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Estimating the height of buildings and vegetation in single aerial images is a challenging problem. A task-focused Deep Learning (DL) model that combines architectural features from successful DL models (U-NET and Residual Networks) and learns the mapping from a single aerial imagery to a normalized Digital Surface Model (nDSM) was proposed. The model was trained on aerial images whose corresponding DSM and Digital Terrain Models (DTM) were available and was then used to infer the nDSM of images with no elevation information. The model was evaluated with a dataset covering a large area of Manchester, UK, as well as the 2018 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest LiDAR dataset. The results suggest that the proposed DL architecture is suitable for the task and surpasses other state-of-the-art DL approaches by a large margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of roof geometry and physical features is essential for evaluation of the impact of multiple rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system installations on local electricity networks. The paper starts by listing current methods used and stating their strengths and weaknesses. No current method is capable of delivering accurate results with publicly available input data. Hence a different approach is developed, based on slope and aspect using aircraft-based Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, building footprint data, GIS (Geographical Information Systems) tools, and aerial photographs. It assesses each roof's suitability for PV deployment. That is, the characteristics of each roof are examined for fitting of at least a minimum size solar power system. In this way the minimum potential solar yield for region or city may be obtained. Accuracy is determined by ground-truthing against a database of 886 household systems. This is the largest validation of a rooftop assessment method to date. The method is flexible with few prior assumptions. It can generate data for various PV scenarios and future analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endemic Hawaiian silversword and lobeliad lineages are two of the world's premier examples of plant adaptive radiation. The lineages also exemplify the severity of the threats confronting the Hawaiian flora, especially the threats posed by alien species. We have implemented collaborative reintroduction efforts with the endangered Kaʻū silversword ( Argyroxiphium kauense ) and Pele lobeliad ( Clermontia peleana ) in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The efforts with the Kaʻū silversword have involved rediscovery, helicopter assisted rescue of diminutive remnant founders, managed breeding, and outplanting at two sites in the Park of > 21,000 seedlings deriving from 169 founders. Facilitated and natural achene dispersal following significant flowering at the two sites has resulted in the establishment of > 3400 seedlings as of summer 2016. The efforts with the Pele lobeliad have involved rediscovery, air-layering of remnant founders, managed breeding, and outplanting at two sites in the Park of > 1000 seedlings deriving from six of the seven known founders, with the first flowering at one of the sites occurring in summer 2016. We have linked the reintroduction efforts to landscape restoration at large scales in the Park and in adjacent State and private lands, thereby increasing the opportunities for substantial population growth and expansion of the Kaʻū silversword and Pele lobeliad in the future. Additionally, we have extended the reintroduction efforts, including the link to landscape restoration, to encompass all other endangered silversword and lobeliad taxa occurring historically on the eastern slopes of Mauna Loa or on Kīlauea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article regarding the squamous cell carcinoma of anterior tongue.

Objectives/hypothesis: The objective of this study was to better define the relationship of laryngeal electromyography and video laryngostroboscopy in the diagnosis of vocal fold paralysis., Study Design: Retrospective diagnostic cohort study with cross-sectional data analysis METHODS: Data were obtained from 57 patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who attended a large tertiary voice referral center. Electromyographic findings were classified according to recurrent laryngeal nerve, superior laryngeal nerve, and high vagal/combined lesions. Video laryngostroboscopy recordings were classified according to the position of the immobile fold into median, paramedian, lateral, and a foreshortened/hooded vocal fold. The position of the paralyzed vocal fold was then analyzed according to the lesion as determined by electromyography., Results: The recurrent laryngeal nerve was affected in the majority of cases with left-sided lesions more common than right. Vocal fold position differed between recurrent laryngeal and combined vagal lesions. Recurrent laryngeal nerve lesions were more commonly associated with a laterally displaced immobile fold. No fold position was suggestive of a combined vagal lesion. The inter-rater reliability for determining fold position was high., Conclusion: Laryngeal electromyography is useful in diagnosing neuromuscular dysfunction of the larynx and best practice recommends its continued implementation along with laryngostroboscopy. While recurrent laryngeal nerve lesions are more likely to present with a lateral vocal fold, this does not occur in all cases. Such findings indicate that further unknown mechanisms contribute to fold position in unilateral paralysis., (Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Laryngeal dystonia is a movement disorder of the muscles within the larynx, which most commonly manifests as spasmodic dysphonia (SD). Rarer reported manifestations include dystonic respiratory stridor and dyscoordinate breathing. Laryngeal dystonia has been treated successfully with botulinum neurotoxin (BTX) injections since 1984. We reviewed prospectively collected data in a consecutive series of 193 patients with laryngeal dystonia who were seen at St. Vincent's Hospital between 1991 and 2011. Patient data were analyzed in Excel, R, and Prism. Laryngeal dystonia manifested as SD (92.7%), stridor (11.9%), dystonic cough (6.2%), dyscoordinate breathing (4.1%), paroxysmal hiccups (1.6%), and paroxysmal sneezing (1.6%). There were more women (68.4%) than men (31.6%), and the average age at onset was 47 years. A positive family history of dystonia was present in 16.1% of patients. A higher incidence of extra-laryngeal dystonia (ie, torticollis and blepharospasm) and concurrent manifestations of laryngeal dystonia were present in patients with dystonic cough, dyscoordinate breathing, paroxysmal sneezing, and hiccups than in other patients (P = 0.003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The average starting dose of BTX decreased from 2.3 to 0.5 units between 1991 and 2011. The median treatment rating was excellent across all subgroups. Patients with adductor SD, stridor, extra-laryngeal dystonia and male patients had relatively better treatment outcomes. Technical failures were rare (1.1%). Dysphonia secondary to vocal cord paresis followed 38.7% of treatments. Laryngeal dystonia manifests predominantly as SD, but other manifestations include stridor, dyscoordinate breathing, paroxysmal cough, hiccups, and sneezing. BTX injections are very effective across all subgroups. Severe adverse events are rare., (© 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.)

