Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks: Resurrecting Multilingual Retrieval Using Zero-shot Learning

While billions of non-English speaking users rely on search engines every day, the problem of ad-hoc information retrieval is rarely studied for non-English languages. This is primarily due to a lack of data set that are suitable to train ranking algorithms. In this paper, we tackle the lack of data by leveraging pre-trained multilingual language models to transfer a retrieval system trained on English collections to non-English queries and documents. Our model is evaluated in a zero-shot setting, meaning that we use them to predict relevance scores for query-document pairs in languages never seen during training. Our results show that the proposed approach can significantly outperform unsupervised retrieval techniques for Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, and Spanish. We also show that augmenting the English training collection with some examples from the target language can sometimes improve performance.Comment: ECIR 2020 (short

Treatment results and prognostic factors in primary thyroid lymphoma patients: a Rare Cancer Network study

Background: This study analyzed prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of primary thyroid lymphoma. Patients and Methods: Data were retrospectively collected for 87 patients (53 stage I and 34 stage II) with median age 65 years. Fifty-two patients were treated with single modality (31 with chemotherapy alone and 21 with radiotherapy alone) and 35 with combined modality treatment. Median follow-up was 51 months. Results: Sixty patients had aggressive lymphoma and 27 had indolent lymphoma. The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 74% and 71%, respectively, and the disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 68% and 64%. Univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, stage, lymph node involvement, B symptoms, and treatment modality were prognostic factors for OS, DFS, and local control (LC). Patients with thyroiditis had significantly better LC rates. In multivariate analysis, OS was influenced by age, B symptoms, lymph node involvement, and tumor size, whereas DFS and LC were influenced by B symptoms and tumor size. Compared with single modality treatment, patients treated with combined modality had better 5-year OS, DFS, and LC. Conclusions: Combined modality leads to an excellent prognosis for patients with aggressive lymphoma but does not improve OS and LC in patients with indolent lymphom

Towards a Soft Robotic Skin for Autonomous Tissue Palpation

Manual palpation is commonly used to localize tumors and other features buried deep inside organs during open surgery. This approach is not feasible in minimally invasive or robotic surgery, as the contact with the tissue is mediated by instruments. To address this problem, we propose a soft robotic skin (SRS) that can be deployed from a small incision and create a stiffness map in a single step. Such a skin is composed of a matrix of soft robotic tactile elements (SRTEs), each one able to expand and record the tissue response during expansion. In this paper, we firstly prove the feasibility of palpation using a single SRTE. Then, we present and test a soft-suction based anchoring mechanism able to keep the SRS in the desired position in contact with the tissue, allowing surgeons to palpate different sides of the organ. Finally, we detail a calibration method for the SRTE, and assess the feasibility of identifying lumps buried inside a soft tissue phantom, and then inside a chicken liver during an ex-vivo trial. Experimental results show that the SRTE was able to differentiate simulated lumps (up to 3.25 mm deep) from healthy tissue in both the phantom and the ex-vivo trials. These results, added to the ability of the suction gripper to compensate for the expansion forces of each SRTE, are paving the way for soft robotic autonomous tools that can be used for intraoperative mapping of tissue cancers

Do variations in the theatre team have an impact on the incidence of complications?

BACKGROUND: To examine whether variations in non-medical personnel influence the incidence of complications in a cataract theatre. METHODS: A retrospective Case-Control study was undertaken in a single-site, designated cataract theatre. Staffing variations within theatre were examined and the incidence of cataract complications was assessed. RESULTS: 100 complicated lists and 200 uncomplicated control lists were chosen. At least 7 nurses were present for every list. Mean experience of the nurses was 6.4 years for case lists and 6.5 years for control lists. Average scrub nurse experience in years was 7.6 years for complicated lists and 8.0 years for controls. 26% of complicated case lists were affected by unplanned leave and 17% in control lists. Odds ratio 1.7 (1.0 to 3.1) 95% CI. CONCLUSION: Unplanned leave can have a detrimental effect on the operating list. The impact of this may be modifiable with careful planning

Novel spectrophotometric method for determination of cinacalcet hydrochloride in its tablets via derivatization with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate

This study represents the first report on the development of a novel spectrophotometric method for determination of cinacalcet hydrochloride (CIN) in its tablet dosage forms. Studies were carried out to investigate the reaction between CIN and 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate (NQS) reagent. In alkaline medium (pH 8.5), an orange red-colored product exhibiting maximum absorption peak (λmax) at 490 nm was produced. The stoichiometry and kinetic of the reaction were investigated and the reaction mechanism was postulated. This color-developing reaction was employed in the development of a simple and rapid visible-spectrophotometric method for determination of CIN in its tablets. Under the optimized reaction conditions, Beer's law correlating the absorbance with CIN concentration was obeyed in the range of 3 - 100 μg/ml with good correlation coefficient (0.9993). The molar absorptivity (ε) was 4.2 × 105 l/mol/cm. The limits of detection and quantification were 1.9 and 5.7 μg/ml, respectively. The precision of the method was satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviations (RSD) did not exceed 2%. No interference was observed from the excipients that are present in the tablets. The proposed method was applied successfully for the determination of CIN in its pharmaceutical tablets with good accuracy and precisions; the label claim percentage was 100.80 - 102.23 ± 1.27 - 1.62%. The results were compared favorably with those of a reference pre-validated method. The method is practical and valuable in terms of its routine application in quality control laboratories

Prevention and Intervention Studies with Telmisartan, Ramipril and Their Combination in Different Rat Stroke Models

The effects of AT1 receptor blocker, telmisartan, and the ACE inhibitor, ramipril, were tested head-to head and in combination on stroke prevention in hypertensive rats and on potential neuroprotection in acute cerebral ischemia in normotensive rats. Normotensive Wistar rats were treated s.c. 5 days prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 90 min with reperfusion. Groups (n = 10 each): (1) sham, (2) vehicle (V; 0,9% NaCl), (3) T (0,5 mg/kg once daily), (4) R (0,01 mg/kg twice daily), (5) R (0,1 mg/kg twice daily) or (6) T (0,5 mg/kg once daily) plus R (0,01 mg/kg twice daily). Twenty-four and 48 h after MCAO, neurological outcome (NO) was determined. Forty-eight h after MCAO, infarct volume by MRI, neuronal survival, inflammation factors and neurotrophin receptor (TrkB) were analysed.Stroke incidence was reduced, survival was prolonged and neurological outcome was improved in all treated SHR-SP with no differences between treated groups. In the acute intervention study, T and T+R, but not R alone, improved NO, reduced infarct volume, inflammation (TNFα), and induced TrkB receptor and neuronal survival in comparison to V.T, R or T+R had similar beneficial effects on stroke incidence and NO in hypertensive rats, confirming BP reduction as determinant factor in stroke prevention. In contrast, T and T+R provided superior neuroprotection in comparison to R alone in normotensive rats with induced cerebral ischemia

Comparison of conventional and CT-based planning for intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical cancer: target volume coverage and organs at risk doses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To compare intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) planning methods for cervical cancer, based on either orthogonal radiographs (conventional plan) or CT sections (CT plan); the comparison focused on target volume coverage and dose volume analysis of organs at risk (OARs), by representing point doses defined by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurement (ICRU) and dose volume histograms (DVHs) from 3D planning.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed the dosimetric data for 62 conventional and CT-based ICBT plans. The gross tumor volume (GTV), clinical target volume (CTV) and organs at risk (OAR)s were contoured on the CT-plan. Point A and ICRU 38 rectal and bladder points were defined on reconstructed CT images.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients were categorized on the basis of whether the >95% isodose line of the point-A prescription dose encompassed the CTV (group 1, n = 24) or not (group 2, n = 38). The mean GTV and CTV (8.1 cc and 20.6 cc) were smaller in group 1 than in group 2 (24.7 cc and 48.4 cc) (<it>P <</it>0.001). The mean percentage of GTV and CTV coverage with the 7 Gy isodose was 93.1% and 88.2% for all patients, and decreased with increasing tumor size and stage. The mean D2 and D5 rectum doses were 1.66 and 1.42 times higher than the corresponding ICRU point doses and the mean D2 and D5 bladder doses were 1.51 and 1.28 times higher. The differences between the ICRU dose and the D2 and D5 doses were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 for the bladder, but not for the rectum.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The CT-plan is superior to the conventional plan in target volume coverage and appropriate evaluation of OARs, as the conventional plan overestimates tumor doses and underestimates OAR doses.</p

Design, fabrication and control of soft robots

Conventionally, engineers have employed rigid materials to fabricate precise, predictable robotic systems, which are easily modelled as rigid members connected at discrete joints. Natural systems, however, often match or exceed the performance of robotic systems with deformable bodies. Cephalopods, for example, achieve amazing feats of manipulation and locomotion without a skeleton; even vertebrates such as humans achieve dynamic gaits by storing elastic energy in their compliant bones and soft tissues. Inspired by nature, engineers have begun to explore the design and control of soft-bodied robots composed of compliant materials. This Review discusses recent developments in the emerging field of soft robotics.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant IIS-1226883

Secondary fibrosarcoma of the brain stem treated with cyclophosphamide and Imatinib

Radiation-induced midbrain fibrosarcoma is a rare, highly aggressive tumor, which is associated with poor prognosis. We present the case of a 48-year old man with brainstem fibrosarcoma 20 years following radiation therapy received for a pituitary tumor. We discuss this case in the context of the diagnostic criteria for these tumors, and previous reports of secondary and primary sarcomas of the central nervous system