Daily Archives: March 7, 2017

Precise knowledge of the connections in the brain -- the links between all the nerve cells -- is a prerequisite for better understanding this most complex of organs. Researchers from Heidelberg University have now developed a new algorithm -- a computational procedure -- that can extract this connectivity pattern with far greater precision than previously possible from microscopic images of the brain. Prof. Dr Fred Hamprecht, head of the "Image Analysis and Learning" working group at the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, expects such automated image data analysis to bring about great strides in the neurosciences. It will likely lead to a circuit diagram of the brain.

Understanding how the brain works is one of science's greatest mysteries. "Except for a simple roundworm, there is still no circuit diagram of a complete animal brain, let alone a human brain," states Prof. Hamprecht. In recent years, imaging techniques have been developed that can finally produce three-dimensional images of the entire brain at a sufficiently high resolution. These images are so big, however, that manual analysis would take centuries. What is needed, therefore, is an automated analysis process with the lowest possible error rate.

The new algorithm leverages non-local image information, allowing the researchers to study non-adjacent regions of the image and deduce whether they belong to the same nerve cell. Dr Bjrn Andres of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrcken has demonstrated how short and long-range interactions can be considered jointly. The aim is to find an optimal solution that does justice to both types of image information in the best way possible. "This approach affords far lower error rates than all known methods," states Prof. Hamprecht.

Research groups around the world have joined in competitions to measure the accuracy of their automated analysis pipelines. The aim is to partition a three-dimensional image into the nerve cells it contains. A labour-intensive manual process is used beforehand to determine the correct partitioning, which is kept secret. All submissions are then compared to the diagram and the approach with the lowest error rate wins. In the latest partitioning challenge, the CREMI Challenge on Circuit Reconstruction from Electron Microscopy Images, the researchers at the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing succeeded in producing the most accurate analysis by a large margin.

To explain the challenge of using this analysis method to produce a circuit diagram of a brain, Prof. Hamprecht resorts to the fly as an example. The fly is capable of astonishing feats: It finds food, shelter and mates in a complex and often hostile environment. "Although its brain is smaller than the head of a pin, the diagram of its neuronal connections remains elusive." The Heidelberg team is using their new algorithm to map the brain circuit of the fly first before moving on to higher animals, according to mathematician Dr Anna Kreshuk.

In the past fifteen years, the "Image Analysis and Learning" working group has been developing machine learning algorithms for computer vision, with applications mostly in the life sciences but also industry. The latest research results, achieved in a close international cooperation, were published in the journal Nature Methods.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Heidelberg, Universitt. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Here is the original post:

Progress towards a circuit diagram of the brain - Science Daily

There is a slow-moving threat in our nation that is ravaging higher education. To the untrained eye, it might go unnoticed, but there are thousands who do see the dark clouds and feel the pelting rain of the damaging, persistent storm. Across this great country, our campuses are flooded with bad news: decreasing funding, increasing tuition, (the prospect of) decreasing enrollment and increasing debt for our students and institutions.

More acutely, our nations Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are directly in the eye of the storm, fighting just to tread these waters. While other colleges and universities are facing these challenges, our institutions must also deal with the legacy of decades of discrimination, underfunding and both intentional and unintentional neglect.

The proposals we brought to President Trump and to Congressional leaders, including the co-conveners of our visit, Sen. Tim ScottTim ScottFor the countrys sake, HBCUs must make progress Dem lawmaker apologizes for crude Conway joke Chelsea Clinton: Conway deserves apology for Dem lawmaker's 'despicable' couch joke MORE (R-S.C.) and Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), would go a long way to addressing key problems we are facing.

First, the states in which our schools reside need to fully fund the match required for the federal dollars our 1890 institutions receive. At many of our schools, we have been forced to return millions of dollars to the federal government since 2000, when state matching funds were first required for our land-grant dollars. For example, at Lincoln University of Missouri, over 17 years we have received $96 million in federal funding. Our state funding total for the land-grant match is $9 million. Despite the mandate for a dollar-for-dollar match, we are receiving approximately one-quarter on the dollar. This disparity costs not only the land-grant operations, but the university as a whole, when we must return a large portion of that funding. Over the last two years, we have made strides to explain this plight to Missouri state legislators, but we still have a long way to go before we are fully matched. Other 1890s are doing the same, with some filing lawsuits as the last viable option. We believe the federal government should use every incentive and tool at its disposal to make states meet their financial obligations.

Second, general operating funds from our states are down as well. One research study found that 46 states are spending, on average, 18 percent less per student post-recession. In order to make up for these cuts, institutions in many states have responded by raising tuition. Tuition increases make college less affordable and accessible for many students, particularly those at HBCUs. We must seek solutions to maintain that accessibility through the development of scholarships and the reinstitution of year-round Pell Grants.

Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) introduced legislation last Congress, and again in January, which would provide $19 million for scholarships for students at our HCBUs. We need more advocates like Scott and allies like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to help our students attain a college education.

