Scoup-SMT: Scalable Coupled Sparse Matrix-Tensor Factorization

How can we correlate neural activity in the human brain as it responds to words, with behavioral data expressed as answers to questions about these same words? In short, we want to find latent variables, that explain both the brain activity, as well as the behavioral responses. We show that this is an instance of the Coupled Matrix-Tensor Factorization (CMTF) problem. We propose Scoup-SMT, a novel, fast, and parallel algorithm that solves the CMTF problem and produces a sparse latent low-rank subspace of the data. In our experiments, we find that Scoup-SMT is 50-100 times faster than a state-of-the-art algorithm for CMTF, along with a 5 fold increase in sparsity. Moreover, we extend Scoup-SMT to handle missing data without degradation of performance. We apply Scoup-SMT to BrainQ, a dataset consisting of a (nouns, brain voxels, human subjects) tensor and a (nouns, properties) matrix, with coupling along the nouns dimension. Scoup-SMT is able to find meaningful latent variables, as well as to predict brain activity with competitive accuracy. Finally, we demonstrate the generality of Scoup-SMT, by applying it on a Facebook dataset (users, friends, wall-postings); there, Scoup-SMT spots spammer-like anomalies.

Causes and prevalence of visual impairment among adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the cause-specific prevalence and distribution of blindness and low vision in the United States by age, race/ethnicity, and gender, and to estimate the change in these prevalence figures over the next 20 years. METHODS: Summary prevalence estimates of blindness (both according to the US definition of < or =6/60 [< or =20/200] best-corrected visual acuity in the better-seeing eye and the World Health Organization standard of < 6/120 [< 20/400]) and low vision (< 6/12 [< 20/40] best-corrected vision in the better-seeing eye) were prepared separately for black, Hispanic, and white persons in 5-year age intervals starting at 40 years. The estimated prevalences were based on recent population-based studies in the United States, Australia, and Europe. These estimates were applied to 2000 US Census data, and to projected US population figures for 2020, to estimate the number of Americans with visual impairment. Cause-specific prevalences of blindness and low vision were also estimated for the different racial/ethnic groups. RESULTS: Based on demographics from the 2000 US Census, an estimated 937 000 (0.78%) Americans older than 40 years were blind (US definition). An additional 2.4 million Americans (1.98%) had low vision. The leading cause of blindness among white persons was age-related macular degeneration (54.4% of the cases), while among black persons, cataract and glaucoma accounted for more than 60% of blindness. Cataract was the leading cause of low vision, responsible for approximately 50% of bilateral vision worse than 6/12 (20/40) among white, black, and Hispanic persons. The number of blind persons in the US is projected to increase by 70% to 1.6 million by 2020, with a similar rise projected for low vision. CONCLUSIONS: Blindness or low vision affects approximately 1 in 28 Americans older than 40 years. The specific causes of visual impairment, and especially blindness, vary greatly by race/ethnicity. The prevalence of visual disabilities will increase markedly during the next 20 years, owing largely to the aging of the US population.

The prevalence of refractive errors among adults in the United States, Western Europe, and Australia.

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the prevalence of refractive errors in persons 40 years and older.

METHODS:

Counts of persons with phakic eyes with and without spherical equivalent refractive error in the worse eye of +3 diopters (D) or greater, -1 D or less, and -5 D or less were obtained from population-based eye surveys in strata of gender, race/ethnicity, and 5-year age intervals. Pooled age-, gender-, and race/ethnicity-specific rates for each refractive error were applied to the corresponding stratum-specific US, Western European, and Australian populations (years 2000 and projected 2020).

RESULTS:

Six studies provided data from 29 281 persons. In the US, Western European, and Australian year 2000 populations 40 years or older, the estimated crude prevalence for hyperopia of +3 D or greater was 9.9%, 11.6%, and 5.8%, respectively (11.8 million, 21.6 million, and 0.47 million persons). For myopia of -1 D or less, the estimated crude prevalence was 25.4%, 26.6%, and 16.4% (30.4 million, 49.6 million, and 1.3 million persons), respectively, of whom 4.5%, 4.6%, and 2.8% (5.3 million, 8.5 million, and 0.23 million persons), respectively, had myopia of -5 D or less. Projected prevalence rates in 2020 were similar.

CONCLUSIONS:

Refractive errors affect approximately one third of persons 40 years or older in the United States and Western Europe, and one fifth of Australians in this age group.

Prevalence of open-angle glaucoma among adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the prevalence and distribution of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in the United States by age, race/ethnicity, and gender.

METHODS:

Summary prevalence estimates of OAG were prepared separately for black, Hispanic, and white subjects in 5-year age intervals starting at 40 years. The estimated rates were based on a meta-analysis of recent population-based studies in the United States, Australia, and Europe. These rates were applied to 2000 US census data and to projected US population figures for 2020 to estimate the number of the US population with OAG.

