Regular Language Distance and Entropy

This paper addresses the problem of determining the distance between two regular languages. It will show how to expand Jaccard distance, which works on finite sets, to potentially-infinite regular languages. The entropy of a regular language plays a large role in the extension. Much of the paper is spent investigating the entropy of a regular language. This includes addressing issues that have required previous authors to rely on the upper limit of Shannon\u27s traditional formulation of channel capacity, because its limit does not always exist. The paper also includes proposing a new limit based formulation for the entropy of a regular language and proves that formulation to both exist and be equivalent to Shannon\u27s original formulation (when it exists). Additionally, the proposed formulation is shown to equal an analogous but formally quite different notion of topological entropy from Symbolic Dynamics -- consequently also showing Shannon\u27s original formulation to be equivalent to topological entropy. Surprisingly, the natural Jaccard-like entropy distance is trivial in most cases. Instead, the entropy sum distance metric is suggested, and shown to be granular in certain situations

Prioritizing Investment in Residential Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: A Case Study for the U.S. Midwest

Residential building energy use is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and in the United States represents about 20% of total energy consumption. A number of previous macro-scale studies of residential energy consumption and energy-efficiency improvements are mainly concerned with national or international aggregate potential savings. In this paper we look into the details of how a collection of specific homes in one region might reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, with particular attention given to some practical limits to what can be achieved by upgrading the existing residential building stock. Using a simple model of residential, single-family home construction characteristics, estimates are made for the efficacy of (i) changes to behavioral patterns that do not involve building shell modifications; (ii) straightforward air-infiltration mitigation measures, and (iii) insulation measures. We derive estimates of net lifetime savings resulting from these measures, in terms of energy, carbon emissions and dollars. This study points out explicitly the importance of local and regional patterns in decision-making about what fraction of necessary regional or national emissions reduction might be accomplished through energy-efficiency measures and how much might need to concentrate more heavily on renewable or other carbon-free sources of energy

Targeting Residential Energy Reduction for City Utilities Using Historical Electrical Utility Data and Readily Available Building Data

Energy use data for the eight-year period 2003–2010 was analyzed for over 1200 single family residences in Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Electricity, natural gas, residential building, and weather databases are merged to permit determination of the energy intensity of each home in the village. The energy use intensity for each home is disaggregated into weather independent and weather dependent electric and natural gas use. This use is compared to typical baseline, cooling, and heating energy use for the region. From this comparison, priority homes are identified for energy reduction investment. Collective potential low cost energy reduction is estimated for the community. Energy reduction of greater than 41% is determined to be easily achievable. Finally, a process is established, beginning with individual home energy report cards, for turning the analysis and predictions into energy reduction action

Automated Grain Yield Behavior Classification

A method for classifying grain stress evolution behaviors using unsupervised learning techniques is presented. The method is applied to analyze grain stress histories measured in-situ using high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy (HEDM) from the aluminum-lithium alloy Al-Li 2099 at the elastic-plastic transition (yield). The unsupervised learning process automatically classified the grain stress histories into four groups: major softening, no work-hardening or softening, moderate work-hardening, and major work-hardening. The orientation and spatial dependence of these four groups are discussed. In addition, the generality of the classification process to other samples is explored

Duration of untreated eating disorder and relationship to outcomes: A systematic review of the literature

Objective: This systematic review assesses the average duration of untreated eating disorder (DUED) in help‐seeking populations at the time of first eating disorder (ED) treatment and investigates the relationship between DUED and symptom severity/clinical outcomes. / Method: PRISMA guidelines were followed throughout. Selected studies provided information on either: (i) length of DUED, (ii) components of DUED, (iii) cross‐sectional associations between DUED and symptom severity, (iv) associations between DUED and clinical outcomes, or (v) experimental manipulation of DUED. Study quality was assessed. / Results: Fourteen studies from seven countries were included. Across studies, average DUED weighted by sample size was 29.9 months for anorexia nervosa, 53.0 months for bulimia nervosa and 67.4 months for binge eating disorder. A younger age at time of first treatment was indicative of shorter DUED. Retrospective studies suggest that a shorter DUED may be related to a greater likelihood of remission. Manipulation of DUED by shortening service‐related delays may improve clinical outcomes. / Conclusions: Data on length of DUED provide a benchmark for early intervention in EDs. Preliminary evidence suggests DUED may be a modifiable factor influencing outcomes in EDs. To accurately determine the role of DUED, definition and measurement must be uniformly operationalised

Inhibition of Rho Kinase Regulates Specification of Early Differentiation Events in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells

The Rho kinase pathway plays a key role in many early cell/tissue determination events that take place in embryogenesis. Rho and its downstream effector Rho kinase (ROCK) play pivotal roles in cell migration, apoptosis (membrane blebbing), cell proliferation/cell cycle, cell-cell adhesion and gene regulation. We and others have previously demonstrated that inhibition of ROCK blocks endoderm differentiation in embryonal carcinoma stem cells, however, the effect of ROCK inhibition on mesoderm and ectoderm specification has not been fully examined. In this study, the role of ROCK within the specification and differentiation of all three germ layers was examined.P19 cells were treated with the specific ROCK inhibitor Y-27623, and increase in differentiation efficiency into neuro-ectodermal and mesodermal lineages was observed. However, as expected a dramatic decrease in early endodermal markers was observed when ROCK was inhibited. Interestingly, within these ROCK-inhibited RA treated cultures, increased levels of mesodermal or ectodermal markers were not observed, instead it was found that the pluripotent markers SSEA-1 and Oct-4 remained up-regulated similar to that seen in undifferentiated cultures. Using standard and widely accepted methods for reproducible P19 differentiation into all three germ layers, an enhancement of mesoderm and ectoderm differentiation with a concurrent loss of endoderm lineage specification was observed with Y-27632 treatment. Evidence would suggest that this effect is in part mediated through TGF-β and SMAD signaling as ROCK-inhibited cells displayed aberrant SMAD activation and did not return to a 'ground' state after the inhibition had been removed.Given this data and the fact that only a partial rescue of normal differentiation capacity occurred when ROCK inhibition was alleviated, the effect of ROCK inhibition on the differentiation capacity of pluripotent cell populations should be further examined to elucidate the role of the Rho-ROCK pathway in early cellular 'fate' decision making processes

Use of GoFundMe® to crowdfund complementary and alternative medicine treatments for cancer.

PurposeComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common amongst cancer patients. However, there is growing concern about its safety and efficacy. Online crowdfunding campaigns represent a unique avenue to understand the cancer patient's perspective for using CAM or declining conventional cancer therapy (CCT).MethodsFive hundred GoFundMe campaigns from 2012 to 2019 detailing financial need for cancer treatment were randomly selected and reviewed for endorsement of CAM use, reasons for using CAM, and reasons for declining CCT. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patient and campaign characteristics between 250 CAM users and 250 non-CAM users.ResultsCompared to non-CAM users, CAM users were more likely to be female (70% vs. 54%, p < 0.01), to report more stage IV cancer (54% vs. 12%, p < 0.01), and to have a history of delayed, missed, or misdiagnosis (10% vs. 4%, p < 0.01). Reasons for using CAM include endorsing curative/therapeutic effects 212 (85%), pain/stress reduction 137 (55%), and dissatisfaction with current or past medical treatment options 105 (42%). 87 (35%) CAM users that declined CCT reported that they wanted to try to fight off cancer using CAM first 57 (61%), that CCT was too "toxic" to the body 39 (42%), and cancer was already too advanced, so that CCT would be futile or too aggressive 25 (27%).ConclusionCancer patients on GoFundMe using CAM highly value quality of life, comfort, and autonomy. Physicians should educate themselves on CAM to set realistic expectations and provide comprehensive counseling of the risks and benefits of CAM usage to patients who choose to use CAM to either augment or completely replace CCT

Prevention Across the Spectrum: a randomized controlled trial of three programs to reduce risk factors for both eating disorders and obesity

Author version made available in accordance with publisher copyright policy.Background: A randomized-controlled trial (RCT) of 3 school-based programs and a no intervention control group was conducted to evaluate their efficacy in reducing eating disorder and obesity risk factors. Methods: N = 1,316 Grade 7 and 8 girls and boys (M age = 13.21 years) across three Australian states were randomly allocated to: Media Smart; Life Smart; Helping, Encouraging, Listening and Protecting Peers Initiative (HELPP) or control (usual school class). Risk factors were measured at baseline, post-program (5-weeks later), and 6- and 12-month follow-up. Results: Media Smart girls had half the rate of onset of clinically significant concerns about shape and weight than control girls at 12-month follow-up. Media Smart and HELPP girls reported significantly lower weight and shape concern than Life Smart girls at 12-month follow-up. Media Smart and control girls scored significantly lower than HELPP girls on eating concerns and perceived pressure at 6-month follow-up. Media Smart and HELPP boys experienced significant benefit on media internalization compared to control boys and these were sustained at 12-month follow-up in Media Smart boys. A group x time effect found Media Smart participants reported more physical activity than control and HELPP participants at 6-month follow-up, while a main effect for group found Media Smart participants reported less screen time than controls. Conclusions: Media Smart was the only program to show benefit on both disordered eating and obesity risk factors. Whilst further investigations are indicated, this study suggests that this program is a promising approach to reducing risk factors for both problems