Deep Learning Based Image Overlap Detection

Deep learning is attracting a lot of attention because of its success in many research areas. This research is concerned with how deep neural networks may be used to process or compare multiple inputs with an abstract goal. Specifically, this paper addresses the case where the identification of an overlapping region between two images is desired. The scope of this paper includes the conceptual development of different approaches and a discussion of how observing a human’s approach to the same task can lead to improved performance. Some results are presented, but a thorough analysis and comparison of the trained DNNs are not included in this paper

Towards Unsupervised Deep Learning Based Anomaly Detection

Novelty or anomaly detection is a challenging problem in many research disciplines without a general solution. In machine learning, inputs unlike the training data need to be identified. In areas where research involves taking measurements, identifying errant measurements is often necessary and occasionally vital. When monitoring the status of a system, some observations may indicate a potential system failure is occurring or may occur in the near future. The challenge is to identify the anomalous measurements that are usually sparse in comparison to the valid measurements. This paper presents a land-water classification problem as an anomaly detection problem to demonstrate the inability of a classifier to detect anomalies. A second problem requiring the identification of anomalous data uses a deep neural network (DNN) to perform a nonlinear regression as a method for the estimation of the probability that a given input is valid and not anomalous. A discussion of autoencoders is then proposed as an alternative to the supervised classification and regression approaches in an effort to remove the necessity of representing the anomalies in the training dataset

Relation between depression and sociodemographic factors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in Western countries and is related to increased morbidity and mortality from medical conditions and decreased quality of life. The sociodemographic factors of age, gender, marital status, education, immigrant status, and income have consistently been identified as important factors in explaining the variability in depression prevalence rates. This study evaluates the relationship between depression and these sociodemographic factors in the province of Ontario in Canada using the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 1.2 (CCHS-1.2) dataset.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The CCHS-1.2 survey classified depression into <it>lifetime depression </it>and <it>12-month depression</it>. The data were collected based on unequal sampling probabilities to ensure adequate representation of young persons (15 to 24) and seniors (65 and over). The sampling weights were used to estimate the prevalence of depression in each subgroup of the population. The multiple logistic regression technique was used to estimate the odds ratio of depression for each sociodemographic factor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The odds ratio of depression for men compared with women is about 0.60. The lowest and highest rates of depression are seen among people living with their married partners and divorced individuals, respectively. Prevalence of depression among people who live with common-law partners is similar to rates of depression among separated and divorced individuals. The lowest and highest rates of depression based on the level of education is seen among individuals with less than secondary school and those with "other post-secondary" education, respectively. Prevalence of 12-month and lifetime depression among individuals who were born in Canada is higher compared to Canadian residents who immigrated to Canada irrespective of gender. There is an inverse relation between income and the prevalence of depression (p < 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The patterns uncovered in this dataset are consistent with previously reported prevalence rates for Canada and other Western countries. The negative relation between age and depression after adjusting for some sociodemographic factors is consistent with some previous findings and contrasts with some older findings that the relation between age and depression is U-shaped. The rate of depression among individuals living common-law is similar to that of separated and divorced individuals, not married individuals, with whom they are most often grouped in other studies.</p

Sex Chromosome-wide Transcriptional Suppression and Compensatory Cis-Regulatory Evolution Mediate Gene Expression in the Drosophila Male Germline

The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes has repeatedly resulted in the evolution of sex chromosome-specific forms of regulation, including sex chromosome dosage compensation in the soma and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation in the germline. In the male germline of Drosophila melanogaster, a novel but poorly understood form of sex chromosome-specific transcriptional regulation occurs that is distinct from canonical sex chromosome dosage compensation or meiotic inactivation. Previous work shows that expression of reporter genes driven by testis-specific promoters is considerably lower—approximately 3-fold or more—for transgenes inserted into X chromosome versus autosome locations. Here we characterize this transcriptional suppression of X-linked genes in the male germline and its evolutionary consequences. Using transgenes and transpositions, we show that most endogenous X-linked genes, not just testis-specific ones, are transcriptionally suppressed several-fold specifically in the Drosophila male germline. In wild-type testes, this sex chromosome-wide transcriptional suppression is generally undetectable, being effectively compensated by the gene-by-gene evolutionary recruitment of strong promoters on the X chromosome. We identify and experimentally validate a promoter element sequence motif that is enriched upstream of the transcription start sites of hundreds of testis-expressed genes; evolutionarily conserved across species; associated with strong gene expression levels in testes; and overrepresented on the X chromosome. These findings show that the expression of X-linked genes in the Drosophila testes reflects a balance between chromosome-wide epigenetic transcriptional suppression and long-term compensatory adaptation by sex-linked genes. Our results have broad implications for the evolution of gene expression in the Drosophila male germline and for genome evolution

