Bayesian modeling of manner and path psychological data

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-110).This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.How people and computers can learn the meaning of words has long been a key question for both AI and cognitive science. It is hypothesized that a person acquires a bias to favor the characteristics of their native language, in order to aid word learning. Other hypothesized aids are syntactic bootstrapping, in which the learner assumes that the meaning of a novel word is similar to that of other words used in a similar syntax, and its complement, semantic bootstrapping, in which the learner assumes that the syntax of a novel word is similar to that of other words used in similar situations. How these components work together is key to understanding word learning. Using cognitive psychology and computer science as a platform, this thesis attempts to tackle these questions using the classic example of manner and path verb bias. A series of cognitive psychology experiments was designed to gather information on this bias. Considerable flexibility of the subject's bias was demonstrated during these experiments. Another separate series of experiments was conducted using different syntactic frames for the novel verbs to address the question of bootstrapping. The resulting information was used to design a Bayesian model which successfully predicts the human behavior in the psychological experiments that were conducted. Dynamic parameters were required to account for subjects revising their expected manner and path verb distributions during the course of an experiment. Bayesian model parameters that were optimized for rich syntactic frame data performed equally well in predicting poor syntactic frame data.by Catherine Andrea Havasi.M.Eng

Outcomes of renal transplantation in patients with AL amyloidosis: an international collaboration through The International Kidney and Monoclonal Gammopathy Research Group

Effective systemic therapies suppress toxic light chain production leading to an increased proportion of patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis who survive longer albeit with end-stage renal disease. There is a critical need to identify patients in this population who benefit from renal transplantation. This multicenter, observational study from five countries includes 237 patients with AL amyloidosis who underwent renal transplantation between 1987 and 2020. With a median follow-up of 8.5 years, the median overall survival from renal transplantation was 8.6 years and was significantly longer in patients with complete and very good partial hematologic responses (CR + VGPR) compared to less than VGPR (9 versus 6.8 years; HR: 1.5, P = 0.04 [95% CI: 1–2.1]) at renal transplantation. Median graft survival was 7.8 years and was better in the CR + VGPR group (8.3 vs 5.7 years, HR: 1.4, P = 0.05 [95% CI: 1–2]). The frequency and time to amyloid recurrence in the graft was also lower (16% vs 37%, p = 0.01) and longer (median time not achieved vs 10 years, p = 0.001) in the CR + VGPR group. Comparing CR vs. VGPR there was no difference in overall or graft survival. Although 69 patients (29%) experienced hematologic relapse, treatment effectively prevented graft loss in the majority (87%). Renal transplantation in selected AL amyloidosis patients is associated with extended overall and renal graft survival. Patients with hematologic CR or VGPR have the most favorable outcomes, and these patients should be considered for renal transplantation

Role of Mitofusin 2 in the Renal Stress Response

The role of mitofusin 2 (MFN2), a key regulator of mitochondrial morphology and function in the renal stress response is unknown. To assess its role, the MFN2 floxed gene was conditionally deleted in the kidney of mice (MFN2 cKO) by Pax2 promoter driven Cre expression (Pax2Cre). MFN2 cKO caused severe mitochondrial fragmentation in renal epithelial cells that are critical for normal kidney tubular function. However, despite a small (20%) decrease in nephron number, newborn cKO pups had organ or tubular function that did not differ from littermate Cre-negative pups. MFN2 deficiency in proximal tubule epithelial cells in primary culture induced mitochondrial fragmentation but did not significantly alter ATP turnover, maximal mitochondrial oxidative reserve capacity, or the low level of oxygen consumption during cyanide exposure. MFN2 deficiency also did not increase apoptosis of tubule epithelial cells under non-stress conditions. In contrast, metabolic stress caused by ATP depletion exacerbated mitochondrial outer membrane injury and increased apoptosis by 80% in MFN2 deficient vs. control cells. Despite similar stress-induced Bax 6A7 epitope exposure in MFN2 deficient and control cells, MFN2 deficiency significantly increased mitochondrial Bax accumulation and was associated with greater release of both apoptosis inducing factor and cytochrome c. In conclusion, MFN2 deficiency in the kidney causes mitochondrial fragmentation but does not affect kidney or tubular function during development or under non-stress conditions. However, MFN2 deficiency exacerbates renal epithelial cell injury by promoting Bax-mediated mitochondrial outer membrane injury and apoptosis

Egy egyházi-, és egy önkormányzati fenntartású óvoda egyéni sajátosságainak összehasonlítása a Helyi Óvodai Pedagógiai Programjuk alapján.

Szakdolgozatomban bemutattam az óvodás gyermekek fejlődését, tevékenységeiket, játékformáikat, hiszen ezek adják a vizsgálatom során felhasznált források alapját. Mindemellett felsoroltam és röviden jellemeztem az óvodákat szabályozó dokumentumokat is. Kutatásom során összehasonlítottam egy egyházi- és egy önkormányzati fenntartású óvodát dokumentumelemzés és írásos kikérdezés segítségével.

The Clone Wars: Diagnosing and Treating Dysproteinemic Kidney Disease in the Modern Era

Dysproteinemic kidney diseases are disorders that occur as the result of lymphoproliferative (B cell or plasma cell) disorders that cause kidney damage via production of nephrotoxic monoclonal immunoglobulins or their components. These monoclonal immunoglobulins have individual physiochemical characteristics that confer specific nephrotoxic properties. There has been increased recognition and revised characterization of these disorders in the last decade, and in some cases, there have been substantial advances in disease understanding and treatments, which has translated to improved patient outcomes. These disorders still present challenges to nephrologists and patients, since they are rare, and the field of hematology is rapidly changing with the introduction of novel testing and treatment strategies. In this review, we will discuss the clinical presentation, kidney biopsy features, hematologic characteristics and treatment of dysproteinemic kidney diseases

Risk factors for venous thromboembolism in immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis ARTICLE

P atients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis are at risk for both thrombotic and bleeding complications. While the hemostatic defects have been extensively studied, less is known about thrombotic complications in this disease. This retrospective study examined the frequency of venous thromboembolism in 929 patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis presenting to a single referral center, correlated risk of venous thromboembolism with clinical and laboratory factors, and examined complications of anticoagulation in this population. Sixty-five patients (7%) were documented as having at least one venous thromboembolic event. Eighty percent of these patients had events within one year prior to or following diagnosis. Lower serum albumin was associated with increased risk of VTE, with a hazard ratio of 4.30 (CI 1.60-11.55; P=0.0038) for serum albumin less than 3 g/dL compared to serum albumin greater than 4 g/dL. Severe bleeding complications were observed in 5 out of 57 patients with venous thromboembolism undergoing treatment with anticoagulation. Prospective investigation should be undertaken to better risk stratify these patients and to determine the optimal strategies for prophylaxis against and management of venous thromboembolism. Risk factors for venous thromboembolism in immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosi