Jeng-Min Chiou, Yu-Ting Chen, Tailen Hsing.

Source: The Annals of Applied Statistics, Volume 13, Number 3, 1430--1463.

Abstract:
Motivated by the study of road segmentation partitioned by shifts in traffic conditions along a freeway, we introduce a two-stage procedure, Dynamic Segmentation and Backward Elimination (DSBE), for identifying multiple changes in the mean functions for a sequence of functional data. The Dynamic Segmentation procedure searches for all possible changepoints using the derived global optimality criterion coupled with the local strategy of at-most-one-changepoint by dividing the entire sequence into individual subsequences that are recursively adjusted until convergence. Then, the Backward Elimination procedure verifies these changepoints by iteratively testing the unlikely changes to ensure their significance until no more changepoints can be removed. By combining the local strategy with the global optimal changepoint criterion, the DSBE algorithm is conceptually simple and easy to implement and performs better than the binary segmentation-based approach at detecting small multiple changes. The consistency property of the changepoint estimators and the convergence of the algorithm are proved. We apply DSBE to detect changes in traffic streams through real freeway traffic data. The practical performance of DSBE is also investigated through intensive simulation studies for various scenarios.

Mathieu Wolff
Jan 2, 2019; 39:3-14
Viewpoints

Nicotine addiction, through smoking, is the principal cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Human genome-wide association studies have linked polymorphisms in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster, coding for the α5, α3, and β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits, to nicotine addiction. β4*nAChRs have been implicated in nicotine withdrawal, aversion, and reinforcement. Here we show that β4*nAChRs also are involved in non-nicotine-mediated responses that may predispose to addiction-related behaviors. β4 knock-out (KO) male mice show increased novelty-induced locomotor activity, lower baseline anxiety, and motivational deficits in operant conditioning for palatable food rewards and in reward-based Go/No-go tasks. To further explore reward deficits we used intracranial self-administration (ICSA) by directly injecting nicotine into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in mice. We found that, at low nicotine doses, β4KO self-administer less than wild-type (WT) mice. Conversely, at high nicotine doses, this was reversed and β4KO self-administered more than WT mice, whereas β4-overexpressing mice avoided nicotine injections. Viral expression of β4 subunits in medial habenula (MHb), interpeduncular nucleus (IPN), and VTA of β4KO mice revealed dose- and region-dependent differences: β4*nAChRs in the VTA potentiated nicotine-mediated rewarding effects at all doses, whereas β4*nAChRs in the MHb-IPN pathway, limited VTA-ICSA at high nicotine doses. Together, our findings indicate that the lack of functional β4*nAChRs result in deficits in reward sensitivity including increased ICSA at high doses of nicotine that is restored by re-expression of β4*nAChRs in the MHb-IPN. These data indicate that β4 is a critical modulator of reward-related behaviors.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Human genetic studies have provided strong evidence for a relationship between variants in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster and nicotine addiction. Yet, little is known about the role of β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit encoded by this cluster. We investigated the implication of β4*nAChRs in anxiety-, food reward- and nicotine reward-related behaviors. Deletion of the β4 subunit gene resulted in an addiction-related phenotype characterized by low anxiety, high novelty-induced response, lack of sensitivity to palatable food rewards and increased intracranial nicotine self-administration at high doses. Lentiviral vector-induced re-expression of the β4 subunit into either the MHb or IPN restored a "stop" signal on nicotine self-administration. These results suggest that β4*nAChRs provide a promising novel drug target for smoking cessation.

Reward has a remarkable ability to invigorate motor behavior, enabling individuals to select and execute actions with greater precision and speed. However, if reward is to be exploited in applied settings, such as rehabilitation, a thorough understanding of its underlying mechanisms is required. In a series of experiments, we first demonstrate that reward simultaneously improves the selection and execution components of a reaching movement. Specifically, reward promoted the selection of the correct action in the presence of distractors, while also improving execution through increased speed and maintenance of accuracy. These results led to a shift in the speed-accuracy functions for both selection and execution. In addition, punishment had a similar impact on action selection and execution, although it enhanced execution performance across all trials within a block, that is, its impact was noncontingent to trial value. Although the reward-driven enhancement of movement execution has been proposed to occur through enhanced feedback control, an untested possibility is that it is also driven by increased arm stiffness, an energy-consuming process that enhances limb stability. Computational analysis revealed that reward led to both an increase in feedback correction in the middle of the movement and a reduction in motor noise near the target. In line with our hypothesis, we provide novel evidence that this noise reduction is driven by a reward-dependent increase in arm stiffness. Therefore, reward drives multiple error-reduction mechanisms which enable individuals to invigorate motor performance without compromising accuracy.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT While reward is well-known for enhancing motor performance, how the nervous system generates these improvements is unclear. Despite recent work indicating that reward leads to enhanced feedback control, an untested possibility is that it also increases arm stiffness. We demonstrate that reward simultaneously improves the selection and execution components of a reaching movement. Furthermore, we show that punishment has a similar positive impact on performance. Importantly, by combining computational and biomechanical approaches, we show that reward leads to both improved feedback correction and an increase in stiffness. Therefore, reward drives multiple error-reduction mechanisms which enable individuals to invigorate performance without compromising accuracy. This work suggests that stiffness control plays a vital, and underappreciated, role in the reward-based imporvemenets in motor control.

