770 research outputs found
Distributed Smoothed Tree Kernel
In this paper we explore
the possibility to merge the world of
Compositional Distributional Semantic
Models (CDSM) with Tree Kernels
(TK). In particular, we will introduce a
specific tree kernel (smoothed tree kernel,
or STK) and then show that is
possibile to approximate such kernel
with the dot product of two vectors
obtained compositionally from the sentences,
creating in such a way a new
CDSM
Compositional Distributional Semantics Models in Chunk-based Smoothed Tree Kernels
The field of compositional distributional
semantics has proposed very interesting
and reliable models for accounting the
distributional meaning of simple phrases.
These models however tend to disregard
the syntactic structures when they are applied
to larger sentences. In this paper we
propose the chunk-based smoothed tree
kernels (CSTKs) as a way to exploit the
syntactic structures as well as the reliability
of these compositional models for simple
phrases. We experiment with the recognizing
textual entailment datasets. Our
experiments show that our CSTKs perform
better than basic compositional distributional
semantic models (CDSMs) recursively
applied at the sentence level, and
also better than syntactic tree kernels
RHIC heavy ion operations performance
The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) completed its fifth year of operation in 2005, colliding copper ion beams with ps=200 GeV/u and 62.4 GeV/u[1]. Previous heavy ion runs have collided gold ions at ps=130 GeV/u, 200 GeV/u, and 62.4 GeV/u[2], and deuterons and gold ions at ps=200 GeV/u[3]. This paper discusses operational performance statistics of this facility, including Cu- Cu delivered luminosity, availability, calendar time spent in physics stores, and time between physics stores. We summarize the major factors affecting operations efficiency, and characterize machine activities between physics stores
Canine Melanoma Immunology and Immunotherapy: Relevance of Translational Research
In veterinary oncology, canine melanoma is still a fatal disease for which innovative and long-lasting curative treatments are urgently required. Considering the similarities between canine and human melanoma and the clinical revolution that immunotherapy has instigated in the treatment of human melanoma patients, special attention must be paid to advancements in tumor immunology research in the veterinary field. Herein, we aim to discuss the most relevant knowledge on the immune landscape of canine melanoma and the most promising immunotherapeutic approaches under investigation. Particular attention will be dedicated to anti-cancer vaccination, and, especially, to the encouraging clinical results that we have obtained with DNA vaccines directed against chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), which is an appealing tumor-associated antigen with a key oncogenic role in both canine and human melanoma. In parallel with advances in therapeutic options, progress in the identification of easily accessible biomarkers to improve the diagnosis and the prognosis of melanoma should be sought, with circulating small extracellular vesicles emerging as strategically relevant players. Translational advances in melanoma management, whether achieved in the human or veterinary fields, may drive improvements with mutual clinical benefits for both human and canine patients; this is where the strength of comparative oncology lies
Stop-and-go kinetics in amyloid fibrillation
Many human diseases are associated with protein aggregation and fibrillation. Using glucagon as a model system for protein fibrillation we show that fibrils grow in an intermittent fashion, with periods of growth followed by long pauses. Remarkably, even if the intrinsic transition rates vary considerably in each experiment, the probability of being in the growing (stopping) state is very close to 1/4 (3/4), suggesting the presence of 4 independent conformations of the fibril tip. We discuss this possibility in terms of existing structural knowledge
Simple Synthesis of Fe3O4@-Activated Carbon from Wastepaper for Dispersive Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Their UHPLCâPDA Determination in Human Plasma
In the present society, the recycling and reuse of valuable substances are of utmost im- portance for economic and environmental purposes. At the same time, there is a pressing need to develop new methods to protect the ecosystem from many human activities, including those that have contributed to an ever-increasing presence of pharmaceutical pollutants. In this study, a straightforward approach that applies a magnetic carbon composite for the effective removal of NSAIDs from biological fluids is reported. The composite was produced by recycling wasted hand- kerchiefs, to provide cellulose to the reactive system and then transformed into carbon via calcination at high temperature. The morphological and structural features of the prepared âFe3O4@-activated carbonâ samples were investigated via thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Magnetic solid-state extraction was carried out to reveal the adsorption capabilities of the magnetic carbon composite and then combined with UHPLCâPDA for the determination and quantification of five NSAIDs (furprofen, indoprofen, ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, and indomethacin). The method developed herein proved to be fast and accurate. The adsorbent could be reused for up to 10 cycles, without any decrease in performance; thus, it contributes to an intelligent and sustainable economic strategy projected toward minimal waste generation
The role of nailfold videocapillaroscopy in Raynaud's phenomenon monitoring and early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis
Several connective tissue diseases, in particular systemic sclerosis (SSc), have Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) as their first clinical manifestation. Primary RP represents a benign condition often observed in otherwise healthy subjects, especially women: it is due to an exaggerated response to the physiological cold-induced vasospasm, whereas the secondary form of RP is typically associated with connective tissue diseases, especially SSc. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), particulary after the recent technological advances, is a safe and reliable method to observe the microvascular structure and its early changes, especially during the transition from primary to secondary RP. In case of SSc, by considering validated patterns and scoring systems, NVC is the main tool that rheumatologists can rely on, besides the presence of specific auto-antibodies, to perform a very early diagnosis of the disease. This implies the possibility of early treatment of SSc, with an eye of predicting and preventing its major clinical complications
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Blocking the formation of radiationâinduced breast cancer stem cells
The goal of adjuvant (post-surgery) radiation therapy (RT) for breast cancer (BC) is to eliminate residual cancer cells, leading to better local tumor control and thus improving patient survival. However, radioresistance increases the risk of tumor recurrence and negatively affects survival. Recent evidence shows that breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are radiation-resistant and that relatively differentiated BC cells can be reprogrammed into induced BCSCs (iBCSCs) via radiation-induced re-expression of the stemness genes. Here we show that in irradiation (IR)-treated mice bearing syngeneic mammary tumors, IR-induced stemness correlated with increased spontaneous lung metastasis (51.7%). However, IR-induced stemness was blocked by targeting the NF-ÎșB- stemness gene pathway with disulfiram (DSF)and Copper (Cu2+). DSF is an inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and an FDA-approved drug for treating alcoholism. DSF binds to Cu2+ to form DSF-Cu complexes (DSF/Cu), which act as a potent apoptosis inducer and an effective proteasome inhibitor, which, in turn, inhibits NF-ÎșB activation. Treatment of mice with RT and DSF significantly inhibited mammary primary tumor growth (79.4%) and spontaneous lung metastasis (89.6%) compared to vehicle treated mice. This anti-tumor efficacy was associated with decreased stem cell properties (or stemness) in tumors. We expect that these results will spark clinical investigation of RT and DSF as a novel combinatorial treatment for breast cancer
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