Towards Meaningful Paragraph Embeddings for Data-Scarce Domains: A Case Study in the Legal Domain

Creating meaningful text embeddings using BERT-based language models involves pre-training on large amounts of data. For domain-specific use cases where data is scarce (e.g., the law enforcement domain) it might not be feasible to pre-train a whole new language model. In this paper, we examine how extending BERT-based tokenizers and further pre-training BERT-based models can benefit downstream classification tasks. As a proxy for domain-specific data, we use the European Convention of Human Rights (ECtHR) dataset. We find that for down-stream tasks, further pre-training a language model on a small domain dataset can rival models that are completely retrained on large domain datasets. This indicates that completely retraining a language model may not be necessary to improve down-stream task performance. Instead, small adaptions to existing state-of-the-art language models like BERT may suffice

Mouse phenotyping with near-infrared fluorescence lymphatic imaging

We demonstrate the ability to non-invasively and quantitatively image lymphatic architecture and contractile function using dynamic near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging with injection of indocyanine green in normal and transgenic mice. Unlike normal mice, which showed well defined lymphatic drainage patterns and orthograde propagation of contraction waves, we observed tortuous and mispatterned lymphatic vessels and persistent retrograde lymph flow in mice with deficiency in Prox1, a transcription factor essential for lymphatic vascular development. NIR fluorescence imaging provides a method for quantifying lymphatic function for future studies designed to discern differences in lymphatic function in murine models of human lymphatic disease

TNFA and IL10 Gene Polymorphisms are not Associated with Periodontitis in Brazilians

IL-10 and TNF-α are cytokines that have complex and opposing roles in the inflammatory responses. G/A polymorphisms at position –1082 of IL10 and –308 of TNFA genes have been reported to influence the expression of IL-10 and TNF-α, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the IL10 (-1082) and TNFA (- 308) gene polymorphisms with different clinical forms or severity of periodontitis in a sample of Brazilian individuals. DNA was obtained from oral swabs of 165 Brazilian individuals, which were divided into three groups: individuals with chronic periodontitis, aggressive periodontitis and individuals without clinical evidence of periodontitis. Evaluation of IL10 and TNFA polymorphisms was performed by RFLP analysis. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the χ2 likelihood ratio and Fisher`s exact test. No significant differences in the genotype and allele distribution of either IL10 or TNFA were observed among individuals with different clinical forms or with different degrees of severity of periodontitis. Moreover, combined analysis of IL10 and TNFA polymorphisms did not show any association with periodontal status. As conclusion, the IL10 and TNFA gene promoter polymorphisms investigated are not associated with different clinical forms of periodontitis or with severity of the disease in the Brazilian population polymorphisms

Toxic effects of phenothiazines on the eye

Publications about the retinotoxic action of phenothiazine derivatives led the author to undertake an ophthalmological investigation in two psychiatric hospitals in The Netherlands. The pharmacological actions of phenothiazine preparations are listed and a survey of the phenothiazine derivatives which are at present in use is given. Some retinotoxic substances are discussed and a survey is given of the literature on the ocular complications of phenothiazine therapy. The eyes of 561 patients were examined. of whom 541 are included in this study. 343 of these patients(63.4 %) were found to have retinopathy. The correlation between the retinopathy and the total dose of phenothiazine preparations taken. and between the retinopathy and the duration of treatment. was highly significant. The correlation between the retinopathy and the average daily dose taken was significant. The retinopathy was associated with a reduced standing potential of the eye. as determined by electro-oculography. It was possibly responsible for diminished visual acuity in some cases, and for an abnormally large proportion of protans in the group of patients with colour defects. It was not possible to ascribe a more severe retinotoxic action to one or more specific phenothiazine derivatives than to others. In the author's opinion regular examination of the eyes of patients who are being treated with phenothiazine preparations in high dosage and for for a long period of time is indicated

Het koopcontract in den overzeeschen handel

Proefschrift--Utrecht.Mode of access: Internet