The classically trained actor is reading a sonnet a day on Instagram

Remote Isle au Haut is integrating time-tested technology with emerging innovations to create its own microgrid

Fire scientist say that Saskatchewan say Canadian Forest Service is updating their interactive maps every month from May to September this year so people can check the fire map in their region. Saskatchewan is one of the highest chances of fire this year.

Staff halted $100 service over pandemic concerns, forcing homeowners to private plumbers much more, and Danny Breen is urging them to contact the city.

The NDP wants the Saskatchewan government to delay Phase 2 of its reopening plan, currently scheduled for May 19.

Even though this year's food truck season is looking dicey, Tyler Schmidt says he's doing his best to find business where he can.

A Saskatchewan woman's helping hand — or window scraper — has gone viral this week, with a video showing her assist a beleaguered porcupine garnering more than 1.2 million views on Facebook.

A 23-year-old man has been granted bail, after being charged in the death of a Saskatchewan farmer with a wife and two kids whose body was found dumped north of Calgary.

Alberta's Brendan Bottcher defeated Saskatchewan's Matt Dunstone 9-4 in the 1-2 Page playoff game Saturday afternoon to earn a berth in the Tim Hortons Brier final.

Denver Newsroom, May 7, 2020 / 06:01 pm (CNA).- A young Catholic artist has drawn an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on her parents' driveway bringing religious art to her local community during the quarantine.

The Diocese of Fargo posted on Facebook May 4 an image of Our Lady of Lourdes drawn by Maria Loh, a 17-year old who grew up in Fargo. She said it was an enjoyable experience to share her faith and art with her neighborhood.

“Being able to interact with people when they walked by was very moving in a way because a lot of people have never really seen sidewalk art done like that locally. So being able to share in that kind of experience, it was very, very good,” she told CNA.

Loh has recently been inspired by chalk art and pastels, which, she said, have vibrant and beautiful colors. She has drawn on the sidewalks a few times, including two images of Mary - Madonna of the Lillies and the Pieta by William Adolphe-Bouguereau.

Her most recent chalk drawing was Our Lady of Lourdes by Hector Garrido - an image she had seen as a magnet on her grandparents' refrigerator growing up. The picture has always been an inspiration, she said, noting that she decided to replicate it after Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in France had temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I heard that the shrine had been temporarily closed off to the public, and I remember … thinking that's really sad because especially in this time, we’re really looking for healing in more ways than one, like physically and mentally and spiritually,” she said.

“It really felt like people wouldn't be able to go to experience that. So I felt like drawing this image of Our Lady of Lourdes would be a good way to remind people that Our Lady is still with us even if we can’t go to her shrine.”

Loh, the oldest of five, has been involved with art projects and drawing for her entire life. She said, growing up in a Catholic family, she has been inspired by her faith and the religious art in churches.

“I see our faith as so precious... Especially in the form of the Eucharist - the actual body and blood of Christ, I've seen that we are very blessed to have that in our faith. It's something that has impacted a lot of my life growing up,” she said.

While she was working on the piece, Loh said, a majority of passersby did not know who the lady in the image was. She expressed hope that the picture would help remind people of Mary and the beauty of the Church, which, she said, is a powerful attraction to the faith.

“One thing that I hope this kind of art and image will evoke is a desire to come to know who Mary is and how rich our faith is. … All the beautiful art that can be seen in Catholic churches, especially like in Rome, there's almost a transcendental beauty to them that draws people into the faith to come to know things that they've never dreamed of before,” she said.

As Loh finishes her junior year of high school, she expressed the possibility of art school after graduation, but, while she is still uncertain of the future, said art will not be dropped anytime soon.

“I can definitely see [art school] being a possibility. I’ll have to spend some time, especially with God trying to figure out what he wants me to do. But, I don't think art is going out of my life anytime soon,” she said.

