I\u27m Done With Rag - Time

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/3205/thumbnail.jp

Scale Space Methods for Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Patients' Blood Glucose Values

We describe how scale space methods can be used for quantitative analysis of blood glucose concentrations from type 2 diabetes patients. Blood glucose values were recorded voluntarily by the patients over one full year as part of a self-management process, where the time and frequency of the recordings are decided by the patients. This makes a unique dataset in its extent, though with a large variation in reliability of the recordings. Scale space and frequency space techniques are suited to reveal important features of unevenly sampled data, and useful for identifying medically relevant features for use both by patients as part of their self-management process, and provide useful information for physicians

Solving Support Vector Machines in Reproducing Kernel Banach Spaces with Positive Definite Functions

In this paper we solve support vector machines in reproducing kernel Banach spaces with reproducing kernels defined on nonsymmetric domains instead of the traditional methods in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. Using the orthogonality of semi-inner-products, we can obtain the explicit representations of the dual (normalized-duality-mapping) elements of support vector machine solutions. In addition, we can introduce the reproduction property in a generalized native space by Fourier transform techniques such that it becomes a reproducing kernel Banach space, which can be even embedded into Sobolev spaces, and its reproducing kernel is set up by the related positive definite function. The representations of the optimal solutions of support vector machines (regularized empirical risks) in these reproducing kernel Banach spaces are formulated explicitly in terms of positive definite functions, and their finite numbers of coefficients can be computed by fixed point iteration. We also give some typical examples of reproducing kernel Banach spaces induced by Mat\'ern functions (Sobolev splines) so that their support vector machine solutions are well computable as the classical algorithms. Moreover, each of their reproducing bases includes information from multiple training data points. The concept of reproducing kernel Banach spaces offers us a new numerical tool for solving support vector machines.Comment: 26 page

Automatic Segmentation of Dermoscopic Images by Iterative Classification

Accurate detection of the borders of skin lesions is a vital first step for computer aided diagnostic systems. This paper presents a novel automatic approach to segmentation of skin lesions that is particularly suitable for analysis of dermoscopic images. Assumptions about the image acquisition, in particular, the approximate location and color, are used to derive an automatic rule to select small seed regions, likely to correspond to samples of skin and the lesion of interest. The seed regions are used as initial training samples, and the lesion segmentation problem is treated as binary classification problem. An iterative hybrid classification strategy, based on a weighted combination of estimated posteriors of a linear and quadratic classifier, is used to update both the automatically selected training samples and the segmentation, increasing reliability and final accuracy, especially for those challenging images, where the contrast between the background skin and lesion is low

4-Aminopyridine Decreases Progesterone Production by Porcine Granulosa Cells

BACKGROUND: Ion channels occur as large families of related genes with cell-specific expression patterns. Granulosa cells have been shown to express voltage-gated potassium channels from more than one family. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), an antagonist of KCNA but not KCNQ channels. METHODS: Granulosa cells were isolated from pig follicles and cultured with 4-AP, alone or in combination with FSH, 8-CPT-cAMP, estradiol 17β, and DIDS. Complimentary experiments determined the effects of 4-AP on the spontaneously established pig granulosa cell line PGC-2. Granulosa cell or PGC-2 function was assessed by radio-immunoassay of media progesterone accumulation. Cell viability was assessed by trypan blue exclusion. Drug-induced changes in cell membrane potential and intracellular potassium concentration were documented by spectrophotometric determination of DiBAC(4)(3) and PBFI fluorescence, respectively. Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) was assessed by immunoblotting. Flow cytometry was also used to examine granulosa cell viability and size. RESULTS: 4-AP (2 mM) decreased progesterone accumulation in the media of serum-supplemented and serum-free granulosa cultures, but inhibited cell proliferation only under serum-free conditions. 4-AP decreased the expression of StAR, the production of cAMP and the synthesis of estradiol by PGC-2. Addition of either 8-CPT-cAMP or estradiol 17β to serum-supplemented primary cultures reduced the inhibitory effects of 4-AP. 4-AP treatment was also associated with increased cell size, increased intracellular potassium concentration, and hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential. The drug-induced hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential was prevented either by decreasing extracellular chloride or by adding DIDS to the media. DIDS also prevented 4-AP inhibition of progesterone production. CONCLUSION: 4-AP inhibits basal and FSH-stimulated progesterone production by pig granulosa cells via drug action at multiple interacting steps in the steroidogenic pathway. These inhibitory effects of 4-AP on steroidogenesis may reflect drug-induced changes in intracellular concentrations of K(+)and Cl(- )as well as granulosa cell resting membrane potential

