Ocular-based automatic summarization of documents: is re-reading informative about the importance of a sentence?

Automatic document summarization (ADS) has been introduced as a viable solution for reducing the time and the effort needed to read the ever-increasing textual content that is disseminated. However, a successful universal ADS algorithm has not yet been developed. Also, despite progress in the field, many ADS techniques do not take into account the needs of different readers, providing a summary without internal consistency and the consequent need to re-read the original document. The present study was aimed at investigating the usefulness of using eye tracking for increasing the quality of ADS. The general idea was of that of finding ocular behavioural indicators that could be easily implemented in ADS algorithms. For instance, the time spent in re-reading a sentence might reflect the relative importance of that sentence, thus providing a hint for the selection of text contributing to the summary. We have tested this hypothesis by comparing metrics based on the analysis of eye movements of 30 readers with the highlights they made afterward. Results showed that the time spent reading a sentence was not significantly related to its subjective value, thus frustrating our attempt. Results also showed that the length of a sentence is an unavoidable confounding because longer sentences have both the highest probability of containing units of text judged as important, and receive more fixations and re-fixations

Development and Testing of a System for Controlled Ultrasound Hyperthermia Treatment With a Phantom Device

Hyperthermia is the process of raising tissue temperatures in the range 40 degrees C-45 degrees C for a prolonged time (up to hours). Unlike in ablation therapy, raising the temperature to such levels does not cause necrosis of the tissue but has been postulated to sensitize the tissue for radiotherapy. The ability to maintain a certain temperature in a target region is key to a hyperthermia delivery system. The aim of this work was to design and characterize a heat delivery system for ultrasound hyperthermia able to generate a uniform power deposition pattern in the target region with a closed-loop control, which would maintain the defined temperature over a defined period. The hyperthermia delivery system presented herein is a flexible design with the ability to strictly control the induced temperature rise with a feedback loop. The system can be reproduced elsewhere with relative ease and is adaptable for various tumor sizes/locations and for other temperature elevation applications, such as ablation therapy. The system was fully characterized and tested on a newly designed custom-built phantom with controlled acoustic and thermal properties and containing embedded thermocouples. Additionally, a layer of thermochromic material was fixed above the thermocouples, and the recorded temperature increase was compared to the red, green, and blue (RGB) color change in the material. The transducer characterization allowed for input voltage to output power curves to be generated, thus allowing for the comparison of power deposition to temperature increase in the phantom. Additionally, the transducer characterization generated a field map of the symmetric field. The system was capable of increasing the temperature of the target area by 6 degrees C above body temperature and maintains the temperature to within +/- 0.5 degrees C over a defined period. The increase in temperature correlated with the RGB image analysis of the thermochromic material. The results of this work have the potential to contribute toward increasing confidence in the delivery of hyperthermia treatment to superficial tumors. The developed system could potentially be used for phantom or small animal proof-of-principle studies. The developed phantom test device may be used for testing other hyperthermia systems

Laser Excisional Treatment for Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Exclude Invasion

Objective: We undertook a retrospective analysis of the incidence of complications of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser excision for high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-VaIN).Materials and Methods: Retrospective large case series on 128 CO2 laser excisions for HG-VaIN in 106 women treated at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Oncologic Referral Center, Aviano, Italy. These procedures were performed under local anesthesiawith a 20-Wcontinuous laser beam focused to a 0.2-mm spot size. Complications were defined as "minor" when limited to vagina, and "major" when surrounding organs were injured or the vaginal vault was opened. To identify possible factors associated with surgical complications, we performed a univariate analysis with the t test for continuous variables and x(2) or Fisher exact test for qualitative variables as appropriate.Results: The overall rate of complication was 7.8% (10/128); nine of themwere vaginal bleeding, and only one (0.8%) was amajor complication with vaginal vault perforation. A greater number of previous destructive treatments and of two or more previous laser vaginal excisional treatments was present in patients with complications compared with ones without complications (10% vs 3.9 %, p = .92, and 30% vs 15.2%, p = .44, respectively), although these differences were not statistically significant. A total of 10.5% (6/57) of occult vaginal cancer was detected in women with initial diagnosis of VaIN3 (HG-VaIN) on biopsy.Conclusions: Carbon dioxide laser excision for HG-VaIN seems to be a safe approach with low rate of complications, probably because of the better accuracy achieved by CO2 laser resections, and permits diagnosis of occult invasive disease

