Selection and assessment of bivariate Markov random field models

A multivariate Markov random field (MRF) model can be an appealing approach to an analysis of spatially correlated data, where multiple responses at each location may contain complex dependence structures, both across and within the areal units. To develop such a model, a functional form of the conditional distribution (with dependence parameters) for the multiple random variables must be determined. In this work, we study alternative formulations of a bivariate Gaussian MRF which are distinguished by choice of spatial or non-spatial neighborhood structures. We then consider a problem of MRF model assessments to diagnose the adequacy of the model structure (e.g., spatial neighborhood) for observed spatial data. We develop a procedure for assessing a particular dependence structure made in bivariate MRF model formulation, using the method of spatial blockwise empirical likelihood (SBEL). Simulation studies show that the proposed SBEL method provides a way to detect an incorrect assumption of the conditional dependence structure used in bivariate model construction. This procedure is also illustrated with an example of the daily average temperatures and dew points measured in Iowa during 2016

Discrete Dynamical Systems in Multiple Target and Alternate SELEX

Dynamical systems are often used to model biochemical and biological processes. In Seo et al. (2010, 2014) we studied two mathematical models of the iterative biochemical procedure known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment): multiple target SELEX and alternate SELEX. It is the purpose of this paper to revisit the mathematics of these processes in the language of dynamical systems on compact manifolds but for a dynamical system on a manifold with compact closure. From the experimentalist\u27s point of view, multiple target SELEX provides a way of obtaining the best binding ligands to a pool of several fixed targets, whereas alternate SELEX provides a way to specify which of the best binding ligands also bind best to a specified subtarget. Because these procedures are iterative, it is natural to investigate them in the context of the theory of discrete dynamical systems. Although the iterative schemes are nonautonomous, they have the same limiting properties as two closely related autonomous iteration schemes, called simplified multiple target SELEX and simplified alternate SELEX. The iteration scheme defined by simplified multiple target SELEX (simplified MTS) is not defined by the gradient of a potential function as in the standard theory (Akins, 1993). However, there is associated with this scheme, a related function, called the efficiency. From its structure, we show that the basic sets for simplified MTS are the sets of extreme points of this function and only occur on the boundary of the compact manifold. Their union, together with the repeller manifold, constitutes the set of fixed points for the dynamics. We discuss the attracting properties of the basic sets for simplified MTS and multiple target SELEX (or positive SELEX). They can be ordered by their ability to attract the flows, from the strongest attracting set to the repeller manifold. Under the hypothesis that as the SELEX scheme evolves, fewer and fewer nucleic acids can bind with greater efficiency than the overall efficiency for the given round, we prove that simplified MTS possesses a set of global attractors with highest possible overall efficiency. We show that positive SELEX has the same basic sets and that the same attracting properties as simplified MTS hold when the total target concentration decreases neither too quickly nor too slowly as a function of iteration number (Levine et al., 2007). We introduce an iteration scheme for negative SELEX, in which a subtarget is removed and, instead as in positive SELEX, where the bound target is retained and amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) at each step, the free nucleic acids are retained and amplified by PCR. Simplified alternate SELEX defines a scheme in which each iteration consists of several iterations of simplified MTS followed by several iterations of negative SELEX. The number of simplified MTS iterations need not be the same as the number of iterations of negative SELEX, but these numbers are fixed for all iterations of simplified alternate SELEX. We examine the convergence properties of alternate SELEX and introduce the notion of limiting ultimate specificity as a consequence of alternating between positive and negative SELEX iterations

Performance Comparison of CRUD Operations in IoT based Big Data Computing

Nowadays, due to the development of mobile devices, the kinds of data that are generated are becoming diverse, and the amount is becoming huge. The vast amount of data generated in this way is called big data. Big data must be processed in a different way than existing data processing methods. Representative methods of big data processing are RDBMS (Relational Database System) and NoSQL method. We compare NoSQL and RDBMS, which are representative database systems. In this paper, we use MySQL query and MongoDB query to compare RDBMS and NoSQL. We gradually compare the performance of CRUD operations in MySQL and MongoDB by increasing the amount of data. MongoDB sets index and compares it again.  Through result of these operations is to choose a database system that fits the situation.  This makes it possible to design and analyse big data more efficiently.

Comparison of dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes between tooth-borne and tooth-bone-borne hybrid nonsurgical rapid maxillary expansions in adults: a retrospective observational study

Abstract Background Despite the gradual increase in the use of rapid maxillary expansion (RME), specifically RME with the aid of skeletal anchorage in adults, there have been no reports comparing dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes between nonsurgical tooth-borne and tooth-bone-borne RMEs in adults. This study aimed to analyse differences in dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes between tooth-borne and tooth-bone-borne RMEs using a similar appliance design and the same expansion protocol in adult patients. Methods Twenty-one patients with tooth-borne expansion (a conventional expansion screw with two premolars and two molar bands for dental anchorage [T-RME]) and the same number of patients with tooth-bone-borne hybrid expansion (a conventional expansion screw with two premolar and two molar bands for dental anchorage and four mini-implants in the palate for skeletal anchorage [H-RME]) were included. Dentoskeletal and soft tissue variables at pretreatment (T1) and after expansion (T2) were measured using posteroanterior and lateral cephalograms and frontal photographs. The sex distribution of the two groups was analysed using the chi-square test, and the change after RME in each group was evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Differences in pretreatment age, expansion duration, post-expansion duration, and dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes after RME between the two groups were determined using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results There were no significant differences in the expansion protocol, pretreatment conditions, and sex distribution between the two groups. Despite similar degrees of dental expansion at the crown level between the two groups, H-RME induced increased skeletal and parallel expansion of the maxilla compared to T-RME. After expansion, H-RME demonstrated increased forward displacement of the maxilla without significant changes in the vertical dimension, while T-RME exhibited increased backward displacement of the mandible, increased vertical dimension, and decreased overbite. Both groups showed significant retroclination and extrusion of the maxillary incisors without significant intergroup differences. There were no significant soft tissue changes between the two groups. Conclusion This study suggests that using skeletal anchorage in RME may induce increased skeletal and parallel expansion of the maxilla without significant effects on the vertical dimension