Thermal and Air Quality Acceptability in Buildings that Reduce Energy by Reducing Minimum Airflow from Overhead Diffusers

There is great energy-saving potential in reducing variable air volume (VAV) box minimum airflow setpoints.In the past, setpoints have been maintained at high levels because of three concerns: 1) low flows might cause the occupants draft discomfort from insufficient mixing of diffuser discharge air, 2) inability of VAV boxes to control at low flows, and 3) poor air quality resulting from a combination of poor control and insufficient diffuser mixing. It is worth examining these concerns to see whether they are justified. The controller accuracy and stability have recently been addressed by RP 1353, in which VAV boxes were found to control well at very low flow levels. The diffuser mixing issue and impact on comfort are addressed in this research project, RP 1515.RP 1515 is a combined field and laboratory study, in which occupants’ thermal comfort and air quality satisfaction is evaluated in the field under reduced minimum VAV flow rate setpoints, and the mixing performance of diffusers is measured in the laboratory. The laboratory portion was performed with co-funding from Price Industries. Additional co-funding from the California Energy Commission’s PIER program allowed us to quantify the HVAC energy savings resulting from the reduced flows in the field study buildings.

Effects of diffuser airflow minima on occupant comfort, air mixing, and building energy use (RP-1515)

There is great energy-saving potential in reducing variable air volume (VAV) box minimum airflow setpoints to about 10% of maximum.  Typical savings are on the order of 10-30% of total HVAC energy, remarkable for an inexpensive controls setpoint change that properly maintains outside air ventilation. However, there has long been concern whether comfort and room air mixing are maintained under low flows through diffusers, and this concern has prompted VAV minima to be typically set at 20-50% of maximum.RP 1515 evaluated occupants’ thermal comfort and air quality satisfaction in operating buildings under both conventional and reduced minimum VAV flow setpoints, and measured the air diffusion performance index and air change effectiveness for typical diffuser types in the laboratory.  The hypotheses were that lowered flow operation would not significantly reduce comfort or air quality, and that HVAC energy savings would be substantial. The hypotheses were almost entirely confirmed for both warm and cool seasons.  But beyond this, the reduction of excess airflow during low-load periods caused occupants’ cold discomfort in the warm season to be halved, a surprising improvement.  It appears that today’s widespread overcooling of buildings can be corrected without risk of discomfort by lowering conventional VAV minimum flow setpoints

Exome sequences and multi-environment field trials elucidate the genetic basis of adaptation in barley

Broadening the genetic base of crops is crucial for developing varieties to respond to global agricultural challenges such as climate change. Here, we analysed a diverse panel of 371 domesticated lines of the model crop of barley to explore the genetics of crop adaptation. We first collected exome sequence data and phenotypes of key life history traits from contrasting multi-environment common garden trials. Then we applied refined statistical methods, including based on exomic haplotype states, for genotype-by-environment (G 7E) modelling. Sub-populations defined from exomic profiles were coincident with barley's biology, geography and history, and explained a high proportion of trial phenotypic variance. Clear G 7E interactions indicated adaptation profiles that varied for landraces and cultivars. Exploration of circadian clock-related genes, associated with the environmentally-adaptive days to heading trait (crucial for the crop's spread from the Fertile Crescent), illustrated complexities in G 7E effect directions, and the importance of latitudinally-based genic context in the expression of large effect alleles. Our analysis supports a gene-level scientific understanding of crop adaption and leads to practical opportunities for crop improvement, allowing the prioritisation of genomic regions and particular sets of lines for breeding efforts seeking to cope with climate change and other stresses