compromised patients and for support during high-risk coronary angioplasty or valvuloplasty. The authors present a patient with an acute myocardial infarction and shock, in whom aortography during PCPS simulated the appearance of a Type B aor tic dissection, with apparent compression of contrast dye by a nonopacified false channel. The etiology appears to be the competitive flow between the normal forward cardiac ejection and the retrograde cardiopulmonary flow. Low cardi ac output and the differences in density between blood and radiographic dye exaggerate this phenomenon.

A splitting criterion that arrives out of the context of a new boosting algorithm is used to construct classification trees. Trees constructed using this Z function are compared to those using the entropy function of C4.5 and are found to give much lower error rates. The Z function is also used to construct boosting machines which, when compared to other implementations, give lower error rates.

One test of a new training algorithm is how well the algorithm generalizes from the training data to the test data. A new neural net training algorithm termed double backpropagation improves generalization in character recognition by minimizing the change in the output due to small changes in the input. This is accomplished by minimizing the normal energy term found in backpropagation and an additional energy term that is a function of the Jacobian. >

One test of a training algorithm is how well the algorithm generalizes from the training data to the test data. It is shown that a training algorithm termed double back-propagation improves generalization by simultaneously minimizing the normal energy term found in back-propagation and an additional energy term that is related to the sum of the squares of the input derivatives (gradients). In normal back-propagation training, minimizing the energy function tends to push the input gradient to zero. However, this is not always possible. Double back-propagation explicitly pushes the input gradients to zero, making the minimum broader, and increases the generalization on the test data. The authors show the improvement over normal back-propagation on four candidate architectures with a training set of 320 handwritten numbers and a test set of size 180. >

The implementation of a neural network acting as an expert system is discussed. In some cases a particular feature may not be appropriate to describe a particular object (don't care condition) or a particular feature cannot be extracted or is missing (don't know feature). It is shown how the traditional feedforward neural network cannot be trained on these types of features, and an alternate structure is shown that is optimal when the features are discrete and independent and errors are independent. The structure is highly regular. It is shown how to implement the network using operational amplifiers and logic gates. The application to a real-world problem of identifying ordnances is shown. >

The digital battlefield will present unprecedented requirements for the transfer of digital information (voice, data, and imagery). Realizing the vision of the Army's 21st century information transport architecture will require application of advanced modeling and simulation technology for performing architecture analysis, "what-if" drills, systems design, testing, and user training. The models and simulations must include communications realism, which is a simulation feature through which a synthetic environment reflects the same communications problems that exist in a real environment. Communications realism for link-level simulations has been achieved in the Integrated Terrain-Environment-Multipath Model (ITEMM). The paper describes the ITEMM, its real-time simulation algorithms, and work in progress to evolve these into a Real-Time Communications network Simulator (RTCNS) for use in a distributed interactive simulation (DIS) environment. It also describes how communication realism has been modeled for stationary and moving platforms and provides a detailed technical description of real-time simulation algorithms developed for modeling mobile radio links.

Five working papers dealing with navigation training, crew and platoon gunnery, armor training, rapid train-up, One station Unit Training, and an annotated bibliography of ARI Fort Knox Field Unit publications, 1980-1984.

In order to generalize from a training set to a test set, it is desirable that small changes in the input space of a pattern do not change the output components. This can be done by forcing this behavior as part of the training algorithm. This is done in double backpropagation by forming an energy function that is the sum of the normal energy term found in backpropagation and an additional term that is a function of the Jacobian. Significant improvement is shown with different architectures and different test sets, especially with architectures that had previously been shown to have very good performance when trained using backpropagation. It is shown that double backpropagation, as compared to backpropagation, creates weights that are smaller, thereby causing the output of the neurons to spend more time in the linear region. >

Research was conducted to determine if performance on the first run of Tank Table VIII can be predicted from amount and level of training on the Unit Conduct-of-Fire Training (U-COFT) and from crew turbulence data. During the first phase of the research, intercorrelations were computed between predictor variables and Tables VIII performance measures obtained from 77 tank crews. Two predictor variables from U-COFT training correlated significantly with Table VIII performance--crew reticle air level and TC reticle aim level. Neither variable was able to predict which crews would qualify on Table VIII, but the composite of crew reticle air and time in crew was able to predict which crews would qualify. This finding was not supported by the results based on 136 crews examined during Phase II. Since gunnery training was curtailed during Phase I but not during Phase II, the Phase I results may be applicable to future training situations in which resource constraints cause to be curtailed. (sdw)

