Distance Metric Learning Loss Functions in Few-Shot Scenarios of Supervised Language Models Fine-Tuning

This paper presents an analysis regarding an influence of the Distance Metric Learning (DML) loss functions on the supervised fine-tuning of the language models for classification tasks. We experimented with known datasets from SentEval Transfer Tasks. Our experiments show that applying the DML loss function can increase performance on downstream classification tasks of RoBERTa-large models in few-shot scenarios. Models fine-tuned with the use of SoftTriple loss can achieve better results than models with a standard categorical cross-entropy loss function by about 2.89 percentage points from 0.04 to 13.48 percentage points depending on the training dataset. Additionally, we accomplished a comprehensive analysis with explainability techniques to assess the models' reliability and explain their results

Improving Object Detection Quality in Football Through Super-Resolution Techniques

This study explores the potential of super-resolution techniques in enhancing object detection accuracy in football. Given the sport's fast-paced nature and the critical importance of precise object (e.g. ball, player) tracking for both analysis and broadcasting, super-resolution could offer significant improvements. We investigate how advanced image processing through super-resolution impacts the accuracy and reliability of object detection algorithms in processing football match footage. Our methodology involved applying state-of-the-art super-resolution techniques to a diverse set of football match videos from SoccerNet, followed by object detection using Faster R-CNN. The performance of these algorithms, both with and without super-resolution enhancement, was rigorously evaluated in terms of detection accuracy. The results indicate a marked improvement in object detection accuracy when super-resolution preprocessing is applied. The improvement of object detection through the integration of super-resolution techniques yields significant benefits, especially for low-resolution scenarios, with a notable 12\% increase in mean Average Precision (mAP) at an IoU (Intersection over Union) range of 0.50:0.95 for 320x240 size images when increasing the resolution fourfold using RLFN. As the dimensions increase, the magnitude of improvement becomes more subdued; however, a discernible improvement in the quality of detection is consistently evident. Additionally, we discuss the implications of these findings for real-time sports analytics, player tracking, and the overall viewing experience. The study contributes to the growing field of sports technology by demonstrating the practical benefits and limitations of integrating super-resolution techniques in football analytics and broadcasting

Revisiting Distance Metric Learning for Few-Shot Natural Language Classification

Distance Metric Learning (DML) has attracted much attention in image processing in recent years. This paper analyzes its impact on supervised fine-tuning language models for Natural Language Processing (NLP) classification tasks under few-shot learning settings. We investigated several DML loss functions in training RoBERTa language models on known SentEval Transfer Tasks datasets. We also analyzed the possibility of using proxy-based DML losses during model inference. Our systematic experiments have shown that under few-shot learning settings, particularly proxy-based DML losses can positively affect the fine-tuning and inference of a supervised language model. Models tuned with a combination of CCE (categorical cross-entropy loss) and ProxyAnchor Loss have, on average, the best performance and outperform models with only CCE by about 3.27 percentage points -- up to 10.38 percentage points depending on the training dataset

Knowledge centers as an innovative knowledge transfer mechanism : lesson learned from the program implemented in Lesser Poland

The aim of the paper is to present the lessons learnt from the "SPIN" regional public project. The project was implemented in the region of Lesser Poland. The objective of the project was to increase the intensity of knowledge transfer from universities to enterprises. The goal was achieved by establishing four Centres for Knowledge Transfer at major universities. Each of them was dedicated to a specific domain of knowledge - regional smart specialization - biotechnology, translational medicine, smart grids and energy-saving buildings. The paper discusses the implementation and effects of the project. The most important conclusions stemming from the project concern the fact that the context of the implementation needs to be taken into account during the project as well as the importance of leadership. More attention should also be devoted to the motivation and skills of those involved in the implementation

Entity Graph Extraction from Legal Acts -- a Prototype for a Use Case in Policy Design Analysis

This paper presents research on a prototype developed to serve the quantitative study of public policy design. This sub-discipline of political science focuses on identifying actors, relations between them, and tools at their disposal in health, environmental, economic, and other policies. Our system aims to automate the process of gathering legal documents, annotating them with Institutional Grammar, and using hypergraphs to analyse inter-relations between crucial entities. Our system is tested against the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from 2003, a legal document regulating essential aspects of international relations securing cultural heritage.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Pleomorphic adenoma of the nasal cavity in a 21 – year – old patient – case report

Introduction and aim: Adenoma pleomorphum (multiform adenoma) is the most popular bening tumor, that originates from the salivary glands. Neoplasm develops mainly from large salivary glands and its occurrence in the nasal cavity is rare and falls mainly in the 3-6 decade of life. Only 1% of all pleomorphic adenomas develop in the nasal and sinus cavities. Despite being a benign tumor, malignant transformation can occur in 2-10% of cases. Description of the case: We report a case of a 21-year-old female ethnically Polish patient with nasal multiform adenoma with initial diagnosis, which indicated a polyp. The final diagnosis was based on the histopathological examination of the resected lesion. The tumor was removed by an endoscopic method with no tissue margins, which may increase the risk of recurrence. Conclusions: Our case demonstrates that despite pleomorphic adenomas typically occurs in the 3rd to 6th decade of life,  clinical symptoms are nondistinctive with a polyp and nasal cavity is a very rare location there should be always be increased vigilance leading to choosing best diagnostic measures to form right diagnosis

Kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the interactions between the components of human plasma kinin-forming system and isolated and purified cell wall proteins of Candida albicans

Cell wall proteins of Candida albicans, besides their best known role in the adhesion of this fungal pathogen to host's tissues, also bind some soluble proteins, present in body fluids and involved in maintaining the biochemical homeostasis of the human organism. In particular, three plasma factors - high-molecular-mass kininogen (HK), factor XII (FXII) and prekallikrein (PPK) - have been shown to adhere to candidal cells. These proteins are involved in the surface-contact-catalyzed production of bradykinin-related peptides (kinins) that contribute to inflammatory states associated with microbial infections. We recently identified several proteins, associated with the candidal cell walls, and probably involved in the binding of HK. In our present study, a list of potential FXII- and PPK-binding proteins was proposed, using an affinity selection (on agarose-coupled FXII or PPK) from a whole mixture of β-1,3-glucanase-extrated cell wall-associated proteins and the mass-spectrometry protein identification. Five of these fungal proteins, including agglutinin-like sequence protein 3 (Als3), triosephosphate isomerase 1 (Tpi1), enolase 1 (Eno1), phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (Gpm1) and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase 1 (Gpi1), were purified and characterized in terms of affinities to the human contact factors, using the surface plasmon resonance measurements. Except Gpm1 that bound only PPK, and Als3 that exhibited an affinity to HK and FXII, the other isolated proteins interacted with all three contact factors. The determined dissociation constants for the identified protein complexes were of 10-7 M order, and the association rate constants were in a range of 104-105 M-1s-1. The identified fungal pathogen-host protein interactions are potential targets for novel anticandidal therapeutic approaches

Aspartic proteases and major cell wall components in Candida albicans trigger the release of neutrophil extracellular traps

Neutrophils use different mechanisms to cope with pathogens that invade the host organism. The most intriguing of these responses is a release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) composed of decondensed chromatin and granular proteins with antimicrobial activity. An important potential target of NETs is Candida albicans—an opportunistic fungal pathogen that employs morphological and phenotype switches and biofilm formation during contact with neutrophils, accompanied by changes in epitope exposition that mask the pathogen from host recognition. These processes differ depending on infection conditions and are thus influenced by the surrounding environment. In the current study, we compared the NET release by neutrophils upon contact with purified main candidal cell surface components. We show here for the first time that in addition to the main cell wall-building polysaccharides (mannans and β-glucans), secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) trigger NETs with variable intensities. The most efficient NET-releasing response is with Sap4 and Sap6, which are known to be secreted by fungal hyphae. This involves mixed, ROS-dependent and ROS-independent signaling pathways, mainly through interactions with the CD11b receptor. In comparison, upon contact with the cell wall-bound Sap9 and Sap10, neutrophils responded via a ROS-dependent mechanism using CD16 and CD18 receptors for protease recognition. In addition to the Saps tested, the actuation of selected mediating kinases (Src, Syk, PI3K, and ERK) was also investigated. β-Glucans were found to trigger a ROS-dependent process of NET production with engagement of Dectin-1 as well as CD11b and CD18 receptors. Mannans were observed to be recognized by TLRs, CD14, and Dectin-1 receptors and triggered NET release mainly via a ROS-independent pathway. Our results thus strongly suggest that neutrophils activate NET production in response to different candidal components that are presented locally at low concentrations at the initial stages of infection. However, NET release seemed to be blocked by increasing numbers of fungal cells

Pleomorphic adenoma of the nasal cavity in a 21 – year – old patient – case report

Introduction and aim: Adenoma pleomorphum (multiform adenoma) is the most popular bening tumor, that originates from the salivary glands. Neoplasm develops mainly from large salivary glands and its occurrence in the nasal cavity is rare and falls mainly in the 3-6 decade of life. Only 1% of all pleomorphic adenomas develop in the nasal and sinus cavities. Despite being a benign tumor, malignant transformation can occur in 2-10% of cases. Description of the case: We report a case of a 21-year-old female ethnically Polish patient with nasal multiform adenoma with initial diagnosis, which indicated a polyp. The final diagnosis was based on the histopathological examination of the resected lesion. The tumor was removed by an endoscopic method with no tissue margins, which may increase the risk of recurrence. Conclusions: Our case demonstrates that despite pleomorphic adenomas typically occurs in the 3rd to 6th decade of life,  clinical symptoms are nondistinctive with a polyp and nasal cavity is a very rare location there should be always be increased vigilance leading to choosing best diagnostic measures to form right diagnosis

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