Objective: To objectively assess the voice outcomes of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis treated with medialization thyroplasty and arytenoid adduction suture., Study Design: Case series of patients who underwent medialization thyroplasty and arytenoid adduction suture. Preoperative and postoperative voice testing was performed and the data were compared by statistical analysis., Setting: Tertiary referral teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia., Subjects: All patients had a unilateral vocal fold paralysis, with a large posterior glottic gap and vocal symptoms affecting their quality of life., Methods: Thirteen patients with a diagnosis of a unilateral vocal fold paralysis with a large posterior glottic gap, vocal symptoms, and total denervation of the vocal fold underwent medialization thyroplasty and arytenoid adduction suture. The surgery was performed in a novel method under a general anesthetic using a laryngeal mask and with direct intraoperative endoscopic feedback. Preoperative and postoperative measures of voice performance were compared, including acoustic analysis (fundamental frequency, speech intensity against quiet and loud background noise, speech rate) and aerodynamic assessment (airflow, maximum phonation time)., Results: Medialization thyroplasty with arytenoid adduction suture significantly improved aerodynamic assessment and phonation duration for both male and female subjects overall. There were 2 of 13 treatment failures. Median follow-up time was 6 months., Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate that in selected patients with vocal fold paralysis, medialization thyroplasty with arytenoid adduction suture leads to significant improvements in objective voice measures. Longer follow-up data are required to further quantify the voice outcomes after this procedure.

The study of medicinal plants has many unique challenges and special considerations. These plants are studied for their specific chemistry, or pharmacologic activity. Plants are highly sensitive to their environment and respond through changes in their chemistry. To date, one of the biggest problems in the study of medicinal plants has been the acquisition of consistent, positively identified material for chemical analysis. Successful protocols for the collection, identification, and establishment of medicinal plants species in tissue culture is invaluable for future studies. This protocol outlines methods to establish Scutellaria baicalenisis, and Scutellaria lateriflora from commercial seed sources, and collection and establishment of Scutellaria racemosa from wild populations.

Background: Effective chronic disease self-management among older adults is crucial for improved clinical outcomes. We assessed the relative importance of two dimensions of physician communication-provision of information (PCOM) and participatory decision-making (PDM)-for older patients' diabetes self-management and glycemic control., Methods: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey among 1588 older community-dwelling adults with diabetes (response rate: 81%). Independent associations were examined between patients' ratings of their physician's PCOM and PDM with patients' reported diabetes self-management (medication adherence, diet, exercise, blood glucose monitoring, and foot care), adjusting for patient sociodemographics, illness severity, and comorbidities. Among respondents for whom hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values were available (n=1233), the relationship was assessed between patient self-management and HbA1c values., Results: In separate multivariate regressions, PCOM and PDM were each associated with overall diabetes self-management (p<.001) and with all self-management domains (p<.001 in all models), with the exception of PDM not being associated with medication adherence. In models with both PCOM and PDM, PCOM alone predicted medication adherence (p=.001) and foot care (p=.002). PDM alone was associated with exercise and blood glucose monitoring (both p<.001) and was a stronger independent predictor than PCOM of diet. Better patient ratings of their diabetes self-management were associated with lower HbA1c values (B= -.10, p=.005)., Conclusion: Among these older adults, both their diabetes providers' provision of information and efforts to actively involve them in treatment decision-making were associated with better overall diabetes self-management. Involving older patients in setting chronic disease goals and decision-making, however, appears to be especially important for self-care areas that demand more behaviorally complex lifestyle adjustments such as exercise, diet, and blood glucose monitoring.