Third, once we get students into our schools, our next goal is to help them become successful citizens. Book learning and classroom work alone do not make students competitive in the global workforce. Our HBCUs must work to increase work-study and internship opportunities. Our students need to work at government agencies and privately-owned entities. There is no reason why interns from every HBCU should not be filling the halls on Capitol Hill this summer and throughout the year. Similarly, our large and small businesses have an obligation to recruit and partner with all colleges and universities and we intend to forge those relationships. Sure, we can sit back and tell our students to blaze their own trails, but to truly live up to our missions, we should be helping them build those trails.

In addition to these challenges for HBCUs, there are other important opportunities, including making certain that there is at least a $25 billion infrastructure package for modernizing, renovating and repairing our buildings and facilities and installing broadband and other science and technology upgrades for our schools.

The almost 90 HBCU Presidents and Chancellors who came to Washington last week left after our conversations feeling hopeful that progress can be made. Together, we can and will withstand the storm that is hitting higher education. And, we will reap the harvest for the public investment in HBCUs and our students hard work when these outstanding young people take their places and become the leaders of this great nation.

Dr. Kevin Rome is President of Lincoln University in Missouri and is Chair of the Association of Public Land-grant Universities Council of 1890 Universities. The Council of 1890 Universities is comprised of the 19 presidents and chancellors of APLU-member historically Black land-grant universities.

The views expressed by this author are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

More here:

For the country's sake, HBCUs must make progress - The Hill (blog)

Republican leaders in Congress are hoping to have a vote on a budget reconciliation bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act in the coming weeks.There is significant concern that the repeal bill will cause millions to lose their health care coverage and make affordable health insurance out of reach for many.In this time of uncertainty, the importance of preserving programs that have provided access to essential health services and have been an effective part of our public health system for decades, is perhaps greater than ever before.

Title X established in the Public Health Services Act in the 1970s with strong bipartisan support - was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. Since then, it has been a proven success and a critical component of the health care safety net.Today, Title X supports the delivery of family planning and related services, including the full range of birth control methods and breast and cervical cancer screenings, to over four million patients nationwide.Recent pollingshows that while support for family planning has largely fallen along party lines in Congress, there is widespread bipartisan support among the American public for federal funding for contraception.

The need for publicly funded contraception is already far greater than the supply.Recent researchshows that nearly 20 million American women currently live in contraceptive desertsdefined by their lack of reasonable access to public health care sites offering the full range of contraceptive methods. An article published in the American Journal of Public Health noted thatTitle X would need at least$737 million allocated annuallyto provide care to all women in need of publicly funded family planning care. This estimate was developed with coverage options that are available in our current health care environment and would surely be much higher if those coverage options were eliminated.

For those that are more focused on fiscal impact than public health outcomes, Title X is a good investment and cost-saver. Every$1 invested in the program saves taxpayers more than $7, thats a net government savings of $15 billion.

Californias Title X program the largest and most diverse Title X system in the country program is a model of the programs success. Over one million women, men and teens are served each year thats 25 percent of the nations Title X patient population through a comprehensive network of providers. Californias Title X network includes federally qualified health centers, city and county health departments, universities, hospitals, school-based clinics, Planned Parenthoods and stand-alone family planning and womens health specialists.

Title X providers in California collectively helped women avoid one million unintended pregnancies in 2013. A key part of this success is ensuring that patients have access to their provider of choice that they trust to provide quality, confidential services in their local communities and that providers have access to training and technical assistance to help them provide care based on current clinical guidelines and best practices.

In our polarized Congressional environment, lets call on our representatives on both sides of the aisle to come together in support of Title X and what should be widely shared domestic goals of reducing unintended pregnancy, saving taxpayer dollars, enhancing womens economic security, and strengthening families and communities.

Julie Rabinovitz, MPH, is the President and CEO of Essential Access Health. Julie serves on the Board of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) and was Board Chair from 2009-2011. She is the current Chair of the Family Planning Councils of America Board of Directors.

The views expressed by this author are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

The rest is here:

Don't reverse decades of progress in ensuring access to women's ... - The Hill (blog)

COMING UP SHORT again on mental health, The Pilots Feb. 26 editorial, is correct in many ways. While we have made progress in recent years, much work remains.

But this is a long game. I disagree that the accomplishments made during the 2017 General Assembly session were insignificant.

The Joint Subcommittee on Mental Health Services in the 21st Century had three broad goals for the session.

First, we wanted to redefine the mandated services provided by our community services boards. Current law only requires CSBs to provide emergency services and case-management services if funds are available. A longer list of services is enumerated in the Code of Virginia that the CSBs may provide. The Joint Subcommittee sought to expand the list of mandated services, beginning with same-day access and coordination with primary health care, by 2019. Our goal for this session was to add those two services and set a schedule for the delayed implementation of the remaining services. We accomplished that goal.