RESULTS:

The overall prevalence of OAG in the US population 40 years and older is estimated to be 1.86% (95% confidence interval, 1.75%-1.96%), with 1.57 million white and 398 000 black persons affected. After applying race-, age-, and gender-specific rates to the US population as determined in the 2000 US census, we estimated that OAG affects 2.22 million US citizens. Owing to the rapidly aging population, the number with OAG will increase by 50% to 3.36 million in 2020. Black subjects had almost 3 times the age-adjusted prevalence of glaucoma than white subjects.

CONCLUSIONS:

Open-angle glaucoma affects more than 2 million individuals in the United States. Owing to the rapid aging of the US population, this number will increase to more than 3 million by 2020.

Species composition of coastal dune vegetation in Scotland has proved resistant to climate change over a third of a century

Climate change is expected to have an impact on plant communities as increased temperatures are expected to drive individual species' distributions polewards. The results of a revisitation study after c. 34years of 89 coastal sites in Scotland, UK, were examined to assess the degree of shifts in species composition that could be accounted for by climate change. There was little evidence for either species retreat northwards or for plots to become more dominated by species with a more southern distribution. At a few sites where significant change occurred, the changes were accounted for by the invasion, or in one instance the removal, of woody species. Also, the vegetation types that showed the most sensitivity to change were all early successional types and changes were primarily the result of succession rather than climate-driven changes. Dune vegetation appears resistant to climate change impacts on the vegetation, either as the vegetation is inherently resistant to change, management prevents increased dominance of more southerly species or because of dispersal limitation to geographically isolated sites.

Analgesic exposure in pregnant rats affects fetal germ cell development with inter-generational reproductive consequences

Analgesics which affect prostaglandin (PG) pathways are used by most pregnant women. As germ cells (GC) undergo developmental and epigenetic changes in fetal life and are PG targets, we investigated if exposure of pregnant rats to analgesics (indomethacin or acetaminophen) affected GC development and reproductive function in resulting offspring (F1) or in the F2 generation. Exposure to either analgesic reduced F1 fetal GC number in both sexes and altered the tempo of fetal GC development sex-dependently, with delayed meiotic entry in oogonia but accelerated GC differentiation in males. These effects persisted in adult F1 females as reduced ovarian and litter size, whereas F1 males recovered normal GC numbers and fertility by adulthood. F2 offspring deriving from an analgesic-exposed F1 parent also exhibited sex-specific changes. F2 males exhibited normal reproductive development whereas F2 females had smaller ovaries and reduced follicle numbers during puberty/adulthood; as similar changes were found for F2 offspring of analgesic-exposed F1 fathers or mothers, we interpret this as potentially indicating an analgesic-induced change to GC in F1. Assuming our results are translatable to humans, they raise concerns that analgesic use in pregnancy could potentially affect fertility of resulting daughters and grand-daughters.

Learning about probability from text and tables: Do color coding and labeling through an interactive-user interface help?

Learning from visual representations is enhanced when learners appropriately integrate corresponding visual and verbal information. This study examined the effects of two methods of promoting integration, color coding and labeling, on learning about probabilistic reasoning from a table and text. Undergraduate students (N = 98) were randomly assigned to learn about probabilistic reasoning from one of 4 computer-based lessons generated from a 2 (color coding/no color coding) by 2 (labeling/no labeling) between-subjects design. Learners added the labels or color coding at their own pace by clicking buttons in a computer-based lesson. Participants' eye movements were recorded while viewing the lesson. Labeling was beneficial for learning, but color coding was not. In addition, labeling, but not color coding, increased attention to important information in the table and time with the lesson. Both labeling and color coding increased looks between the text and corresponding information in the table. The findings provide support for the multimedia principle, and they suggest that providing labeling enhances learning about probabilistic reasoning from text and tables

An Association of Cancer Physicians' strategy for improving services and outcomes for cancer patients

The Association of Cancer Physicians in the United Kingdom has developed a strategy to improve outcomes for cancer patients and identified the goals and commitments of the Association and its members.

Evaluation of 'Dementia Friends' programme for undergraduate nursing students: Innovative practice.

The ‘dementia friends’ programme was launched by the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK two years ago with the purpose of educating members of the public about the things they can do which can enhance the lives of people living with dementia. The aim of this project was to deliver a two-hour ‘Dementia Friendly Community Workshop’ written by the Alzheimer’s Society, to an entire cohort of first-year undergraduate nursing students in one Higher Education Institutions in Northern Ireland. Following delivery of the programme, students were asked to complete a short questionnaire on their knowledge and confidence in relation to dementia care before and after the Dementia Friendly Community programme. A total of 322 undergraduate first-year nursing students took part in the Dementia Friendly Community programme. Of these, 304 returned questionnaires; 31.25% of students stated their perceived improvement in dementia knowledge was ‘good’ while 49.01% stated their perceived improvement in dementia knowledge was ‘very good’ and 13.49% stated their perceived improvement in dementia knowledge was ‘excellent’. In relation to confidence in engaging with people with dementia, 31.91% stated ‘good’ improvement, 40.79% stated ‘very good’ improvement and 11.84% stated ‘excellent’ improvement. The Dementia Friendly Community programme was positively reviewed by the undergraduate students as it enhanced knowledge and confidence in relation to care of someone living with dementia.

Avaliação Formativa e Formação de Professores. Um estudo exploratório

O contexto educativo atual é cada vez mais diversificado, mais condicionado por condições económicas difíceis que potenciam desigualdades no sistema educativo e por novas realidades culturais e sociais a que a Escola e os professores não podem ser alheios. O sucesso escolar é atingido de formas cada vez mais diversificadas inutilizando o conceito de escola de massas e requerendo uma escola inclusiva. A prática letiva prevê a diversificação de metodologias de ensino e aprendizagem. A avaliação formativa reveste-se de vital importância neste âmbito, uma vez que se provou que a sua utilização melhora o sucesso escolar, como atestam estudos realizados por Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam (King’s College London School of Education). No presente texto, apresenta-se o resultado de um estudo realizado numa escola do Alentejo, em que participaram quinze professores do 2.º e 3.ºciclos das disciplinas de Línguas Estrangeiras, Língua Portuguesa e Matemática. Tendo como instrumento de recolha dados um inquérito por questionário, procurámos conhecer as perceções dos professores sobre a avaliação das aprendizagens dos alunos, designadamente a avaliação formativa e de que forma os professores estão envolvidos em práticas de avaliação formativa. Procurámos ainda saber em que medida a formação de professores contempla a avaliação formativa e se os professores sentem necessidade de formação nesta área. Serão, ainda, tecidas algumas reflexões a partir dos resultados obtidos.

Construction d'une communauté apprenante dans le contexte de la réforme le cas d'un récit d'apprentissage d'une équipe-école au Brésil

Cette thèse résulte d'une recherche qualitative qui s'inscrit dans le domaine de la recherche-action. L'origine de cette étude vient d'un projet pilote exploratoire réalisé auprès d'enseignants dans une école secondaire du Brésil. Les problèmes de transfert quant à la formation et à l'appropriation de la réforme en éducation nous ont amenée à développer une démarche particulière.Cette démarche privilégie l'usage de l'apprentissage dans l'action selon deux approches complémentaires: l'approche du codéveloppement professionnel (Payette et Champagne, 2000) et l'approche normative de l'organisation apprenante (Senge et al ., 2000) dans la construction d'une communauté apprenante dans un contexte de réforme scolaire. L'approche du codéveloppement met l'accent sur le partage des expériences, sur la réflexion individuelle et de groupe, sur les interactions structurées entre professionnels expérimentés. Elle vise à élargir les capacités d'action et de réflexion de chaque membre du groupe. L'approche normative de l'organisation apprenante suppose que l'apprentissage, comme activité collective, se produit sous certaines conditions ou certaines circonstances. Le rôle des responsables de l'organisation dans cette perspective est de créer les conditions essentielles afin que se produise l'apprentissage. L'objectif de cette recherche porte sur l'évolution du développement de la communauté d'apprentissage dans une équipe-école au Brésil. Une communauté apprenante est un groupe de personnes qui adopte une approche active, collaborative, orientée vers l'apprentissage, lequel favorise la croissance et le développement des individus pour résoudre les problèmes, les mystères et les incertitudes liées à l'enseignement et à l'apprentissage (Mitchell et Sackney, 2000). Grâce à une collecte de données articulant l'observation participante, les questions et les exercices réflexifs, nous avons pu faire émerger les données. L'analyse des données a été guidée par le modèle interactif de Huberman et Miles (1991) et de la théorie ancrée de Glaser et Strauss (1967). Le récit d'apprentissage (Roth et Kleiner, 2000), une approche qui préconise l'entrevue semi-structurée comme principal instrument de collecte des données, a permis de décrire et de comprendre l'évolution du processus et les impacts produits par les stratégies d'intervention.Cette approche se caractérise par une nouvelle façon de présenter et de raconter un changement à travers les mots et les voix des personnes impliquées. Elle est composé de sept étapes: vie réelle, sessions de planification, collecte de données, distillation, écriture et production, validité et dissémination. À la lumière des résultats, nous avons pu dégager que les stratégies d'intervention ont eu des effets significatifs sur le développement personnel, professionnel et organisationnel, que la réforme de l'éducation, dans ce cas, passe premièrement par un processus de développement individuel et de groupe et par une transformation d'une équipe-école en une communauté apprenante.Cette communauté s'avère un véritable processus dynamique, qui se construit à l'intérieur d'un espace scolaire, à partir d'échanges d'expérience et à l'aide de stratégies particulières.

O impacto da experiência de estágio no desenvolvimento vocacional de alunos dos cursos tecnològicos e profissionais do ensino secundário

Tese de dout., Psicologia (Psicologia da Educação), Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Univ. do Algarve, 2011