Histamine-Induced Conjunctivitis and Breakdown of Blood–Tear Barrier in Dogs: A Model for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Conjunctival inflammation disturbs the blood–tear barrier and thus affects the tear film stability and composition. We aimed to develop a non-invasive and reliable method to induce conjunctivitis in dogs, a large animal model for translational work on ocular surface disease in humans. Six beagle dogs underwent a randomized, vehicle-controlled, balanced crossover trial—on six separate days, one eye received topical artificial tears (vehicle), while the other eye received one of six concentrations of histamine solution (0.005–500 mg/ml). At sequential times after eyedrop administration, a conjunctivitis score was given to each eye based on the degree of palpebral and bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis, ocular pruritus, and discharge. Total protein content (TPC) and serum albumin were quantified in tear fluid at baseline and 20 min. Additionally, 13 dogs presenting for various ophthalmic diseases with associated conjunctivitis were examined. Experimentally induced conjunctivitis developed rapidly (\u3c1 min) following topical histamine administration and lasted for 1–3 h (four lowest doses) to 6–8 h (two highest doses). The severity of conjunctivitis was dose-dependent. Histamine was overall well tolerated, although transient blepharitis, aqueous flare, and ocular hypertension occurred in a few dogs receiving histamine ≥375 mg/ml. TPC and serum albumin levels increased in tears of eyes receiving histamine ≥1.0 mg/ml, being significantly higher than vehicle and baseline in eyes receiving histamine ≥375 mg/ml. Lacrimal albumin levels were also increased in 13 dogs with naturally acquired conjunctivitis, up 2.7–14.9 fold compared to contralateral healthy eyes. Histamine-induced conjunctivitis represents a robust model for translational work on the ocular surface given the low cost, non-invasiveness, self-resolving nature, ability to adjust the duration and severity of the disease, and shared features with naturally occurring ocular diseases. Histamine solutions of 1, 10, and 375 mg/ml induce mild, moderate, and severe conjunctivitis in dogs, respectively. Leakage of serum albumin in tear fluid of eyes with conjunctivitis suggests a breakdown of the blood–tear barrier

Pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma with cystic features on cross-sectional imaging: radiologic-pathologic correlation

Most pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAs) show solid growth pattern, but ductal adenocarcinomas may demonstrate intratumoral cystic appearance or accompany peritumoral non-neoplastic cystic lesions, thus mimicking cystic pancreatic tumors on imaging studies. The histopathologic findings for PDA with cystic feature are divided into neoplastic and non-neoplastic cysts. Neoplastic cystic changes include large-duct type cysts (microcystic appearance), neoplastic mucin cysts (macrocystic appearance), colloid carcinomas (mucinous noncystic adenocarcinomas), and degenerative cystic change usually caused by hemorrhagic necrosis of tumor. Non-neoplastic cystic changes include retention cysts caused by ductal obstruction and pseudocysts caused by tumor-associated pancreatitis. Depending on the presence, size, number, and configuration of cystic changes, PDA should be differentiated from various types of cystic neoplasms. This pictorial essay provides histopathologic classification of PDAs with cystic features along with the corresponding cross-sectional imaging findings, and their differential diagnosis

Interleukin-13 and interleukin-33 mRNA are underexpressed in the duodenal mucosa of German Shepherd dogs with chronic enteropathy

Background A recent genome‐wide association study in German Shepherd dogs (GSDs) with chronic enteropathy (CE) has identified polymorphisms in the Th2 cytokine genes. Hypothesis/objective To determine if the expression of the Th2 cytokines, interleukin‐13 (IL‐13) and interleukin‐33 (IL‐33), is altered in the duodenal mucosa of GSDs with CE compared to non‐GSDs with CE and healthy dogs. Animals Twenty client‐owned dogs diagnosed with CE (10 GSDs and 10 non‐GSDs) at the Bristol Veterinary School and 8 healthy Beagle dogs from the Iowa State University Service Colony. Methods Retrospective study using archived paraffin‐embedded duodenal biopsy samples. A novel RNA in situ hybridization technology (RNAscope) was used to hybridize IL‐13 and IL‐33 mRNA probes onto at least 10 sections from duodenal biopsy samples for each dog. RNAscope signals were visualized using a microscope and semi‐quantitative assessment was performed by a single operator. Results Based on duodenal villus, subvillus, epithelial, and lamina propria average expression scores, GSDs with CE had significantly lower IL‐13 and IL‐33 mRNA expression compared to non‐GSDs with CE (IL‐13, P \u3c .04; IL‐33, P \u3c .02) and healthy Beagle dogs (IL‐13, P \u3c .02; IL‐33, P \u3c .004). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Similar to human patients with ulcerative colitis, a subtype of human inflammatory bowel disease, these data indicate that Th2 cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of CE in GSDs