Detecting and explaining unfairness in consumer contracts through memory networks

Recent work has demonstrated how data-driven AI methods can leverage consumer protection by supporting the automated analysis of legal documents. However, a shortcoming of data-driven approaches is poor explainability. We posit that in this domain useful explanations of classifier outcomes can be provided by resorting to legal rationales. We thus consider several configurations of memory-augmented neural networks where rationales are given a special role in the modeling of context knowledge. Our results show that rationales not only contribute to improve the classification accuracy, but are also able to offer meaningful, natural language explanations of otherwise opaque classifier outcomes

Data analytics for profiling low‐voltage customers with smart meter readings

The energy transition for decarbonization requires consumers’ and producers’ active par-ticipation to give the power system the necessary flexibility to manage intermittency and non‐pro-grammability of renewable energy sources. The accurate knowledge of the energy demand of every single customer is crucial for accurately assessing their potential as flexibility providers. This topic gained terrific input from the widespread deployment of smart meters and the continuous development of data analytics and artificial intelligence. The paper proposes a new technique based on advanced data analytics to analyze the data registered by smart meters to associate to each customer a typical load profile (LP). Different LPs are assigned to low voltage (LV) customers belonging to nominal homogeneous category for overcoming the inaccuracy due to non‐existent coincident peaks, arising by the common use of a unique LP per category. The proposed methodology, starting from two large databases, constituted by tens of thousands of customers of different categories, clusters their consumption profiles to define new representative LPs, without a priori preferring a specific clustering technique but using that one that provides better results. The paper also proposes a method for associating the proper LP to new or not monitored customers, considering only few features easily available for the distribution systems operator (DSO)

First principles theory of fluctuations in vortex liquids and solids

Consistent perturbation theory for thermodynamical quantities in type II superconductors in magnetic field at low temperatures is developed. It is complementary to the existing expansion valid at high temperatures. Magnetization and specific heat are calculated to two loop order and compare well to existing Monte Carlo simulations and experiments.Comment: 3 .ps fig. In press Phys. Rev.

First-line erlotinib and fixed dose-rate gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer

AIM: To investigate activity, toxicity, and prognostic factors for survival of erlotinib and fixed dose-rate gemcitabine (FDR-Gem) in advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: We designed a single-arm prospective, multicentre, open-label phase II study to evaluate the combination of erlotinib (100 mg/d, orally) and weekly FDR-Gem (1000 mg/m2, infused at 10 mg/m2per minute) in a population of previously untreated patients with locally advanced, inoperable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer. Primary endpoint was the rate of progression-free survival at 6 mo (PFS-6); secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), response duration, tolerability, overall survival (OS), and clinical benefit. Treatment was not considered to be of further interest if the PFS-6 was < 20% (p0 = 20%), while a PFS-6 > 40% would be of considerable interest (p1 = 40%); with a 5% rejection error (α = 5%) and a power of 80%, 35 fully evaluable patients with metastatic disease were required to be enrolled in order to complete the study. Analysis of prognostic factors for survival was also carried out. RESULTS: From May 2007 to September 2009, 46 patients were enrolled (male/female: 25/21; median age: 64 years; median baseline carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9): 897 U/mL; locally advanced/metastatic disease: 5/41). PFS-6 and median PFS were 30.4% and 14 wk (95%CI: 10-19), respectively; 1-year and median OS were 20.2% and 26 wk (95%CI: 8-43). Five patients achieved an objective response (ORR: 10.9%, 95%CI: 1.9-19.9); disease control rate was 56.5% (95%CI: 42.2-70.8); clinical benefit rate was 43.5% (95%CI: 29.1-57.8). CA 19-9 serum levels were decreased by > 25% as compared to baseline in 14/23 evaluable patients (63.6%). Treatment was well-tolerated, with skin rash being the most powerful predictor of both longer PFS (P < 0.0001) and OS (P = 0.01) at multivariate analysis (median OS for patients with or without rash: 42 wk vs 15 wk, respectively, Log-rank P = 0.03). Additional predictors of better outcome were: CA 19-9 reduction, female sex (for PFS), and good performance status (for OS). CONCLUSION: Primary study endpoint was not met. However, skin rash strongly predicted erlotinib efficacy, suggesting that a pharmacodynamic-based strategy for patient selection deserves further investigation