After years of prayer and patience, God answers the missionaries of OM Guatemala and sends an English teacher to give free classes.

Denver Newsroom, May 7, 2020 / 06:01 pm (CNA).- A young Catholic artist has drawn an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on her parents' driveway bringing religious art to her local community during the quarantine.

The Diocese of Fargo posted on Facebook May 4 an image of Our Lady of Lourdes drawn by Maria Loh, a 17-year old who grew up in Fargo. She said it was an enjoyable experience to share her faith and art with her neighborhood.

“Being able to interact with people when they walked by was very moving in a way because a lot of people have never really seen sidewalk art done like that locally. So being able to share in that kind of experience, it was very, very good,” she told CNA.

Loh has recently been inspired by chalk art and pastels, which, she said, have vibrant and beautiful colors. She has drawn on the sidewalks a few times, including two images of Mary - Madonna of the Lillies and the Pieta by William Adolphe-Bouguereau.

Her most recent chalk drawing was Our Lady of Lourdes by Hector Garrido - an image she had seen as a magnet on her grandparents' refrigerator growing up. The picture has always been an inspiration, she said, noting that she decided to replicate it after Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in France had temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I heard that the shrine had been temporarily closed off to the public, and I remember … thinking that's really sad because especially in this time, we’re really looking for healing in more ways than one, like physically and mentally and spiritually,” she said.

“It really felt like people wouldn't be able to go to experience that. So I felt like drawing this image of Our Lady of Lourdes would be a good way to remind people that Our Lady is still with us even if we can’t go to her shrine.”

Loh, the oldest of five, has been involved with art projects and drawing for her entire life. She said, growing up in a Catholic family, she has been inspired by her faith and the religious art in churches.

“I see our faith as so precious... Especially in the form of the Eucharist - the actual body and blood of Christ, I've seen that we are very blessed to have that in our faith. It's something that has impacted a lot of my life growing up,” she said.

While she was working on the piece, Loh said, a majority of passersby did not know who the lady in the image was. She expressed hope that the picture would help remind people of Mary and the beauty of the Church, which, she said, is a powerful attraction to the faith.

“One thing that I hope this kind of art and image will evoke is a desire to come to know who Mary is and how rich our faith is. … All the beautiful art that can be seen in Catholic churches, especially like in Rome, there's almost a transcendental beauty to them that draws people into the faith to come to know things that they've never dreamed of before,” she said.

As Loh finishes her junior year of high school, she expressed the possibility of art school after graduation, but, while she is still uncertain of the future, said art will not be dropped anytime soon.

“I can definitely see [art school] being a possibility. I’ll have to spend some time, especially with God trying to figure out what he wants me to do. But, I don't think art is going out of my life anytime soon,” she said.

We find out how youngsters in Spain are taught a certain playing style from an early age.

We investigate a golden era of Spanish youth football.

The Dahme-Spreewald administrative district’s local building inspection authority confirmed the completion of the passenger terminal (Terminal 1) at BER following completion of the construction work.

Dear Editor,I might as well just say it out because it's the truth: Butch Stewart is a rare gift to Jamaica.The Jamaica Observer editorial yesterday captures it better than I could, 'Butch Stewart — the gift that keeps on giving'.

Microsoft rolls out a major update to its Xbox game Pass Quests system including 90 more Quests as well as daily, weekly, and monthly challenges.

Congressional Republicans and Democrats are at work on competing proposals to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Use our interactive explorer to take a deeper dive into each proposal.

Source: Reuters - Wind and solar power are growing as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, but storing renewable energy through the night, when the sun isn’t shining, or when no wind is rotating the turbines, remains a hurdle.

Antibiotic overuse is common and is a major public health threat. The prevalence of antimicrobial stewardship programs in children’s hospitals is growing. Single-center studies reveal that antimicrobial stewardship programs are effective in reducing unnecessary antibiotic use. Multicenter evaluations are needed.

Antibiotic use is declining overall across a large network of freestanding children’s hospitals. Hospitals with formalized antimicrobial stewardship programs experienced greater reductions in antibiotic use than other hospitals, suggesting that these interventions are an effective strategy to address antibiotic overuse. (Read the full article)

Your smooth-talking builder may promise you the world, but you could end up in a world of pain, writes Angelique Ruzicka.

Payments Association of South Africa has warned consumers to be cautious when sharing personal information which can be used by fraudsters to make unauthorised debit orders.

A winner of the European Women's Under-17 Championship with Poland in 2013, Ewa Pajor urges the players taking part in this year's final tournament in Bulgaria to seize the moment.