The author shows how to implement a neural net expert system that is optimum in the minimum error sense and recognizes objects based on feature extraction. The expert system can handle features that may not be appropriate to describe certain objects (termed don't care features) or features that cannot be extracted (unknowns or don't know features) by using marginal density functions, if needed. The implementation uses linear operations and trivial nonlinear transfer functions and is amenable to VLSI implementation. The application to a real-world problem of identifying ordnance is discussed

Ventriculoatrial shunts were first developed in the 1940s and shortly thereafter became the treatment of choice for noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Although the mortality rate for noncommunicating hydrocephalus has fallen from 80% to 20%, ventriculoatrial shunts continue to have major life-threatening complications such as thromboemboli, infection, and shunt malfunction. This report presents the cases of two adult hydrocephalic patients who developed pulmonary emboli and sepsis after being treated with ventriculoatrial shunts. One patient, whose complications were not recognized until late in the course, died of pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure despite removal of the shunt and aggressive medical therapy. Complications in the second patient were discovered early, the shunt was removed, and intravenous antibiotics were used for weeks to combat sepsis and bacterial endocarditis.

A simple purification procedure has been developed for the extracellular alkaline protease from Neurospora crassa. Key steps in the purification were: 1) the choice of gelatin as the protein inducer, which induces optimally at a much lower concentration than other commonly employed protein inducers; 2) heat treatment, during which the inducer is digested by the protease; and 3) a concentration step that eliminates the usual precipitation procedures and removes much of the digested protein inducer. These procedures were followed by routine ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The preparation was homogeneous, as determined by gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugal analyses. A molecular weight of approximately 30,500 was determined by amino acid analysis, gel electrophoresis, and sedimentation equilibrium. The protease has 100% activity from pH 6.0 to 10.0, is heat labile above 45 degrees C, and susceptible to autodigestion. Hydrolysis of the beta chain from insulin indicates a preferential cleavage on the carboxyl group side of neutral and aromatic amino acids.

To induce exocellular proteolytic enzyme from carbon-starved exponential-phase cells of Neurospora crassa, both a protein substrate and an activating protease of certain specific properties must be present at the same time. The cells must be capable of protein synthesis, since cycloheximide inhibits the process, but cell growth, as determined by increase in cell mass, does not appear to be required. Both soluble (bovine serum albumin, myoglobin) and insoluble protein substrates (collagen, corn zein) will affect protease induction, although certain soluble, globular proteins (egg white globulin, bovine gamma globulin) will not. In most cases, rates of protease induction are proportional to protein concentration, regardless of the nature of the inducing protein. All activating proteases capable of affecting induction in a manner similar to that of N. crassa exocellular protease were of bacterial origin and were exoproteases. Mammalian proteases and peptidases had little or no effect on the induction process.

A two-band compression system was designed to improve the intelligibility of speech in noise for persons suffering from sensori-neural hearing impairment. Experiments were carried out at 0 and +6 dB signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio with expansion below compression threshold. Six subjects had mean discrimination scores at S/N of 6 dB of 46, 77, and 87 percent with unprocessed speech (present heating aid), compression but linear below threshold, and compression with expansion below threshold, respectively. At the 0 dB S/N test score means were 21, 61 and 69 percent, respectively.

The induced enzyme kynureninase from N. crassa has been found to occur in two forms. These forms differ in kinetic properties, and in reaction to the cofactor pyridoxal phosphate. Uninduced cells produce only one form of the enzyme.

Neurospora crassa strain 74A grown on Vogel's medium containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as principal carbon source secretes proteolytic enzymes which appear in the culture filtrate. Low concentrations of sucrose (0.1%) are necessary for growth from conidia, as conidia will not germinate on BSA alone. Once growth is initiated, however, protease production begins and at 5 to 6 hr growth and enzyme production are parallel. Higher concentrations of sucrose (0.5-2%) repress protease synthesis. Other metabolizable materials (sugars, amino acids, peptide mixtures) also repress protease synthesis. Some sugars will not sustain growth but allow germination and full induction of protease in the presence of protein. A material found in culture fluids of cells during induction of protease synthesis when added to repressed cultures causes a five-fold increase in the amount of protease production, although this is still approximately half that of normally induced cells. This material appears to be produced by induced cells in as little as 2 hr of culture, which is before detectable levels of protease can be found. It is heat-stable, of low molecular weight, and is not a simple product of protein digestion by the N. crassa proteases.