Sex Chromosome-Specific Regulation in the \u3ci\u3eDrosophila\u3c/i\u3e Male Germline But Little Evidence for Chromosomal Dosage Compensation or Meiotic Inactivation

The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes (e.g., XY in males or ZW in females) has repeatedly elicited the evolution of two kinds of chromosome-specific regulation: dosage compensation—the equalization of X chromosome gene expression in males and females— and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI)—the transcriptional silencing and heterochromatinization of the X during meiosis in the male (or Z in the female) germline. How the X chromosome is regulated in the Drosophila melanogaster male germline is unclear. Here we report three new findings concerning gene expression from the X in Drosophila testes. First, X chromosome-wide dosage compensation appears to be absent from most of the Drosophila male germline. Second, microarray analysis provides no evidence for X chromosome-specific inactivation during meiosis. Third, we confirm the previous discovery that the expression of transgene reporters driven by autosomal spermatogenesis-specific promoters is strongly reduced when inserted on the X chromosome versus the autosomes; but we show that this chromosomal difference in expression is established in premeiotic cells and persists in meiotic cells. The magnitude of the X-autosome difference in transgene expression cannot be explained by the absence of dosage compensation, suggesting that a previously unrecognized mechanism limits expression from the X during spermatogenesis in Drosophila. These findings help to resolve several previously conflicting reports and have implications for patterns of genome evolution and speciation in Drosophila

Lessons Learned from Historical Analysis of Seven Decades of Educational Scholarship at McMaster University School of Nursing

The McMaster School of Nursing (SON) was approaching its 70th anniversary prompting a time of reflection on its contributions to nursing education. Were there lessons learned from the past that could provide a compass to navigate current day challenges and orient future strategies in the continued pursuit of excellence in nursing education? While the history of nursing education in Canada has been previously documented, there has been limited research into the evolution of different educational approaches. We decided to conduct in-depth historical analysis of the conditions that fostered educational scholarship and practice at our SON from 1946 to 2016. Using Danto’s (2009) descriptive historiography approach, we first compiled a chronological catalogue of evidences of educational scholarship and of major events that occurred within the SON through literature and archival document searches and 23 key informant interviews. We included a cultural historiography lens that uses a cultural framework to help explain influences on and of the SON activities. Several key areas of educational innovation and scholarship that have influenced nursing education nationally and internationally were identified. However, this article focuses on the historical development of three highly interrelated educational approaches in which the McMaster SON was an early leader: problem-based learning, evidence based nursing, and academic/community partnerships. The article further traces the influences on and of these approaches, set within the context of major events of the SON. Several lessons were uncovered by this historical analysis including building on existing strengths while being open to opportunities, being cognizant of the impact of organizational culture over time, using a proactive planning approach, and exploiting the exponential effect of innovations. A cautionary lesson on nursing’s voice in promoting our own knowledge was also uncovered. Applying the historical methodology taught us lessons on the preservation of nursing-specific information. This historical analysis of one school of nursing’s educational scholarship has provided insights in terms of understanding the forces that have shaped its educational approaches and how this history orients the thinking on educational changes proposed in response to ongoing challenges. Résumé À l’approche de son 70e anniversaire, l’école de sciences infirmières McMaster a pris un temps de réflexion par rapport à ses contributions à la formation en sciences infirmières. Des leçons apprises dans le passé pourraient-elles servir de guide pour gérer les défis d’aujourd’hui et orienter les futures stratégies dans la poursuite continue de l’excellence de la formation en sciences infirmières? Bien que l’histoire de la formation en sciences infirmières au Canada ait été documentée par le passé, il y a eu peu de recherche sur l’évolution des différentes approches pédagogiques. Nous avons décidé de réaliser une analyse historique en profondeur des conditions qui ont favorisé l’avancement des connaissances et la pratique à notre école de sciences infirmières de 1946 à 2016. En nous basant sur l’approche d’historiographie descriptive de Danto (2009), nous avons d’abord compilé un catalogue chronologique de faits sur les programmes pédagogiques et des évènements marquants qui ont eu lieu au sein de l’école de sciences infirmières par le biais de recherches dans la littérature et les archives et d’entrevues avec 23 informateurs clés. Nous avons inclus le point de vue de l’historiographie culturelle, qui utilise un cadre culturel pour aider à expliquer les influences sur et de l’école de sciences infirmières. Plusieurs domaines clés de l’innovation et des programmes pédagogiques qui ont influencé la formation en sciences infirmières au pays et ailleurs dans le monde ont été identifiés. Toutefois, cet article se concentre sur le développement historique de trois approches pédagogiques fortement reliées pour lesquelles l’école de sciences infirmières de McMaster était un chef de file précoce : l’apprentissage basé sur les problèmes, les sciences infirmières fondées sur des données probantes et les partenariats entre les universités et les communautés. L’article retrace également les influences de ces approches dans le contexte des évènements marquants de l’école. Plusieurs leçons ont été apprises grâce à cette analyse historique, notamment de compter sur des forces existantes tout en étant ouverts aux opportunités, reconnaître l’impact de la culture organisationnelle au fil du temps, utiliser une approche de planification proactive et exploiter les effets exponentiels de l’innovation. Une mise en garde a également été établie sur la voix des sciences infirmières pour promouvoir nos propres connaissances. L’application de la méthodologie historique nous a appris des leçons sur la conservation d’informations spécifiques aux sciences infirmières et l’analyse historique de la formation et l’avancement des connaissances d’une école de sciences infirmières a donné un aperçu des forces qui ont forgé ses approches pédagogiques et la façon dont l’histoire guide la réflexion sur les changements pédagogiques proposés en réponse aux défis perpétuels

