Assessing neural network scene classification from degraded images

Scene recognition is an essential component of both machine and biological vision. Recent advances in computer vision using deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have demonstrated impressive sophistication in scene recognition, through training on large datasets of labeled scene images (Zhou et al. 2018, 2014). One criticism of CNN-based approaches is that performance may not generalize well beyond the training image set (Torralba and Efros 2011), and may be hampered by minor image modifications, which in some cases are barely perceptible to the human eye (Goodfellow et al. 2015; Szegedy et al. 2013). While these “adversarial examples” may be unlikely in natural contexts, during many real-world visual tasks scene information can be degraded or limited due to defocus blur, camera motion, sensor noise, or occluding objects. Here, we quantify the impact of several image degradations (some common, and some more exotic) on indoor/outdoor scene classification using CNNs. For comparison, we use human observers as a benchmark, and also evaluate performance against classifiers using limited, manually selected descriptors. While the CNNs outperformed the other classifiers and rivaled human accuracy for intact images, our results show that their classification accuracy is more affected by image degradations than human observers. On a practical level, however, accuracy of the CNNs remained well above chance for a wide range of image manipulations that disrupted both local and global image statistics. We also examine the level of image-by-image agreement with human observers, and find that the CNNs' agreement with observers varied as a function of the nature of image manipulation. In many cases, this agreement was not substantially different from the level one would expect to observe for two independent classifiers. Together, these results suggest that CNN-based scene classification techniques are relatively robust to several image degradations. However, the pattern of classifications obtained for ambiguous images does not appear to closely reflect the strategies employed by human observers

The Effectiveness Of Developmental Education: A Review Of Success And Persistence In Gateway Math And English Courses

The purpose of this study is to examine the success rates and persistence rates for students in North Carolina who are currently enrolled in gateway math and English courses in community colleges and to provide careful evaluation of Multiple Measures Placement policies and the Developmental Education Redesign. Students enrolled in community colleges throughout North Carolina were included in the analysis. This study employed a causal-comparative, nonexperimental research design, of which two distinct groups were identified for comparison. The comparison groups came from two cohorts of students enrolled in developmental math or English from fall to fall, 2011-2012 (Cohort 1, before the redesign), and fall to fall, 2016-2017 (Cohort 2, after redesign). A sample was taken from the records of students who were first-time college students at five participating North Carolina Community Colleges representing the three regions of the state. Overall, the results indicated that success rates and persistence rates have not improved in math, and only success rates have improved for Multiple Measures students in English courses. Furthermore, out of the students placed in to gateway courses through Multiple Measures, some students were more likely than others to be successful

Visual processing associated with making judgments of political affiliation : an eye-tracking study

This study assessed whether differences exist in the way females, males, and people with opposing political partisanships focus their visual attention during evaluations of politicians’ facial images. Eye movements were recorded while eighty four participants (34 males, 50 females) viewed ten images of politicians and were asked to determine levels of competence and attractiveness, political party, and the likelihood of voting for the candidate. Their visual attention was measured with the number and duration of fixations to four facial areas of interest (AOIs), including each eye, nose, and mouth. This study indicates groups separated by sex and opposing political partisanships use dissimilar visual processes when cognitively assessing images of politicians. Analysis of the visual scan paths indicate males held fixation durations on noses significantly longer than females (p < .05). Females showed a trend in evaluating eyes and took significantly more time to fixate on candidates’ noses (p < .05). Democratic participants also spent more time evaluating noses (p < .05) when compared to Republican participants. Results also indicated that voters’ higher ratings of competence and attractiveness correlate with the likelihood of voting for a candidate. This research provides support demonstrating that people use cognitive and visual processing skills to extrapolate nonverbal cues to facilitate in judging images of politicians

Truancy prevention in Southwest Virginia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a truancy prevention program operated by a rural school district in southwest Virginia in reducing absenteeism and improving academic performance for students. The truancy prevention program consists of an early warning system by which school personnel and other professionals (known as the Truancy, Academic, Assistance, and Response Team or TAART) meet with students with frequent absences, poor academic performance, or behavioral problems. Referral to a truancy officer, who pursues legal action against chronically absent students and/or their parents, is a commonly used intervention, but other supportive measures are also utilized. Analysis using repeated measures t-tests indicated no observable impacts on student attendance or academics after participation in the TAART meetings at one-year follow-up or from last semester when data was available. Correlations using change scores did not yield significant relationships between absences, numerical grades, or number of TAART meetings attended

NspS, A PotD1 Homolog, Acts as a Spermidine Signal Sensor, Not a Transporter, in Vibrio Cholera

Biofilm formation is important for the survival of Vibrio cholerae in its natural aquatic environments and within the human intestinal tract. We have previously shown that the absence of PotD1, the periplasmic binding protein for the spermidine ABC transporter, leads to an increase in biofilm formation. In addition, spermidine reduces biofilm formation through its interaction with NspS, a homolog of PotD1. Due to its similarity to PotD1, NspS has been annotated as a polyamine transporter. In this study, we seek to establish whether NspS is capable of transporting spermidine into the cell. We show that the absence of NspS did not lead to a loss of spermidine inside the cell, indicating that NspS does not function as a transporter. Polyamine analysis of wild-type, ?nspS, ?potD1, ?nspS?potD1, and the ?nspS?potD2?potD1 strains suggested that there are no high affinity transporters present in the cell in addition to PotD1. Biofilm assays showed that the biofilm cell densities of ?nspS?potD1 mutant were intermediate between the ?nspS and ?potD1 single mutants, implicating neither NspS nor PotD1 are epistatic over the other. Our results suggest that NspS plays a role in spermidine signaling, but not transport in V. cholerae

Multidimensional Identities And Meaning-Making Structures Of White Faculty And Staff As Critical Social Justice Practitioners

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how white faculty and staff thought about and acted upon social justice issues in US higher education. White faculty and staff are assumed to be prepared to educate students about social justice issues. However, even the most self-aware white individuals operate within the historic, systematically oppressive structures of higher education. Research questions considered how participants valued practicing critical social justice, how they understood their social identities, and how they responded to tension narratives. Through a combined framework of constructivism and critical whiteness studies, this narrative study included interviews with nine white participants who were identified by campus diversity staff as initiating positive efforts in advocating for social justice. Findings focused on the motivations of participants, possible development topics for white faculty and staff, concepts for understanding resistance narratives experienced by white faculty and staff, and coping strategies

A Brief History of the Mathematics Curricula in the United States

This paper provides a historical overview of how the mathematics curricula has evolved from Colonial times to modern-day America. This paper offers a historical perspective of how math has been taught and how historical events, such as the Great Depression and World War II, affected mathematics education in the United States. It also discusses how the value of math education has changed and how different views of mathematics affected what was taught in the classroom. Government legislation and its effects, both positive and negative, are also addressed. The purpose of this paper is not to critique the way that math has been taught, but rather to provide valuable insight into the development of mathematics education and its dynamic nature

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Risk: A Case-Control Study.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in on 13 December 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/15412555.2019.1694501Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex multi-morbid disorder with significant cardiac mortality. Current cardiovascular risk prediction models do not include COPD. We investigated whether COPD modifies future cardiovascular risk to determine if it should be considered in risk prediction models.Case-control study using baseline data from two randomized controlled trials performed between 2012 and 2015. Of the 90 eligible subjects, 26 COPD patients with lung hyperinflation were propensity matched for 10-year global cardiovascular risk score (QRISK2) with 26 controls having normal lung function. Patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, arterial stiffness and lung function measurements. Differences in pulse wave velocity (PWV), total arterial compliance (TAC) and aortic distensibility were main outcome measures.PWV (mean difference 1.0 m/s, 95% CI 0.02-1.92; p = 0.033) and TAC (mean difference -0.27 mL/m2/mmHg, 95% CI 0.39-0.15; p < 0.001) were adversely affected in COPD compared to the control group. The PWV difference equates to an age, sex and risk-factor adjusted increase in relative risk of cardiovascular events and mortality of 14% and 15%, respectively.There were no differences in aortic distensibility. In the whole cohort (n = 90) QRISK2 (β = 0.045, p = 0.005) was associated with PWV in multivariate analysis. The relationship between QRISK2 and PWV were modified by COPD, where the interaction term reached significance (p = 0.014). FEV1 (β = 0.055 (0.027), p = 0.041) and pulse (B = -0.006 (0.002), p = 0.003) were associated with TAC in multivariate analysis.Markers of cardiovascular outcomes are adversely affected in COPD patients with lung hyperinflation compared to controls matched for global cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular risk algorithms may benefit from the addition of a COPD variable to improve risk prediction and guide management.HAPPY London ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01911910 and HZC116601; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01691885.The COPD trial was funded by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), London, United Kingdom (HZC116601); SmithKline Beecham Pharma; The HAPPY London Study was funded by The Barts Charity (437/1412), London, United Kingdom

Greater risk of severe COVID-19 in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic populations is not explained by cardiometabolic, socioeconomic or behavioural factors, or by 25(OH)-vitamin D status: study of 1326 cases from the UK Biobank.

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health, following peer review. The version of record: Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, Celeste McCracken, Mae S Bethell, Jackie Cooper, Cyrus Cooper, Mark J Caulfield, Patricia B Munroe, Nicholas C Harvey, Steffen E Petersen, Greater risk of severe COVID-19 in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic populations is not explained by cardiometabolic, socioeconomic or behavioural factors, or by 25(OH)-vitamin D status: study of 1326 cases from the UK Biobank, Journal of Public Health, fdaa095, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa095 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa095BACKGROUND: We examined whether the greater severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) amongst men and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals is explained by cardiometabolic, socio-economic or behavioural factors. METHODS: We studied 4510 UK Biobank participants tested for COVID-19 (positive, n = 1326). Multivariate logistic regression models including age, sex and ethnicity were used to test whether addition of (1) cardiometabolic factors [diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, prior myocardial infarction, smoking and body mass index (BMI)]; (2) 25(OH)-vitamin D; (3) poor diet; (4) Townsend deprivation score; (5) housing (home type, overcrowding) or (6) behavioural factors (sociability, risk taking) attenuated sex/ethnicity associations with COVID-19 status. RESULTS: There was over-representation of men and BAME ethnicities in the COVID-19 positive group. BAME individuals had, on average, poorer cardiometabolic profile, lower 25(OH)-vitamin D, greater material deprivation, and were more likely to live in larger households and in flats/apartments. Male sex, BAME ethnicity, higher BMI, higher Townsend deprivation score and household overcrowding were independently associated with significantly greater odds of COVID-19. The pattern of association was consistent for men and women; cardiometabolic, socio-demographic and behavioural factors did not attenuate sex/ethnicity associations. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, sex and ethnicity differential pattern of COVID-19 was not adequately explained by variations in cardiometabolic factors, 25(OH)-vitamin D levels or socio-economic factors. Factors which underlie ethnic differences in COVID-19 may not be easily captured, and so investigation of alternative biological and genetic susceptibilities as well as more comprehensive assessment of the complex economic, social and behavioural differences should be prioritised