Objectives: To review the clinical presentation, predisposing factors, prevention strategies, management, and outcomes of innominate artery hemorrhage following tracheostomy., Study Design and Setting: We report the case of an 80-y-old patient who experienced sudden massive innominate artery hemorrhage 11 days post tracheostomy. We review the literature and present recommendations for management and prevention., Results: Emergency median sternotomy with ligation and resection of the affected segment was performed with no neurological or vascular sequelae., Conclusions and Significance: The risk of innominate artery hemorrhage may be minimized with simple measures. Management by ligation and resection of the pathological segment of artery has superior outcomes to primary vascular reconstruction with maintenance of blood flow. Bypass procedures are not routinely required and have not been shown to confer any significant benefit. Resection without reconstruction is associated with a surprisingly low incidence of neurological sequelae.

Objectives: This article examines a strategic approach to developing e-learning capability to enhance learning opportunities for the workforce of a healthcare organization. Emphasis is given to the procurement of a bespoke Managed Learning Environment (MLE). Strategic organizational issues impacting on future e-learning developments are considered., Methods: The 2-year implementation plan was evaluated through a two phase external research project. The first phase focused on the effectiveness of a training programme designed to build capacity for e-learning within the Northern area and also included a virtual learning environment usability study which informed the MLE specification. The second phase evaluation is ongoing during 2005 and interim findings are presented., Results: The MLE has been piloted and on-line learning packages have been acquired. There has been a phased take-up of e-learning opportunities and e-tutor training. Some virtual Communities of Practice have been established. Key organizational issues have been identified and ongoing findings are informing strategic planning., Conclusions: The healthcare MLE is offering enhanced learning opportunities and assisting area healthcare providers in training their dispersed workforces. Blended learning strategies are most successful. The need for protected time for e-learning is a key issue, financial savings are available. Progress has been slowed by identified organizational constraints-the MLE's benefits are widely recognized.

Computer literacy and information retrieval techniques are both skills that are required to undertake further educational study effectively. In the summer of 2000, a group of post-registered nurses and midwives on undergraduate courses in one university department, completed a self-assessment questionnaire to examine their knowledge and competence of computer and information literacy. This paper describes the method and results of this study with the results indicating that these students had deficits in both computer and information literacy. The study also outlines the structural and functional difficulties that need to be resolved around the area of using computers in education for nurses and midwifes.

Purpose: Overexpression of E2F-1 is associated with increased invasiveness in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro, but its significance in vivo is unknown. This study sought to determine the relationship between E2F-1 and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) expression and disease outcome in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the anterior tongue., Experimental Design: pRb and E2F-1 protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 145 patients with SCC of the anterior tongue. The outcomes examined were time to disease recurrence or death. The relationships between E2F-1 or pRb expression and outcome were assessed by univariate and multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model, with or without clinicopathological covariates, including nodal status, disease stage, treatment status, and molecular markers (cyclin D1, p16(INK4A), and Ki-67) previously measured in this cohort., Results: On univariate analysis, increased expression of E2F-1 (>35% of positive-stained nuclei) was associated with increased disease-free survival (DFS; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.35; P = 0.04) and increased overall survival (OS; HR: 0.33; P = 0.06). Decreased expression of pRb (<50% positive nuclei) was associated with increased DFS (HR: 1.81; P = 0.06) but not with OS (P = 0.11). However, when considered simultaneously with other significant factors, i.e. lymph node status, p16(INK4A) protein expression, and histopathological grade, in the multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model, the additional contributions of E2F-1 and/or pRb expression to DFS and OS were not statistically significant., Conclusions: These data demonstrate that in patients with SCC of the tongue, overexpression of E2F-1 is associated with increased DFS and OS. However, this association is not independent of lymph node status, tumor grade, and p16(INK4A) expression. Among the cell cycle-regulatory molecules studied, p16(INK4A) expression is the most predictive molecular marker of disease outcome.