Surgical Treatment of Paget Disease of the Vulva

ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of recurrence according to the surgical margin status and the presence of invasion or of superficially invasive carcinoma in patients with extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) of the vulva, who underwent elective surgical treatment.Materials and MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 27 patients with first diagnosis of extramammary Paget disease of the vulva, who underwent primary and elective surgical treatment from January 1989 to December 2014. A p value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for confounding factors.ResultsWe observed invasive disease in 11 cases, with microinvasion in 8 of them. A positive surgical margin was found in 10 patients. During a median follow-up period of 79.5 months, 8 patients (29.6%) showed a first recurrence after a median (range) time of 4.9 (2.3-7.1) years. No significant differences were observed between patients with recurrence and patients without recurrence with respect to age, number of vulvar sectors involved, bilaterality and multifocality, presence of invasion or microinvasion, and surgical margin status. However, during the follow-up period, the presence of invasion was higher (67% vs 41%) in patients with recurrence compared with patients without recurrence.ConclusionsThe rate of recurrence of the disease after therapy is high. Patients should be subjected to a close and long-term follow-up to identify those who must undergo further treatment, especially if they presented with an invasive or even microinvasive disease. A free margin of no greater than 1 to 2 cm might be the most appropriate surgical choice

The awareness and acceptance of anti-COVID 19 vaccination in adolescence

Background: COVID-19 had devastating effects on children's and adolescents' life, including neuropsychological impairment, discontinuation of social life and education. Since June 2021, antiCOVID19 vaccination has become available to adolescents in Italy up to 12 years and since December 2021 to children aged more than 5 years. The pediatric population represents a challenging target for vaccination. Aim of the study is to perform a survey among adolescents to explore factors associated with COVID 19 immunization and their perceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: Italian students aged 10-17 years were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey regarding their immunization against COVID-19 and their opinion on the immunization practice through a web link to the questionnaire. The study period was March-June 2022. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v 21. Results: In the study period, 895 students entered the survey. A total of 87.3% of respondents were immunized against SARS-CoV2. The most important predictors of being immunized against SARS-CoV2 were having both parents immunized (p < 0, 001) and being aged over 12 years. In the unvaccinated group, the decision was mostly influenced by the family (65.8%). Regardless the immunization status, respondents were willing to receive information about COVID 19 vaccination mostly by their family doctor (51.8%) and at school (28.9%). Conclusions: Parents' decisions and attitudes strongly affected the immunization status of adolescents. Students' willing to receive COVID 19 vaccine information by family doctors and at school, underline the potential role of paediatricians and school educators in contributing to an increased vaccine coverage among the paediatric age

