Bayesian Model Learning Based on Predictive Entropy

Bayesian paradigm has been widely acknowledged as a coherent approach to learning putative probability model structures from a finite class of candidate models. Bayesian learning is based on measuring the predictive ability of a model in terms of the corresponding marginal data distribution, which equals the expectation of the likelihood with respect to a prior distribution for model parameters. The main controversy related to this learning method stems from the necessity of specifying proper prior distributions for all unknown parameters of a model, which ensures a complete determination of the marginal data distribution. Even for commonly used models, subjective priors may be difficult to specify precisely, and therefore, several automated learning procedures have been suggested in the literature. Here we introduce a novel Bayesian learning method based on the predictive entropy of a probability model, that can combine both subjective and objective probabilistic assessment of uncertain quantities in putative models. It is shown that our approach can avoid some of the limitations of the earlier suggested objective Bayesian methods.     

Approximability of identifying codes and locating-dominating codes

We study the approximability and inapproximability of finding identifying codes and locating-dominating codes of the minimum size. In general graphs, we show that it is possible to approximate both problems within a logarithmic factor, but sublogarithmic approximation ratios are intractable. In bounded-degree graphs, there is a trivial constant-factor approximation algorithm, but arbitrarily low approximation ratios remain intractable. In so-called local graphs, there is a polynomial-time approximation scheme. We also consider fractional packing of codes and a related problem of finding minimum-weight codes.     

Expression of ion transport-associated proteins in human efferent and epididymal ducts

Appropriate intraluminal microenvironment in the epididymis is essential for maturation of sperm. To clarify whether the anion transporters SLC26A2, SLC26A6, SLC26A7, and SLC26A8 might participate in generating this proper intraluminal milieu, we studied the localization of these proteins in the human efferent and the epididymal ducts by immunohistochemistry. In addition, immunohistochemistry of several SLC26-interacting proteins was performed: the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3), the Cl(-) channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the proton pump V-ATPase, their regulator Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulating factor 1 (NHERF-1), and carbonic anhydrase II (CAII). Our results show that SLC26A6, CFTR, NHE3, and NHERF-1 are co-expressed on the apical side of the nonciliated cells, and SLC26A2 appears in the cilia of the ciliated cells in the human efferent ducts. In the epididymal ducts, SLC26A6, CFTR, NHERF-1, CAII, and V-ATPase (B and E subunits) were co-localized to the apical mitochondria rich cells, while SLC26A7 was expressed in a subgroup of basal cells. SLC26A8 was not found in the structures studied. This is the first study describing the localization of SLC26A2, A6 and A7, and NHERF-1 in the efferent and the epididymal ducts. Immunolocalization of human CFTR, NHE3, CAII, and V-ATPase in these structures differs partly from previous reports from rodents. Our findings suggest roles for these proteins in male fertility, either independently or through interaction and reciprocal regulation with co-localized proteins shown to affect fertility, when disrupted.     

Investigation on the influence of various welding parameters on the arc thermal efficiency of the GTAW process by calorimetric method

Arc efficiency of Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) was determined by calorimetric method. A water-cooled anode calorimeter was designed and manufactured to measure the arc thermal efficiency, which was determined as a function of current, arc length, polarity and gas flow rate for GTAW of mild steel. With Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN) polarity and 5 mm arc length, a thermal efficiency of 67±4% was obtained, which was independent of the welding current. With Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP) polarity and 5 mm arc length, arc thermal efficiency was determined as 52±4%. The experimental data show that the arc efficiency decreases from 67% to 58% and 51% as the arc length increases from 5 mm to 11 and 17.5 mm, respectively. The experimental results also show that the arc efficiency is not significantly affected by the shielding gas flow rate.     

