Distributed Machine Learning via Sufficient Factor Broadcasting

Matrix-parametrized models, including multiclass logistic regression and sparse coding, are used in machine learning (ML) applications ranging from computer vision to computational biology. When these models are applied to large-scale ML problems starting at millions of samples and tens of thousands of classes, their parameter matrix can grow at an unexpected rate, resulting in high parameter synchronization costs that greatly slow down distributed learning. To address this issue, we propose a Sufficient Factor Broadcasting (SFB) computation model for efficient distributed learning of a large family of matrix-parameterized models, which share the following property: the parameter update computed on each data sample is a rank-1 matrix, i.e., the outer product of two "sufficient factors" (SFs). By broadcasting the SFs among worker machines and reconstructing the update matrices locally at each worker, SFB improves communication efficiency --- communication costs are linear in the parameter matrix's dimensions, rather than quadratic --- without affecting computational correctness. We present a theoretical convergence analysis of SFB, and empirically corroborate its efficiency on four different matrix-parametrized ML models

Business Process Management: A Research Overview and Analysis

In this document we describe the formatting requirements for the Proceedings of the AMCIS Conference. Please review this document carefully. You can use this document as a template and copy/paste your paper content here (this might be the best or easiest way). Please be sure to adhere to the formatting requirements as this will be your camera-ready version, and a PDF format will be generated directly from your submitted final Word version. Please note several limitations on length: (1) your abstract should be no more than 150 words, as the abstract will also be used for the conference program, (2) your entire paper should be no more than 5,000 words, including all materials and sections such as figures, tables, and references. This paper length is intended to encourage authors to publish full-length papers in journals or other outlets at a later date

Drug Resistance via Feedback Activation of Stat3 in Oncogene-Addicted Cancer Cells

SummaryPathway-targeted cancer drugs can produce dramatic responses that are invariably limited by the emergence of drug-resistant cells. We found that many drug-treated “oncogene-addicted” cancer cells engage a positive feedback loop leading to Stat3 activation, consequently promoting cell survival and limiting overall drug response. This was observed in cancer cells driven by diverse activated kinases, including EGFR, HER2, ALK, and MET, as well as mutant KRAS. Specifically, MEK inhibition led to autocrine activation of Stat3 via the FGF receptor and JAK kinases, and pharmacological inhibition of MEK together with JAK and FGFR enhanced tumor regression. These findings suggest that inhibition of a Stat3 feedback loop may augment the response to a broad spectrum of drugs that target pathways of oncogene addiction

Application of PEEP using the i-gel during volume-controlled ventilation in anesthetized, paralyzed patients

PURPOSE: This prospective, randomized trial was designed to assess whether the i-gel supraglottic airway device is suitable for volume-controlled ventilation while applying positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cmH(2)O under general anesthesia. It was believed that this device might improve arterial oxygenation. METHODS: Forty adult patients (aged 20–60 years) scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery were enrolled in this study. Twenty patients were ventilated without external PEEP [zero positive end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) group], and the other 20 were ventilated with PEEP 5 cmH(2)O (PEEP group) after placing an i-gel device. Volume-controlled ventilation at a tidal volume (TV) of 8 ml/kg of ideal body weight, leak volume, and arterial blood gas analysis were investigated. RESULTS: The incidences of a significant leak were similar in the ZEEP and PEEP groups (3/20 and 1/20, respectively; P = 0.605), as were leak volumes. No significant PaO(2) difference was observed between the two groups at 1 h after satisfactory i-gel insertion (215 ± 38 vs. 222 ± 54; P = 0.502). CONCLUSIONS: The use of an i-gel during PEEP application at 5 cmH(2)O did not increase the incidence of a significant air leak, and a PEEP of 5 cmH(2)O failed to improve arterial oxygenation during controlled ventilation in healthy adult patients

2-D Equivalent finite element model of quadratic linear electromagnetic actuator

The purpose of this paper is to present a 2-D equivalent finite element model of a quadratic linear electromagnetic actuator that can save space and power as it does not employ an energy conversion system. A 2-D model, while being fairly accurate, is preferable to a 3-D finite element analysis for the design and analysis of a quadratic linear electromagnetic actuator as it requires significantly lower computing resources and results in faster calculations. We calculate the effective coil length for the equivalent 2-D finite element model and validate the accuracy of this model with experimental data