Sex Chromosome-Specific Regulation in the Drosophila Male Germline But Little Evidence for Chromosomal Dosage Compensation or Meiotic Inactivation

Suppression of X-linked transgene reporters versus normal expression of endogenous X-linked genes suggest a novel form of X chromosome-specific regulation in Drosophila testes, instead of sex chromosome dosage compensation or meiotic inactivation

Experiences of Students Enrolled in Integrated Collaborative College/University Programs

Little is known about the student experience in collaborative college/university programs, where students are enrolled in two institutions simultaneously in integrated curriculum designs. This interpretive, descriptive, qualitative study explored these students’ perspectives. Sixty-eight participants enrolled in one of four collaborative programs from three different faculties engaged in student researcher-led focus groups. Results revealed that while all participants valued their respective academic programs, their day-to-day life experiences presented a different story. Some students had perceptions of belonging and thrived in a dual world. Others had perceptions of ambiguous belonging, which contributed to them perceiving themselves through a perpetual lens of being less than university-only students. Issues of how students are invited to engage in the university and college cultures, perceptions of power and control, and daily reminders of being different all contributed to positive or ambiguous student identities. The results raise preliminary questions for universities and colleges regarding how to enhance the student experience in these collaborative programs. &nbsp;On en connaît peu sur l’expérience des étudiants dans les programmes collégiaux/universitaires collaboratifs, où les étudiants sont inscrits simultanément dans deux institutions dans un modèle de curriculum intégrés. Cette étude qualitative descriptive interprétative explore les perspectives de ces étudiants. Soixante-huit participants se sont inscrits dans l’un des quatre programmes collaboratifs de trois facultés différentes impliqués dans des groupes de discussion de chercheurs dirigés par les étudiants. Les résultats ont révélé que bien que tous les participants apprécient leurs programmes académiques respectifs, leurs expériences quotidiennes ont présenté une histoire différente. Certains étudiants ont eu la perception d’appartenance menant à prospérer dans un monde dual. D’autres ont eu la perception d’une appartenance ambiguë contribuant à percevoir à travers une lentille d’infériorité perpétuelle. Des problèmes sur la façon que les étudiants sont invités à participer dans les cultures universitaires et collégiales, les perceptions de pouvoir et de contrôle, et un rappel quotidien d’être différent ont tous contribué à l’identité positive ou ambiguë des étudiants. Les résultats soulèvent des questions préliminaires pour les universités et collèges sur la façon d’améliorer l’expérience des étudiants