Personal Computer Software Graphics

The precise time to attain equilibrium was not determined but equilibration was monitored both by the drift of total energy and the stability of the system density. The simulation boxes were cubes (for both hexytols) or a truncated octahedron (for MTHP). The VAX 11/750 of the IFLYSIB performed the main calculations. Graphic displays were produced with a personal computer and ALCHEMY software (Tripos Inc., St. Louis). 

The popularity of Monte Carlo for risk-based uncertainty analysis is somewhat driven by the fact that Monte Carlo is fundamentally easy to implement, particularly with the advent of the personal computer, and graphically based software like Crystal Ball (www.decisioneering.com) and Risk (www.palisade. com/risk.html). The availability of such software systems generally promotes the use of uncertainty analysis in ecological risk assessments, reducing the amount of mathematical and statistical knowledge required of the user to implement the... 

There are disadvantages too. Some databases do not include all of the material available in conventional form for example, much of the early Chemical Abstracts is not available on-line. Another problem is that the software for on-line searching is relatively complex, so it is more difficult to learn and, as a result, on-line searches by inexperienced users can be unreliable. The increasing use of personal computers and graphical input and output have made database searching much easier but a good understanding of the software is stUl essential. Finally the cost of hardware, software, consumables, and the searches themselves, can be considerable. 

Support of personal computers with graphics systems will include the development of new software for generating a metafile from the vector data which can be interpreted by the PC graphics packages. So far, there is no general metafile standard, but we hope that the GKS (8,9) metafile will cover most future metafile structures. Further plans relate to a special command in STN for ordering off-line prints of patent drawings. 

The Genetic and Related Effects data presented in the Monographs are also available in the form of Graphic Activity Profiles (GAP) prepared in collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (see also Waters et al., 1987) using software for personal computers that are Microsoft Windows compatible. The EPA/IARC GAP software and database may be downloaded free of charge from WWW. epa. gov/gapdb. 

A "PC projection panel" and overhead projection of the spreadsheet greatly eases viewing of the computer video output. The PC projection panel provides an overhead projection of the computer screen so that all review team members can easily and simultaneous observe and comment on the recorded information as it is being recorded. The PC projection panel consist of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel that duplicates data, text or graphics, generated from the computer screen. When placed on an overhead projector the LCD image is projected onto a projector screen or a wall. Personal computer screens are viewable by only two or three personnel at a time. A typical review involves at least 5 personnel, so the PC projection pad enables all participants to view the software worksheet as it is prepared (note a "reflective" type of overhead projector will not operate with the PC projection panel, direct illumination from below the panel is required). Further details of a typical PC projection panel are provided in Appendix F. 

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