Improving the Expressiveness of Deep Learning Frameworks with Recursion

Recursive neural networks have widely been used by researchers to handle applications with recursively or hierarchically structured data. However, embedded control flow deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, Theano, Caffe2, and MXNet fail to efficiently represent and execute such neural networks, due to lack of support for recursion. In this paper, we add recursion to the programming model of existing frameworks by complementing their design with recursive execution of dataflow graphs as well as additional APIs for recursive definitions. Unlike iterative implementations, which can only understand the topological index of each node in recursive data structures, our recursive implementation is able to exploit the recursive relationships between nodes for efficient execution based on parallel computation. We present an implementation on TensorFlow and evaluation results with various recursive neural network models, showing that our recursive implementation not only conveys the recursive nature of recursive neural networks better than other implementations, but also uses given resources more effectively to reduce training and inference time.Comment: Appeared in EuroSys 2018. 13 pages, 11 figure

Interaction between host cell proteins and open reading frames of porcine circovirus type 2

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is caused by a systemic inflammation after porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection. It was one of the most economically important pathogens affecting pig production worldwide before PCV2 vaccine was first introduced in 2006. After the development of a vaccine against PCV2a type, pig farms gradually restored enormous economic losses from PMWS. However, vaccine against PCV2a type could not be fully effective against several different PCV2 genotypes (PCV2b – PCV2h). In addition, PCV2a vaccine itself could generate antigenic drift of PCV2 capsid. Therefore, PCV2 infection still threats pig industry worldwide. PCV2 infection was initially found in local tissues including reproductive, respiratory, and digestive tracks. However, PCV2 infection often leads to a systemic inflammation which can cause severe immunosuppression by depleting peripheral lymphocytes in secondary lymphoid tissues. Subsequently, a secondary infection with other microorganisms can cause PMWS. Eleven putative open reading frames (ORFs) have been predicted to encode PCV2 genome. Among them, gene products of six ORFs from ORF1 to ORF6 have been identified and characterized to estimate its functional role during PCV2 infection. Acquiring knowledge about the specific interaction between each PCV2 ORF protein and host protein might be a key to develop preventive or therapeutic tools to control PCV2 infection. In this article, we reviewed current understanding of how each ORF of PCV2 manipulates host cell signaling related to immune suppression caused by PCV2

The Korean Bird Information System (KBIS) through open and public participation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The importance of biodiversity conservation has been increasing steadily due to its benefits to human beings. Recently, producing and managing biodiversity databases have become much easier because of the information technology (IT) advancement. This made the general public's participation in biodiversity conservation much more practical than ever. For example, an openfree web service can be devised for a wider spectrum of people to collaborate with each other for sharing biodiversity information. Bird migration is one such area of the collaboration. Korean migratory birds are usually traceable in the important routes of the East Asian-Australia Flyway (EAAF), and they play a key role as an environmental change indicator of the Earth. Therefore, the preservation of migratory birds requires an information system which involves a broader range of voluntary and interactive knowledge network to process bird information production, circulation, and dissemination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Korean Bird Information System (KBIS) aims to construct a cooperative partnership domestically and internationally through the acquisition, management, and sharing of Korean bird information involving both expert and non-expert groups. KBIS has six goals: data standard, system linkage, data diversity, utilization, bird knowledge network, and statistics. The key features of KBIS are to provide a simple search, gallery (photographs), and community to lead the participation of numerous non-experts, especially amateur bird watchers. The function of real-time observation data submission through the internet has been accomplished. It also provides bird banding database, statistics, and taxon network for experts. Especially, the statistics part provides the user with easy understanding of ecological trends of species based on the time and region.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>KBIS is a tool for the conservation and management of bird diversity and ecosystem that encourages users to participate by providing the openfree data access and real-time data input web-interface. It will enhance bird knowledge networking activities locally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, it provides opportunities to enhance the public awareness for the preservation of bird diversity and species information in relevant localities through the database construction and networking activities. It can be found at <url>http://korbird.naris.go.kr</url>.</p

A Novel Process for Extracting Precious Metals from Spent Mobile Phone PCBs and Automobile Catalysts

A novel process to simultaneously extract the precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium from spent mobile phone printed circuit boards (PCBs) and honeycomb-type auto catalysts by smelting using waste-copper slag without adding any collector metals or by-products such as dross, matte and slime has been developed. In the process, waste-copper slag which is an industrial waste discharged from copper smelter is used not only as a flux for controlling slag composition, but also as a collector metal for capturing precious metals, and a plastic component contained in spent mobile phone PCBs is done as a reducing agent of iron oxides contained in the waste-copper slag. Using the developed process, up to 95% of gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium contained in the raw materials were extracted in a CuFeSn alloy phase, respectively

Myofilament Ca2+ desensitization mediates positive lusitropic effect of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in left ventricular myocytes from murine hypertensive heart

AbstractNeuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1 or nNOS) exerts negative inotropic and positive lusitropic effects through Ca2+ handling processes in cardiac myocytes from healthy hearts. However, underlying mechanisms of NOS1 in diseased hearts remain unclear. The present study aims to investigate this question in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertensive rat hearts (HP). Our results showed that the systolic function of left ventricle (LV) was reduced and diastolic function was unaltered (echocardiographic assessment) in HP compared to those in shams. In isolated LV myocytes, contraction was unchanged but peak [Ca2+]i transient was increased in HP. Concomitantly, relaxation and time constant of [Ca2+]i decay (tau) were faster and the phosphorylated fraction of phospholamban (PLN-Ser16/PLN) was greater. NOS1 protein expression and activity were increased in LV myocyte homogenates from HP. Surprisingly, inhibition of NOS1 did not affect contraction but reduced peak [Ca2+]i transient; prevented faster relaxation without affecting the tau of [Ca2+]i transient or PLN-Ser16/PLN in HP, suggesting myofilament Ca2+ desensitization by NOS1. Indeed, relaxation phase of the sarcomere length–[Ca2+]i relationship of LV myocytes shifted to the right and increased [Ca2+]i for 50% of sarcomere shortening (EC50) in HP. Phosphorylations of cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C282 and cMyBP-C273) were increased and cardiac troponin I (cTnI23/24) was reduced in HP. Importantly, NOS1 or PKG inhibition reduced cMyBP-C273 and cTnI23/24 and reversed myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity. These results reveal that NOS1 is up-regulated in LV myocytes from HP and exerts positive lusitropic effect by modulating myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity through phosphorylation of key regulators in sarcomere

Incontinentia Pigmenti: Clinical Observation of 40 Korean Cases

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is an uncommon genodermatosis that usually occurs in female infants. It is characterized by ectodermal, mesodermal, neurological, ocular, and dental manifestations. The aim of this study was to clarify clinical symptoms, accompanying diseases, and complications of IP. Forty cases of IP have been reviewed by their medical records, laboratory data, clinical photographs, and telephone survey. Male-to-female ratio was 1 to 19 and their onsets were mostly in utero. They were usually diagnosed during the neonatal period owing to their early expression of skin manifestation. Central nervous system anomalies were found in 46.7%. Ocular disorders and dental defects were detected in 66.7% and 72.7% respectively. The most commonly diagnosed anomalies were hypodontia, retinopathy, and seizure. For better understanding of IP, long term and close cooperation between dermatologists, pediatricians, neuroscientists, genentic counselors, and even dentists is crucial