This paper discusses optimization and implementation of recognition networks using interconnections of a standard network element to form a classification network. The standard element has a nonlinear transfer function whose inputs may be weighted by selected resistors. It is assumed that a training set of samples to be accepted or rejected is available but neither the a priori probabilities or the probability density functions of the measurements that describe the samples are known. The discriminant functions are formed from a given topology with unknown sets of weighting resistors assigned to the elements that constitute the classification network. Computer optimization is done using a hill-climbing technique that maximizes a function related to the miss rate and false alarm rate but requires neither an estimate or exact description of the sample probability space. A particular advantage is the one-to-one correspondence between the results of the optimization program and physical realization of the optimal recognition network. Disadvantages are due to the fact that an optimum can be found only with respect to a given topology and that the optimization algorithm may prematurely terminate on a local maximum.

A two-band compression system is being designed to improve the intelligibility of speech in noise for persons suffering from sensori-neural hearing impairment, The compressor is microprocessor based allowing variable thresholds, compression ratios above threshold, and expansion below threshold. The compressor will have significantly lower cost than commercial units based completely on analog devices. Although the compressor is too large to be used as a hearing aid, it has potential as a speech trainer in a one-to-one basis between teacher and student or a multi-student environment where many of the devices may be time-shared among students.

Subordinate leaders in armor units have been observed to have difficulty applying the C3 (command, control, and communication) training they receive in the classroom to actual operations in the field. One means by which these leaders can practice C3 skills before participating in field exercises is with the use of a computer supported battle simulation. This report contains the functional requirements and hardware configuration for SIMCAT, a computer supported battle simulation that will be used for conducting research on how to train command, control and communication skills in a classroom environment. The functional requirements were derived from a variety of sources including representative tank platoon scenarios, ARTEPs, situational training exercises, and battle drills. Included are the process and representation requirements for terrain, movement, detection/identification, engagement, indirect fire, communication, a resources audit, time, and post-simulation feedback. SIMCAT will consist of six networked microcomputers (four trainee stations, and stations for the opposing force and the controller/trainer). The system will use videodiscs and computer generated graphics to provide audio visual cues, inherent in tactical situations, to all simulation participants. Voice synthesis and speech recognition techniques will permit trainees to control movement and firing using normal communication protocols.

Three electrophoretically distinct acid proteases appear in culture filtrates of Neurospora crassa. Like the previously investigated alkaline and neutral proteases, these enzymes require induction by an exogenous protein. But in contrast to alkaline and neutral proteases, which are synthesized and secreted in response to limitation of any one of three nutrilites (carbon, nitrogen or sulfur), extracellular elaboration of the acidic proteases is more specifically a function of the missing nutrilite. AcP, a pepstatin-inhibitable enzyme similar to other fungal carboxyl proteases, was secreted in large amounts when protein was the sole source of sulfur. Only trace amounts were secreted when nitrogen was the limiting nutrilite, and it was undetectable under carbon limitation. M-1, a chelator-sensitive protease, was secreted when nitrogen or carbon was limiting. M-2, also chelator sensitive, was present only when nitrogen or sulfur was limiting. The evidence presented suggests that the differential regulation of the acidic proteases with respect to nutrilite deprivation may not occur at the level of transcription. AcP and M-2 were partially purified from nitrogen-derepressed cultures by ultrafiltration, cation-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. AcP has a molecular weight of 66,000, is stable from pH 3.0 to 6.0, and is optimally active toward bovine serum albumin at pH 4.0. M-2 has a molecular weight of 18,000, is stable from pH 1.6 to 5.5, and has optimal activity at pH 4.5.