In India and China, indigenous drug manufacturers market arbitrarily combined parenteral β-lactam and β-lactamase inhibitors (BL-BLIs). In these fixed-dose combinations, sulbactam or tazobactam is indiscriminately combined with parenteral cephalosporins, with BLI doses kept in ratios similar to those for the approved BL-BLIs. Such combinations have been introduced into clinical practice without mandatory drug development studies involving pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic, safety, and efficacy assessments being undertaken. Such unorthodox combinations compromise clinical outcomes and also potentially contribute to resistance development.

The National Governor's Association wants Congress to give states lots of running room when it comes to crafting their accountability plans, according to an interim proposal outlining NGA's priorities for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Ahead of the Black Friday sale, Fin24 presenter Moeshfieka Botha talks to Vincent Hoogduijn, the CEO of e-commerce at Media 24, about discounts, spending your money wisely and Black Friday FOMO.

Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Senator Chris Coons and Newark Mayor Polly Sierer were among the officials who joined representatives from Ingerman today to break ground on Alder Creek, Delaware’s newest affordable housing community. Other attendees included State Representative Paul Baumbach, DSHA Director Anas Ben Addi, HUD Regional Administrator Jane Vincent, Newark Housing Authority Executive Director Marene Jordan, Ingerman Development Principal David Holden and Capital One Vice President Thomas Houlihan.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is sure to increase entertainment spend, but firms should note that wining and dining linked to a business undertaking may be taxed.

This settlement resolves allegations that Newark Manor provided substandard and worthless care to residents of the nursing facility. Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced today that the State of Delaware has reached an agreement with Newark Manor Nursing Home (also known as Premiere Healthcare, Inc.), its owner Bruce Boyer, administrator David Boyer and former administrator Susan […]

Madhav Godbole's statement has caused a political stir. He said, "Rajiv Gandhi went to the extent of opening locks of Babri Masjid." This statement is in his book which has talked about Ram Mandir and Babri Masjid dispute in a detailed manner.<br />In today's Seedha Sawal, we raise the

Poultry farmer Chris Lesniowski of Marydel has been recognized for his efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2015 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Poultry farmers Ted Layton and Scott Willey have been recognized for their efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2016 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Poultry farmers Randy and Jordan McCloskey were recognized during Delaware Ag Week for their efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2017 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission Chairman, W. Duncan Patterson announced today that the Commission has promoted James A. Lages to the position of Chief State Steward.

Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) Chairman W. Duncan Patterson announced at the Commission meeting on March 8, 2018 that two candidates, Cynthia L. Smith and Robert E. Colton had been selected for the positions of Associate State Steward and Safety Steward respectively. "Both of these individuals have a deep respect for the racing industry and the people involved in racing," said DTRC Executive Director John F. Wayne. "They will fit in well, maintaining the high level of regulatory oversight that the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission expects and deserves.”

Poultry farmers John and Linda Brown were recognized during Delaware Ag Week for their efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2018 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission Chairman, W. Duncan Patterson announced at the Commission meeting held today that two candidates had been selected for the position of Associate State Steward and Safety Steward.

Agency: DOT Closing Date: 5/19/2020

DNREC the Delaware Division of Public Health are now accepting project proposals from state, county and municipal governments, and conservation districts, for matching grants for wastewater, surface water, and drinking water project planning.

DNREC, with the Division of Public Health, is now accepting project proposals for matching grants for waste, surface, and drinking water project planning.

To encourage Delawareans to support fall prevention strategies, Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed the week of September 22-28, 2019 as Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) designates the first day of the fall season as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, which is September 23 this year.

Due to construction at the Newark Transit Hub, the bus stop on Farmer Lane at Delaware Ave., #3678, will be temporarily closed on Monday, May 11 from 7 AM to 5 PM.

Please board at the bus stop located at the Newark Transit Hub on Pomeroy Lane at Main St., #3679. A notice will be posted at affected bus stop directing riders to the alternate boarding location.

Thanks for riding! For your traveling convenience download the free DART Transit app.

Governor Carney, DHSS Secretary to hold virtual town hall NEWARK, Del. – Out of an abundance of caution, Governor John Carney’s State of the State Town Hall – scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Newark Senior Center – will be postponed. The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) shared information on Monday that advises older […]

SMYRNA (March 26, 2020) – The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is announcing the first long-term care facility coronavirus-related death in Delaware and the first outbreak of positive cases in such a facility. The death of an 86-year-old male resident of Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence in Newark was reported […]