RET mutation and increased angiogenesis in medullary thyroid carcinomas

Advanced medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs) are now being treated with drugs that inhibit receptor tyrosine kinases, many of which involved in angiogenesis. Response rates vary widely, and toxic effects are common, so treatment should be reserved for MTCs likely to be responsive to these drugs. RET mutations are common in MTCs, but it is unclear how they influence the microvascularization of these tumors. We examined 45 MTCs with germ-line or somatic RET mutations (RETmut group) and 34 with wild-type RET (RETwt). Taqman Low-Density Arrays were used to assess proangiogenic gene expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess intratumoral, peritumoral and nontumoral expression levels of VEGFR1, R2, R3, PDGFRa, PDGFB and NOTCH3. We also assessed microvessel density (MVD) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) based on CD31-positive and podoplanin-positive vessel counts, respectively, and vascular pericyte density based on staining for a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), a pericyte marker. Compared with RETwt tumors, RETmut tumors exhibited upregulated expression of proangiogenic genes (mRNA and protein), especially VEGFR1, PDGFB and NOTCH3. MVDs and LVDs were similar in the two groups. However, microvessels in RETmut tumors were more likely to be a-SMA positive, indicating enhanced coverage by pericytes, which play key roles in vessel sprouting, maturation and stabilization. These data suggest that angiogenesis in RETmut MTCs may be more intense and complete than that found in RETwt tumors, a feature that might increase their susceptibility to antiangiogenic therapy. Given their increased vascular pericyte density, RETmut MTCs might also benefit from combined or preliminary treatment with PDGF inhibitors

Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia: Histopathological Upgrading of Lesions and Evidence of Occult Vaginal Cancer

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze women treated with excisional procedures for vaginal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). The histopathological upgrading of the lesions previously detected on vaginal biopsy and the presence of occult invasive vaginal cancer in the specimens excised were investigated, to identify a higher risk subset of women.Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 86 women with a biopsy histopathologic diagnosis of vaginal HSIL (vaginal intraepithelial neoplasias [VaINs]: VaIN2 and VaIN3) and subsequent excisional therapy, consecutively referred to the Aviano National Cancer Institute (Aviano, Italy) from January 1991 to April 2014, was performed.Results Of the 86 patients, 4 cases (4.6%) of occult vaginal cancer were detected, all of them in women previously diagnosed with VaIN3 on biopsy (4/39 cases, 10.3%). Women with diagnosis of VaIN2 on biopsy showed an upgrading of lesions, with diagnosis of VaIN3 on the final specimen in 5 (10.6%) of 47 cases, with no cases of VAIN2 upgraded to invasive cancer. In 33.3% of the women initially diagnosed with VaIN2 and with previous hysterectomy for human papillomavirus-related disease, a final histopathological upgrading of lesions emerged. Furthermore, tobacco use was significantly related to the histopathological upgrading of lesions previously detected on vaginal biopsy.Conclusions Women diagnosed with VaIN3 should be treated with excisional procedures as first-line surgical approach, given the risk of occult invasive disease in 10% of the cases. Women diagnosed with VaIN2 and with previous hysterectomy for human papillomavirus-related cervical diseases should always be carefully evaluated and possibly excised, given the higher risk of histopathological upgrading of lesions and thus the potential risk of occult vaginal cancer. Tobacco users should be considered as high-risk group

Recent results and perspectives on cosmology and fundamental physics from microwave surveys

Recent cosmic microwave background data in temperature and polarization have reached high precision in estimating all the parameters that describe the current so-called standard cosmological model. Recent results about the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect from cosmic microwave background anisotropies, galaxy surveys, and their cross-correlations are presented. Looking at fine signatures in the cosmic microwave background, such as the lack of power at low multipoles, the primordial power spectrum and the bounds on non-Gaussianities, complemented by galaxy surveys, we discuss inflationary physics and the generation of primordial perturbations in the early Universe. Three important topics in particle physics, the bounds on neutrinos masses and parameters, on thermal axion mass and on the neutron lifetime derived from cosmological data are reviewed, with attention to the comparison with laboratory experiment results. Recent results from cosmic polarization rotation analyses aimed at testing the Einstein equivalence principle are presented. Finally, we discuss the perspectives of next radio facilities for the improvement of the analysis of future cosmic microwave background spectral distortion experiments.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figures. Review Article. International Journal of Modern Physics D, in press. [Will appear also on the proceedings of the Fourteenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting University of Rome "La Sapienza" - Rome, July 12-18, 2015 (http://www.icra.it/mg/mg14/), eds. Robert T. Jantzen, Kjell Rosquist, Remo Ruffini. World Scientific, Singapore