A chloride-dependent transport process for glutamate has been identified in partially purified rat brain synaptosomes. This process shares many characteristics with the chloride-dependent sequestration process for glutamate in brain sonicates, which was previously thought to represent a quisqualate receptor, such as sensitivity to specific inhibitors and regulation by anions. Increases the concentrations of chloride led to and increase in the apparent Vmax without affecting the KT. Synaptosomes preincubated with [3H]-L-glutamate exhibit an efflux of the radiolabel, which was stimulated by a substrate for the carrier in the incubating medium, indicating the bidirectional nature of the transport. The chloride-dependent transfer process is restricted to the brain, and regional and developmental profiles clearly distinguish it from the sodium-dependent high-affinity uptake process for glutamate. Nevertheless, the effects of excitotoxic lesions strongly suggest a neuronal localization of the chloride-dependent transport.

This report describes the development of a method for selecting combat tasks for training based on their criticality in determining the successful accomplishment of the unit mission in which they are performed. Comparisons are made between this method for assessing task criticality and the approach recommended in the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) model. One of the major problems experienced by training developers is the lack of sufficient time and resources to train all of the tasks that are performed by soldiers in a particular duty position. Currently the Army trains only those tasks that can be handled within the available time and resource constraints, but to include those tasks that are most critical to mission success. Although this approach would prevent soldiers from learning all of the tasks performed in an MOS, careful selection of tasks could keep the impact on unit performance to a minimum. Ideally, tasks that are not learned during institutional training could be learned later during unit training or learned informally while on the job.

A new extracellular RNase, designated N4, was detected in culture filtrates from Neurospora crassa and its regulation was studied. Limitation of a nutrient obtainable from RNA alone was not sufficient to cause enzyme derepression. The addition of RNA to the medium had no inductive effect, but the addition of exogenous protein caused enzyme production. With protein in the medium, N4 was derepressible for all three elemental nutrients obtainable from RNA: carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Successful carbon derepression required the addition of a small amount of proteolytic activity to the cultures, as has been reported for the carbon-derepressible proteases of N. crassa. Exogenous protein affected RNase production before translation. Effects of the exogenous protein appeared similar to those previously reported for N. crassa protease induction. N4 was under the control of the nit-2 and nuc-1 gene products. nit-2 and nuc-1 mutants were unable to derepress enzyme synthesis for nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, respectively; however, these mutants responded like wild types to the other two states of derepression. Enzyme synthesis was constitutive in the preg mutant. Results indicate that the transcription of the N4 structural gene responds to multiple regulatory gene products from different regulatory circuits and that external protein affects the synthesis of classes of hydrolases other than proteases.

A simple purification procedure has been developed for the extracellular alkaline protease from Neurospora crassa. Key steps in the purification were: 1) the choice of gelatin as the protein inducer, which induces optimally at a much lower concentration than other commonly employed protein inducers; 2) heat treatment, during which the inducer is digested by the protease; and 3) a concentration step that eliminates the usual precipitation procedures and removes much of the digested protein inducer. These procedures were followed by routine ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The preparation was homogeneous, as determined by gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugal analyses. A molecular weight of approximately 30,500 was determined by amino acid analysis, gel electrophoresis, and sedimentation equilibrium. The protease has 100% activity from pH 6.0 to 10.0, is heat labile above 45 degrees C, and susceptible to autodigestion. Hydrolysis of the beta chain from insulin indicates a preferential cleavage on the carboxyl group side of neutral and aromatic amino acids.

Iatrogenic chylothorax is a well-recognized complication following thoracic surgery, but is a rare occurrence after aortocoronary bypass. Only two cases have been previously reported. Two additional cases from our hospital are presented. All four male patients responded to conservative management within two weeks of initiation of treatment. Only 12 cases of chylothorax following median sternotomy have been reported (nine women and three men). Five of the nine women required surgical exploration after a course of unsuccessful management ranging from 14 to 26 days. The cause of the chylothorax was considered to be injury to lymphatic collaterals in the anterior mediastinum, which resulted in a retrograde chyle flow; the main duct remained intact. This article reviews the normal anatomy of the thoracic duct and variations of chylothorax, and describes the mechanism of injury in aortocoronary bypass, the prevention of this complication, and the results of treatment.