HB1549, sponsored by Del. Peter Farrell, and SB1005 from Sen. Emmett Hanger establish the new service requirements and are accompanied by a $6.2 million appropriation. Beginning on July 1, 2021, CSBs will be required to provide crisis services; outpatient mental health and substance abuse services; psychiatric rehabilitation services; peer and family support services; veterans services for those who are not able to access care at VA hospitals; care coordination; and case management.

Our second goal was to respond to problems made clear by the horrific 2015 death of Jamycheal Mitchell at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth.

I remain shocked by the circumstances of Mitchells death and cannot fathom how this young man was allowed to die.

Someone must be responsible for investigating suspicious jail deaths. At the last minute, we were able to reach an agreement giving the Board of Corrections funding for an additional investigator and clear responsibility to perform investigations. Del. Rob Bell and Sen. John Cosgrove carried the legislation on behalf of the Joint Subcommittee. I carried a similar bill for the governor. The final budget also included language to mandate prompt assessments for people in our jails shown to have a mental illness during an initial screening. The budget also directs the Compensation Board to report to the money committees the impact of this change and any recommendations for adjusting staffing standards.

Our third goal was to increase funding for permanent supportive housing, which has demonstrable positive effects for people with mental illness. Long-term recovery and success requires a safe place to which someone can go, and those services must be available throughout the commonwealth. We received an additional $5 million for these services. Given the tight fiscal times, getting this infusion of new dollars is significant.

I am very proud of the accomplishments made this year. In the past, such advancements would be viewed as the end of the reform effort. However, the legislature acknowledged the need for a continued focus on mental health and extended the work of the Joint Subcommittee until 2019. The action reflects a level of commitment necessary to expand on our progress.

Some big questions remain unanswered. More than 30 years ago, the late Sen. Elmon Gray pointed out that we dont really have a system of mental health care. We have an array of services that are good in wealthy communities but limited everywhere else. Sadly, to some extent that is still true. Would we be better off reorganizing our public mental health system? What about the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and our 10 public psychiatric facilities? Can we improve upon the function of and the relationships between those entities?

Our questions are not limited to the general structure and function of our mental health system. How can we improve our jail diversion efforts so that people like Mitchell get treatment instead of being arrested? How can we streamline and improve the process for getting services for children? What more do we need to do as a commonwealth to reduce the stigma and raise awareness about mental illness?

The volume of work ahead does not diminish what we have accomplished thus far. I am reminded every day of the urgency of this work by the calls from scared or desperate families, but I am confident in the future.

Creigh Deeds, a Democrat,

represents the 25th District in the Virginia Senate and is chairman of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the 21st Century.

Original post:

Creigh Deeds: Progress on mental health - Virginian-Pilot

CBS Chicago

Some Progress Evident In LaSalle County, One Week After Deadly Tornado CBS Chicago (CBS) A week after a deadly tornado ripped through Ottawa and Naplate, some progress is evident as the LaSalle County communities rebuild hard-hit areas. CBS 2 Meteorologist Ed Curran returns to the region, about 85 miles southwest of Chicago. and more »

Continue reading here:

Some Progress Evident In LaSalle County, One Week After Deadly Tornado - CBS Chicago

2017 V 2016 mileage by team

Photo by: Motorsport.com

Beyond the headline times, with Mercedes and Ferrari sharing the top spots throughout the first test, a deeper look at the testing progress shows just how big a step Maranello has made with its 2017 contender compared to 12 months ago.

For while Mercedes completed the most mileage with 558 laps the Brackley-based team is actually down on what it managed in the first test 12 months ago, when it got through a mighty 675 laps.

Last week Ferrari managed 468 laps, which is up on the 353 laps it had delivered in the first test last year.

Further proof of the reliability progress of Ferrari's power unit was shown by Haas, whose 343 laps were a leap over the 281 laps it did last season.

While Ferrari will be looking to keep up its form, teams like Toro Rosso and McLaren will be eager to deliver a complete turnaround this week.

Scuderia Toro Rosso's integration of new Renault power has had a significant impact on its year-on-year mileage achievements, as it completed the fewest laps out of all the teams.

It's in stark contrast to last season when its 447 laps was the second highest tally behind Mercedes.

Year on year lap time comparison

Photo by: Motorsport.com

This week's second test will give us a better indication of how much faster 2017's Formula 1 cars.

The opening week was more about systems and reliability checking with ultimate performance not really a priority until the next few days.

So far, the five fastest F1 cars had shown a performance increase of 3.86 percent, something that is expected to grow.

Reliability index

Photo by: Motorsport.com

Despite the heavily revised cars that have appeared, the first test showed that reliability does not appear to be a big issue.

The red flag count was down by 20 percent compared to this time last year. The 2017 field is somewhat different, with fewer rookies and reduced accident flag potential perhaps.

New regs might be expected to push the number of mechanical stoppages out on track higher, but in fact the mechanical failures generating red flags are so far down by 50 percent.

Read more:

Analysis: Ferrari mileage proves 2017 F1 progress - Motorsport.com, Edition: Global