An exercise in structural congruence

Milner's structural congruence is decidable for the pi-calculus without restriction, in exponential space.     

Axioms for generalized graphs, illustrated by a Cantor–Bernstein proposition

The notion of a graph type is introduced by a collection of axioms. A graph of type (or -graph) is defined as a set of edges, of which the structure is specified by . From this, general notions of subgraph and isomorphism of -graphs are derived. A Cantor-Bernstein (CB) result for -graphs is presented as an illustration of a general proof for different types of graphs. By definition, a relation on -graphs satisfies the CB property if and imply that A and B are isomorphic. In general, the relation ‘isomorphic to a subgraph’ does not satisfy the CB property. However, requiring the subgraph to be disconnected from the remainder of the graph, a relation that satisfies the CB property is obtained. A similar result is shown for -graphs with multiple edges. Received: 25 October 1996 / 5 February 1998     

A survey of six International Conferences on Pattern Recognition

In order to visualize the trends in pattern recognition during the past 10 years, the full papers contained in the Proceedings of the six International Conferences on Pattern Recognition held so far were categorized and indexed. In total, 40 index terms were used.The paper supplies information about participation by various countries. The continuous shift from pattern recognition towards image processing is substantiated. The general trends in emphasis are visualized in more detail on maps as obtained by the application of correspondence analysis. Some national differences are also indicated.     

Interactive pattern recognition of blood cells in malignant lymphomas

A data set consisting of blood cells from patients with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin lymphoma was explored using the interactive system for statistical pattern recognition ISPAHAN. The results show the usefulness of statistical pattern recognition in hematology.     

Investigation of multidimensional data using the interactive pattern analysis system ispahan

In 1972, Kanal has enumerated some reasons for the desirability of interactive pattern analysis and classification systems (IPACS). One such system, ISPAHAN, was developed at the Department of Medical Informatics of the Free University in Amsterdam. Although this system is still expanding, it is now in operation. In order to obtain some experience with its properties three data sets, varying in complexity were analysed. Especially the possibility of applying various pattern recognition techniques in succession is shown to lead to an unsupervised classification scheme which may yield essentially the same results as the maximum likelihood decision rule applied to the labelled data set. The results of unsupervised methods are generally influenced by user chosen initial conditions. An objective criterion should therefore be used to compare different configurations. The use of one such criterion, measuring the compactness of the resulting clusters, is demonstrated in this paper.     

Correspondence analysis in the context of pattern recognition

Correspondence analysis is a multivariate technique that is used for the analysis of discrete data. Its formalism is presented, together with the application to mixed data. Some properties are enumerated. Its use in pattern recognition is discussed both in the context of classification of single objects and samples (collection of objects).     

Classification of normal and abnormal samples of peripheral blood by linear mapping of the feature space

A data set of features derived from digitized images of monocytes and lymphocytes taken from samples of normal persons (10 cases) and from persons with either Hodgkin's disease (10 cases) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (9 cases) was explored. The morphological characteristics of a small proportion of the cells in the abnormal samples may well provide indications of the abnormality.A linear mapping of the feature space is described. This technique may be used to visualize the abnormality of the sample and to design a decision rule, applicable to independent test samples.     

The targets of information-carrying nanodomains

We recently introduced the concept of aqueous nanodomains to explain high potentization in homeopathy. These long-lived nanodomains carry excited states of at least two ranges of energy packets; one for chemical change, the other for target-information. Here we discuss how these nanodomains interact with their targets. Our assumption is that these targets are similar to nanodomains, thereby enhancing their interaction. We use a simple system involving only one enzyme reaction to model the normal, the diseased and the enhanced recovery phases. For the healthy phase, a range of initial enzyme concentrations lead to a stationary state. We adjust the initial enzyme concentration to find an 'ideal' value, for which at stationary state the enzyme cycle provides the identical substrate concentration for each of the adjoining components. We simulate the diseased phase by starting a fast isomerization between the free active enzyme and its inactive form. At the end of this phase another stationary state is reached. In the subsequent recovery phase the fast movement of the excited states in the homeopathic solution rapidly converts the inactive form of the enzyme to its electronically excited state, which then converts to active free enzyme. At the end of this phase we return to the stationary state reached at the end of the healthy phase, that is, complete recovery to health. This simple model omits many of the complexities of a live organism. However, the elements of homeopathic action at the target can be observed clearly, as shown by a number of simulations.     

New developments and applications in quantitative electron spectroscopic imaging of iron in human liver biopsies

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of intra-articularly administered triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in exercised equine athletes with carpal osteochondral fragmentation. Eighteen horses were randomly assigned to each of 3 groups. An osteochondral chip fragment was created in one randomly chosen intercarpal joint of each horse. Both intercarpal joints in the placebo control group (CNT) horses were injected with intra-articular administration (IA) of polyionic fluid. Both joints in the TA control group (TA CNT) horses were treated with 12 mg of TA in the intercarpal joint without an osteochondral fragment, and the opposite intercarpal joint was injected with a similar volume of polyionic fluid. The TA treated group (TA TX) horses were treated with 12 mg of TA in the joint that contained the osteochondral fragment and the opposite intercarpal joint was injected with a similar volume of polyionic fluid. All horses were treated IA on days 13 and 27 after surgery and exercised on a high speed treadmill for 6 weeks starting on Day 14. Horses in the TA TX group were significantly less lame than horses in the CNT and TA CNT groups. Horses in either TA CNT or TA TX groups had lower total protein, and higher hyaluronan, and glycosaminoglycan concentrations in synovial fluid than did those in the CNT group. Synovial membrane collected from subjects in TA CNT and TA TX groups had significantly less inflammatory cell infiltration, subintimal hyperplasia and subintimal fibrosis compared to the CNT group. Articular cartilage histomorphological parameters were significantly better from the TA CNT and TA TX groups compared to the CNT group. In conclusions, results from this study support favourable effects of TA on degree of clinically detectable lameness, and on synovial fluid, synovial membrane, and articular cartilage morphological parameters, both with direct intra-articular administration and remote site administration as compared to placebo treatment. The clinical use of IA administered TA in horses may be therapeutically beneficial in selected cases of osteochondral fragmentation and osteoarthritis.