Training requirements for the 19K30 duty position (M1 tank commander) were previously analyzed to identify tasks which should be trained in the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course for M1 tank commanders (19K BNCOC). The present report describes the development of a course outline in which the tasks are clustered and sequenced for training. The report also includes a description of the activities that were performed as part of this developmental effort including (a) a review of existing task documentation and the development of additional task documentation, (b) the preparation of a description of typical 19K BNCOC entrants, (c) the development, administration, and results of a procedure for selecting tasks for training using a Delphi panel of training experts, and (d) the identification of the relationship between procedural and nonprocedural tasks performed by tank commanders.

Based on an overview of principles of cognitive, information processing psychology concerning the structuring of information in memory, training was designed to give students task organizing information to aid their recall of four armor crewman tasks. Two alternative strategies for presenting the structure were developed: one in which the task structure information guided the presentation from the beginning of training, and one in which students were first allowed to have hands-on exposure to the task before being given the structure information. Under the constraint that these alternative training programs should not cost extra training time, they did not improve learning over the Army's standard performance oriented training strategy. Discussion concerned the role of practice and student ability in the acquisition of memory organization during learning.

A 42 year old black woman presented initially with symptoms of acute aortic dissection. She subsequently had symptoms of esophageal obstruction that were proved aortographically to be due to right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery. Relief of the esophageal obstruction was achieved only after dividing the aortic arch posteriorly and freeing the trachea and esophagus from the surrounding structures.

As part of a study of methods for increasing motivation and preventing attitude deterioration of the enlisted man, responses to specific items in a 1970 HumRRO attitude survey conducted at Fort Knox were compared with responses to the same items in several surveys conducted by the U.S. Army Troop Attitude Research Branch during and immediately following World War 2. Caution is necessary in making such comparisons since responses to attitude items can be affected by many factors, including sample composition, outdated phrasing, willingness to respond candidly, influences from other items, administrative procedures, unit or post differences, and likelihood of combat participation. A review of the literature dealing with the process of attitude change gave special attention to the dissonance and functional theories of attitude change for possible implication with reference to changing soldier attitudes.

Four cases with unusual aortic dissection found unexpectantly at the time of operation, and their aortographic and anatomic findings and surgical treatment are described. One of the patients had a type I aortic dissection with intimo-intimal intussusception and another had a type I dissection with one portion of the intimal wall unidentifiable up to the origin of the innominate artery. One patient had a type III dissecting aneurysm with retrograde dissection into the aortic arch and ascending aorta, and the fourth patient had a dissecting aneurysm involving the ascending aorta and the innominate, right common carotid, and right vertebral arteries with a re-entry at the aortic arch.

A method is described for the dissociation of rat lungs into individual viable cells. Thermolysin was perfused through the vasculature and trachea. The lung was then minced and further dissociated by washing with sequential additions of thermolysin. The results indicate this procedure to be an effective means of dispersing lung tissue into its cellular components. Standard trypsinizing procedures generally yield approximately 5 per cent of the total available lung cells whereas the thermolysin treatment increases cell yield 10-fold without significantly affecting cell viability.

Monmouth College instituted a Master’s degree program in Software Engineering in the fall of 1985 as a result of extensive collaboration with high technology industries and encouragement from the state for more interaction between academia and industry. We define software engineering as the technological and managerial discipline concerned with systematic development and maintenance of quality products that are developed, validated, and implemented within a specific time frame and within an estimated cost range. This definition is sufficiently distinct from the objectives of computer science programs to deserve a separate curriculum. Students entering the program are required to have one year of industrial experience, courses or experience in high level and assembly languages, hardware design, discrete mathematics, and probability or statistics. The program is more quantitatively oriented than other software engineering programs we have examined and includes two courses in architecture, database, operating systems, languages, algorithms, two semesters in both computer networks and software engineering and a project course. The program emphasizes group projects and quantitative measurements and predictions.

Biomedical and health effects research conducted at PNL in 1982 on the evaluation of risk to man from existing and/or developing energy-related technologies are described. Most of the studies described in this report relate to activities for three major energy technologies: nuclear fuel cycle; fossil fuel cycle (oil, gas, and coal process technologies, mining, and utilization; synfuel development), and fudion (biomagnetic effects). The report is organized under these technologies. In addition, research reports are included on the application of nuclear energy to biomedical problems. Individual projects are indexed separately.