New Techniques in Deep Representation Learning Galen Andrew Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Associate Professor Emanuel Todorov CSE, joint with AMATH The choice of feature representation can have a large impact on the success of a machine learning algorithm at solving a given problem. Although human engineers employing taskspecific domain knowledge still play a key role in feature engineeri...

High-resolution carotid ultrasonography is considered a fundamental technique for the investigation of the vascular system. However, it is still very unclear whether ultrasonographic studies of carotid arteries are useful for the prediction of cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage renal disease. The prediction power of carotid ultrasonography for all-cause and cardiovascular mortalit...

We studied the distribution of millipedes in a forest interior-forest edge-grassland habitat complex in the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area (NE Hungary). The habitat types were as follows: (1) lowland oak forest, (2) forest edge with increased ground vegetation and shrub cover, and (3) mesophilous grassland. We collected millipedes by litter and soil sifting. There were overall 30 sifted lit...

Abstract Background Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has been categorized based on tumor location as intrahepatic (ICCA), perihilar (PCCA) or distal (DCCA), and the morphology of bile duct mass forming (MF), periductal infiltrating (PI) intraductal (ID). To date, there is limited evidence available regarding survival CCA among these different anatomical morphological classifications. This study aimed t...

We evaluated exposure to pesticides among secondary school students aged 12-13 years old in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Pesticide-specific urinary metabolites were used as biomarkers of exposure for a variety of pesticides, including organophosphorus insecticides, synthetic pyrethroid insecticides and selected herbicides. We employed a simple solid-phase extraction with analysis using isotop...

BACKGROUND Exposure to organophosphate pesticides has been associated with neurobehavioral deficits in children, although data on low levels of exposure experienced by the general population are sparse. Pyrethroids are insecticides rapidly gaining popularity, and epidemiological evidence on their potential effects is lacking. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between exposure to organopho...

BACKGROUND Organophosphates and pyrethroids are the most common classes of insecticides used in the United States. Widespread use of these compounds to control building infestations in New York City (NYC) may have caused higher exposure than in less-urban settings. OBJECTIVES The objectives of our study were to estimate pesticide exposure reference values for NYC and identify demographic and ...

Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used in agriculture and in homes. Despite the neurotoxicity of these insecticides at high doses, few studies have examined whether lower-level exposures could adversely affect children's neurodevelopment. The PELAGIE cohort included 3421 pregnant women from Brittany, France between 2002 and 2006. When their children reached their sixth birthday, 428 mothers fr...