Machine Learning and the Cognitive Basis of Natural Language

Articl

The Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission: reconciling or re-dividing Liberia?

After 14 years of civil war and violence followed by the momentous and rather unusual elections of 2005, in which a woman defeated a footballer for the presidency, Liberia has seen over six years of state reconstruction and relative peace. Two recent announcements have, however, served as a warning to the extent of progress. The most recent is President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s declaration that she will, despite previous statements to the contrary, stand for re-election in 2011 due to shortcomings in progress. The announcement preceding Johnson-Sirleaf’s was made in the form of the report of the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). It recommended that Johnson-Sirleaf, and indeed many others accused of involvement in the war, should be barred from public office for the next 30 years, and still more should stand trial on charges of war crimes. Four important questions arise. First, what was the mandate and findings of the TRC? Second, how has Liberia and the wider international community reacted to the final report? Third, has the TRC fulfilled its mandate and contributed to a process of reconciliation? Finally, and in a much broader sense, where does the TRC stand relative to the much wider liberal peace model

Machine Learning Theory and Practice as a Source of Insight into Universal Grammar

Articl

Perceiving environmental structure from optical motion

Generally speaking, one of the most important sources of optical information about environmental structure is known to be the deforming optical patterns produced by the movements of the observer (pilot) or environmental objects. As an observer moves through a rigid environment, the projected optical patterns of environmental objects are systematically transformed according to their orientations and positions in 3D space relative to those of the observer. The detailed characteristics of these deforming optical patterns carry information about the 3D structure of the objects and about their locations and orientations relative to those of the observer. The specific geometrical properties of moving images that may constitute visually detected information about the shapes and locations of environmental objects is examined

Classifying Ellipsis in Dialogue: A Machine Learning Approach

Articl

Biophysical and pharmacological characterisation of recombinant and native rat P2X7 receptors

P2X7 receptors exhibit a mainly non-neuronal localisation on immune and glial cells and primarily function as non-selective cation channels. After prolonged or repeated exposure to agonist, functional and cellular changes occur: the formation of a large diameter pore, cell lysis and the release of mature, biologically active interleukin-1β (IL-1β) a potent inflammatory cytokine. It is this repertoire of functions, along with its localisation that underlies the hypothesis for its involvement in pain processing. The biophysics and pharmacology of rat P2X7 receptors were investigated using stable cell lines. Increases in the current amplitude were shown to be dependent upon the agonist concentration and current deactivation was agonist application number and voltage dependent. These results increased our understanding of the receptor, but have also had implications for the design of protocols to investigate antagonist potency and efficacy. GSK31418A was identified as a potent, reversible and voltage-independent antagonist of rat and human P2X7 receptors. GSK314181A was >10000 fold selective over P2X4 receptors and >1000 fold selective over P2X2/3 receptors. GSK314181A produced a significant reversal of FCA-induced hypersensitivity when profiled in vivo, providing further validation of the role of P2X7 receptors in inflammatory pain. Although the influence of glia cells on neuronal activity in the CNS is now well documented, the role of peripheral glia, Schwann cells and satellite cells of sensory ganglia, is less well established. Non-neuronal cells in DRG cultures were shown to express P2X7 receptors by pharmacological, biophysical and immunofluorescence techniques. Native P2X7 receptors expressed on these cells were shown to have many of the properties of recombinant P2X7 receptors, in regards to the response to agonist activation and pharmacology. Finally, I have shown that Lamotrigine is an effective inhibitor of recombinant rat and human P2X7 receptors and native P2X7 receptors expressed in DRG. The potent inhibition of human P2X7 by Lamotrigine was replicated with the chemical analogue and neuroprotective agent Sipatrigine. However, little effect was recorded for a P2X7 antagonist in two models of epileptiform activity studies