Fatty acids of a whitefish (Coregonus albula) flesh lipids

Using gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric methods 50 fatty acid components of the flesh lipids of a fresh-water whitefish have been examined in detail. The total lipids represented, on average, 3.0% of the wet weight of whitefish fillets. Saturated, monoenoic and polyenoic fatty acids were present in proportions of 31.4, 22.4 and 44.2%, respectively. About half of the total saturated acids was composed of palmitic acid (16:0, 16.1 %), which is generally abundant in fish lipids. The proportion of saturated iso- and anteiso-acids was 2.9%. The major monoenoic acid was oleic acid (18:1,ω9 10.6%), whereas the monoenoic C₂₀-acids were present only in minor amounts and the monenoic C₂₂-acids were not detected at all. The polyenoic fatty acids were predominantly of ω3 series with docosahexaenoic (22:6ω3, 9.4%) and cicosapentaenoic (20:5ω3, 7.7%) acids as the major components. Linoleic (18:2ω6), linolenic (18:3ω3), octadecatetraenoic (18:4ω3) and arachidonic (20:4ω6) acids were also present in remarkable proportions each amounting to about 4.5% of the total fatty acids.     

Effects on DC SQUID characteristics of damping of input coil resonances

The possibility of improving dc SQUID performance by damping the input circuit resonances caused by parasitic capacitances is studied experimentally. A high-quality dc SQUID was coupled to a first-order axial gradiometer built for neuromagnetic research, and a resistor-capacitor shunt was connected in parallel with the input coil of the SQUID. Ten differentRC shunts were studied with the SQUID operating in a flux-locked loop, carefully shielded against external disturbances. It was found that increasing the shunt resistance resulted in smoother flux-voltage characteristics and smaller noise. At best, the minimum obtainable equivalent flux noise level was one-fourth that for the unshunted SQUID. The noise level is a function of the shunt resistanceR _s only, except for shunt capacitance values bringing the low-frequency resonance of the input coil close to the flux modulation frequency. At a constant bias current level, where the amplitude of the flux-voltage characteristics is at maximum, the equivalent flux noise varies asR _s ^/–0.7 . The results agree reasonably well with recently published predictions based on numerical simulations where the whole input circuit with parasitic capacitances was taken into account.     

Sex Steroid Hormone Analysis in Human Tear Fluid Using a Liquid Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry Method

The marked sexual dimorphism prevalent in inflammatory/autoimmune diseases is mostly due to sex hormone actions. One common eye disease that disproportionately affects women is dry eye. Thus, our aim was to optimise our highly sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for steroid hormone quantification in tear fluid (TF). We used tears and matched serum samples from 10 heathy individuals. Estrone, estradiol testosterone, progesterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone, were quantified with an HPLC coupled with a Triple Quad 5500 MS. Estrone was measured in 80% of female and 20% of male TF samples (mean ± SD, 68.9 ± 62.2 pmol/L), whereas estradiol was undetectable in tears. Progesterone was identified in half of the female tear samples (2.91 ± 3.47 nmol/L) but in none of the male samples, whereas testosterone was quantifiable only in male tears (0.24 ± 0.1 nmol/L). TF hormone levels were, on average, from 1.4% to 55% of systemic values. Estrone, progesterone, and testosterone levels in tears correlated with the matching serum samples (r = 0.82, 0.79, and 0.85, respectively), but androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone showed no correlations. Our LC–MS/MS method could detect five out of the six steroid hormones studied in individual human TF samples and could therefore be used to analyse the role of sex steroids in eye diseases.     

High-Pressure Gelatinization of Barley Starch at Low Moisture Levels and Elevated Temperature

High-pressure gelatinization of barley starch at low water contents and at elevated temperature was performed in a differential scanning calorimeter equipped with a pressure chamber. Microscopic examination of the samples showed complete loss of birefringence and rupture of granular structure in most samples. The results indicated that enthalpy levels much higher than those in high-moisture gelatinization are needed to attain proper gelatinization and plastification of starch at low water contents.     

Evaluating the basic performance of the Intel iPSC/860 parallel computer

We evaluate the basic performance of the Intel iPSC/860 computer, which can have up to 128 Intel i860-based nodes connected together with a hypercube network topology. After giving a brief overview of the system, the properties and bottlenecks of the hardware architecture and software environment are discussed. Basic memory, scalar and vector performance of a single node is evaluated, and the communication performance and the overlap of computation and communication are analysed.