Explaining potentially unfair clauses to the consumer with the claudette tool

This paper presents the latest developments of the use of memory network models in detecting and explaining unfair terms in online consumer contracts. We extend the CLAUDETTE tool for the detection of potentially unfair clauses in online Terms of Service, by providing to the users the explanations of unfairness (legal rationales) for five different categories: Arbitration, unilateral change, content removal, unilateral termination, and limitation of liability

Cellular senescence in vascular wall mesenchymal stromal cells, a possible contribution to the development of aortic aneurysm

Cellular senescence is a hallmark of ageing and it plays a key role in the development of age-related diseases. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an age related degenerative vascular disorder, characterized by a progressive dilatation of the vascular wall and high risk of rupture over time. Nowadays, no pharmacological therapies are available and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that lead to AAA onset and development are poorly defined. In this study we investigated the cellular features of senescence in vascular mesenchymal stromal cells, isolated from pathological (AAA – MSCs) and healthy (h – MSCs) segments of human abdominal aorta and their implication in impairing the vascular repair ability of MSCs. Cell proliferation, ROS production, cell surface area, the expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors p21CIP1 and p16INK4a, the activation of the DNA damage response and a dysregulated autophagy showed a senescent state in AAA - MSCs compared to h-MSCs. Moreover, a reduced ability to differentiate toward endothelial cells was observed in AAA – MSCs. All these data suggest that the accumulation of senescent vascular MSCs over time impairs their remodeling ability during ageing. This condition could support the onset and development of AAA

Prevalence of hepatitis E virus in Italian pig herds. Preliminary results

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E, and is an unenveloped positive sense single-stranded RNA wus. Swine HEV strains are genetically closely related to human strains from the same area, suggesting the occurrence of zoonotic transmission. Recently, human cases of hepatitis E have been linked to the consumption of raw or undercooked meat or organs from deer, wild boars or p1gs. The disease is now considered an emerging food-borne transmitted zoonosis. During 2006, a pilot investigation was performed to determine the prevalence of HEV in pig farms located in Northern Italy. 274 faecal samples were collected from healthy fattening animals (3-4 and 8-9 months of age) and from healthy breeding animals (gilts and sows) from 6 different farms, and analyzed using a Nested-RT-PCR targeting the open reading frame 2 (ORF2) region. Stool samples were suspended in water, and viral RNA extraction was performed using a commercial kit. Extracted viral RNA was subjected to RT-PCR amplification using degenerate primers conA 1-conS1 for the first amplification, and degenerate primers conA2-conS2 for the nested PCR, yielding a final fragment of 145 bp. HEV RNA was detected in sixty-nine of the 274 (25.2%) examined samples. None of the six farms resulted negative and the prevalence within the farms ranged between 2% and 60.5% For the characterization of the strains, randomly selected positive samples were subjected to nucleotide sequencing, and aligned with those present in the NCBI Data Bank Sequence analysis showed that all stra1ns were Swine Hepatitis E belonging to Genotype 3. These preliminary results confirm that swine HEV is widespread in Italian swine farms

Abiraterone acetate in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after chemotherapy. A retrospective “Real Life” analysis of activity and safety

Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a potent, selective androge (CYP17) biosynthesis inhibitor, which showed to improve overall survival (HR = 0.646) in mCRPC patients progressing after docetaxel. In this retrospective analysis we assessed the safety and efficacy of AA in patients affected with mCRPC progressing after chemotherapy, treated in the normal clinical practice, in several Italian Oncologic Units, after the approval of the drug from the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA)