A General Framework for Fair Regression

Fairness, through its many forms and definitions, has become an important issue facing the machine learning community. In this work, we consider how to incorporate group fairness constraints in kernel regression methods, applicable to Gaussian processes, support vector machines, neural network regression and decision tree regression. Further, we focus on examining the effect of incorporating these constraints in decision tree regression, with direct applications to random forests and boosted trees amongst other widespread popular inference techniques. We show that the order of complexity of memory and computation is preserved for such models and tightly bound the expected perturbations to the model in terms of the number of leaves of the trees. Importantly, the approach works on trained models and hence can be easily applied to models in current use and group labels are only required on training data.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 2 pages reference

Observations and modeling of the surface seiches of Lake Tahoe, USA

A rich array of spatially complex surface seiche modes exists in lakes. While the amplitude of these oscillations is often small, knowledge of their spatio-temporal characteristics is valuable for understanding when they might be of localized hydrodynamic importance. The expression and impact of these basin-scale barotropic oscillations in Lake Tahoe are evaluated using a finite-element numerical model and a distributed network of ten high-frequency nearshore monitoring stations. Model-predicted nodal distributions and periodicities are confirmed using the presence/absence of spectral power in measured pressure signals, and using coherence/phasing analysis of pressure signals from stations on common and opposing antinodes. Surface seiches in Lake Tahoe have complex nodal distributions despite the relative simplicity of the basin morphometry. Seiche amplitudes are magnified on shallow shelves, where they occasionally exceed 5 cm; elsewhere, amplitudes rarely exceed 1 cm. There is generally little coherence between surface seiching and littoral water quality. However, pressure–temperature coherence at shelf sites suggests potential seiche-driven pumping. Main-basin seiche signals are present in attached marinas, wetlands, and bays, implying reversing flows between the lake and these water bodies. On the shallow sill connecting Emerald Bay to Lake Tahoe, the fundamental main-basin seiche combines with a zeroth-mode harbor seiche to dominate the cross-sill flow signal, and to drive associated temperature fluctuations. Results highlight the importance of a thorough descriptive understanding of the resonant barotropic oscillations in any lake basin in a variety of research and management contexts, even when the magnitude of these oscillations tends to be small

Mao’s War on Women: The Perpetuation of Gender Hierarchies Through Yin-Yang Cosmology in the Chinese Communist Propaganda of the Mao Era, 1949-1976

The Chinese Communist Party established the People’s Republic of China in 1949 with the intention of creating a social utopia with equality between the sexes and China’s diverse ethnic groups. However, by portraying gender, ethnicity, and politics in propaganda along the lines of yin and yang, the Party perpetuated a situation of oppression for women and minorities

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and non-canonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Kufor-Rakeb syndrome, pallido-pyramidal degeneration with supranuclear upgaze paresis and dementia, maps to 1p36

Kufor-Rakeb syndrome is an autosomal recessive nigro-striatal-pallidal-pyramidal neurodegeneration. The onset is in the teenage years with clinical features of Parkinson’s disease plus spasticity, supranuclear upgaze paresis, and dementia. Brain scans show atrophy of the globus pallidus and pyramids and, later, widespread cerebral atrophy. We report linkage in Kufor- Rakeb syndrome to a 9 cM region of chromosome 1p36 delineated by the markers D1S436 and D1S2843, with a maximum multipoint lod score of 3.6. (J Med Genet 2001;38:680–682

Mapping human serum induced gene networks as a basis for the creation of biomimetic periosteum for bone repair

The periosteum is a highly vascularised, collagen-rich tissue that plays a crucial role in directing bone repair. This is orchestrated primarily by its resident progenitor cell population. Indeed, preservation of periosteum integrity is critical for bone healing. Cells extracted from the periosteum retain their osteochondrogenic properties and as such are a promising basis for tissue engineering strategies for the repair of bone defects. However, the culture expansion conditions, and the way in which the cells are reintroduced to the defect site are critical aspects of successful translation. Indeed, expansion in human serum and implantation on biomimetic materials has previously been shown to improve in vivo bone formation. As such, this study aimed to develop a protocol to allow for the expansion of human periosteum derived cells (hPDCs) in a biomimetic periosteal-like environment. The expansion conditions were defined through the investigation of the bioactive cues involved in augmenting hPDC proliferative and multipotency characteristics, based on transcriptomic analysis of cells cultured in human serum. Master regulators of transcriptional networks were identified and an optimised periosteal derived-growth factor cocktail (PD-GFC; containing β-Estradiol, FGF2, TNFα, TGFβ, IGF-1 and PDGF-BB) was generated. Expansion of hPDCs in PD-GFC resulted in serum mimicry with regards to the cell morphology, proliferative capacity and chondrogenic differentiation. When incorporated into a 3D collagen-type-1 matrix and cultured in PD-GFC, the hPDCs migrated to the surface that represented the matrix topography of the periosteum cambium layer. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed a downregulated Wnt and TGFβ signature and an upregulation of CREB, which may indicate the hPDCs are recreating their progenitor cell signature. This study highlights the first stage in the development of a biomimetic periosteum which may have applications in bone repair

MEMS 411: Self Lacing Shoes

For our senior design project we have chosen to design and prototype a pair of self lacing shoes with the initial target audience being people with disabilities who are limited in their ability to tie their own shoes for a variety of reasons. However, we hope that this product will catch on in popularity and become normalized for all people. These shoes will allow the wearer to easily slip them on and then secure the shoes to the foot with the push of a button rather than tying laces as in conventional shoes. This process will be driven by a mechanical motor and ratchet system hidden in the soles of the shoes. While alternatives such as Velcro, slip-ons, and even other self-lacing shoes are available on the market, each of these options have short comings which our product aims to improve on. From lack of foot support to lack of style and inaccessible prices, the current market does not provide a suitable option for people who want something other than conventional shoes