A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Interactive Information Retrieval upon Semi-structured Data Sets

The so called logic and probabilistic views on IR can be reconciled by a unifying framework for IIR. I present a proposal for a PhD research according to a multidisciplinary perspective and I discuss some of its consequences for IR as a discipline

Prior Information and the Determination of Event Spaces in Probabilistic Information Retrieval Models

A mismatch between different event spaces has been used to argue against rank equivalence of classic probabilistic models of information retrieval and language models. We question the effectiveness of this strategy and we argue that a convincing solution should be sought in a correct procedure to design adequate priors for probabilistic reasoning. Acknowledging our solution of the event space issue invites to rethink the relation between probabilistic models, statistics and logic in the context of IR

Search for journalists: New York Times challenge report

We investigate how a user-centred design to search can improve the support of user tasks specific to journalism. Illustrated by example information needs, sampled from our own exploration of the New York Times annotated corpus, we demonstrate how domain specific notions rooted in a field theory of journalism can be transformed into effective search strategies. We present a method for search-context aware classification of authorities, witnesses, reporters and columnists. A first search strategy supports the journalistic task of investigating the trustworthiness of a news source, whereas the second search strategy supports assessments of the objectivity of an author. In principle, these strategies can exploit the semantic annotations the corpus; however, based on our preliminary work with the corpus, we conclude that straightforward full-text search is still a crucial component of any effective search strategy, as only recent articles are annotated, and annotations are far from complete

Implicit relevance feedback from a multi-step search process: a use of query-logs

We evaluate the use of clickthrough information as implicit relevance feedback in sessions. We employ records of user interactions with a search system for pictures retrieval: issued queries, clicked images, and purchased content; we investigate whether and how much of the past search history should be used in a feedback loop. We also assess the benefit of using clicked data as positive tokens of relevance to the task of estimating the probability of an image to be purchased

CWI at TREC 2012, KBA track and Session Track

We participated in two tracks: Knowledge Base Acceleration (KBA) Track and Session Track. In the KBA track, we focused on experi- menting with different approaches as it is the first time the track is launched. We experimented with supervised and unsupervised re- trieval models. Our supervised approach models include language models and a string-learning system. Our unsupervised approaches include using: 1)DBpedia labels and 2) Google-Cross-Lingual Dic- tionary (GCLD). While the approach that uses GCLD targets the central and relvant bins, all the rest target the central bin. The GCLD and the string-learning system have outperformed the oth- ers in their respective targeted bins. The goal of the Session track submission is to evaluate whether and how a logic framework for representing user interactions with an IR system can be used for improving the approximation of the relevant term distribution that another system that is supposed to have access to the session infor- mation will then calculate. the documents in the stream corpora. Three out of the seven runs used a Hadoop cluster provide by Sara.nl to process the stream cor- pora. The other 4 runs used a federated access to the same corpora distributed among 7 workstations

Laboratory monitoring and antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B among routine care patients in the United States

We investigated factors associated with rates of recommended monitoring of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) patients for viral DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and initiation of antiviral treatment among eligible patients, in a US cohort of patients under routine care. Patients were categorised by treatment indication: definite, equivocal or ineligible. Baseline covariates included demographics, clinical characteristics and specialist care status. \u27Recommended monitoring\u27 was defined ≥1 ALT or HBV DNA test per year. Logit models, univariate then multivariable, were used to evaluate factors associated with monitoring and treatment. Among 3,830 patients, treatment was received by 67.5% (788/1168 patients) in the \u27definite\u27 category, and 34.1% (208/610 patients) in the \u27equivocal\u27 category, of whom 109 moved up to \u27definite\u27 status at some point during follow-up. Sex, age and specialist care were independently associated with receipt of treatment in \u27definite\u27 patients. Routine monitoring rates were high prior to treatment in \u27definite/ treated\u27 patients (ALT: 77%; DNA: 85%) but declined afterwards (ALT 63%; DNA 36%). Rates of monitoring were lower in \u27definite/ untreated\u27 patients (ALT: 48%; DNA: 32%). Among \u27equivocal/ treated\u27 patients, lower age and comorbidity scores were associated with receipt of treatment; ALT monitoring rates were similar before and after treatment initiation (41% and 46%, respectively), while rates of DNA monitoring declined (55% and 29%). Monitoring among \u27treatment ineligible\u27 patients was similar to those in the \u27equivocal\u27 and untreated \u27definite\u27 groups. A large proportion of US HBV patients under routine care did not receive recommended annual laboratory monitoring, especially after initiation of antiviral treatment, and nearly one-third of patients with \u27definite\u27 indications for antiviral therapy remained untreated

Trends in Cirrhosis and Mortality by Age, Sex, Race, and Antiviral Treatment Status Among US Chronic Hepatitis B Patients (2006-2016)

BACKGROUND: Changing US demographics and evolving chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatments may affect longitudinal trends in CHB-related complications. We studied trends in the prevalence of cirrhosis (past or present) and incidence of all-cause mortality, stratified by patient age, sex, race, and antiviral treatment status, in a sample from US health care systems. METHODS: Joinpoint and Poisson regression (univariate and multivariable) were used to estimate the annual percent change in each outcome from 2006 to 2016. RESULTS: Among 5528 CHB patients, cirrhosis prevalence (including decompensated cirrhosis) rose from 6.7% in 2006 to 13.7% in 2016; overall mortality was unchanged. Overall rates of cirrhosis and mortality were higher among treated patients, but adjusted annual percent changes (aAPC) were significantly lower among treated than untreated patients (cirrhosis: aAPC +2.4% vs. +6.2%, mortality: aAPC -3.9% vs. +4.0%). Likewise, among treated patients, the aAPC for mortality declined -3.9% per year whereas among untreated patients, mortality increased +4.0% per year. CONCLUSIONS: From 2006 to 2016, the prevalence of cirrhosis among CHB patients doubled. Notably, all-cause mortality increased among untreated patients but decreased among treated patients. These results suggest that antiviral treatment attenuates the progression of cirrhosis and the risk of death among patients with CHB

Echocardiography-guided management of preterms with patent ductus arteriosus influences the outcome: a cohort study

Introduction: Echocardiography (ECHO) with color flow Doppler is considered as the gold standard to identify a hemodynamic patent ductus arteriosus (hs-PDA). However, the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic management for newborns with hs-PDA is still controversial. We aimed to investigate two clinical strategies: (1) targeted treatment based on ECHO criteria and (2) treatment based on ECHO criteria in addition to clinical signs and symptoms. Materials and Methods: This is a cohort study including all neonates consecutively admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of University La Sapienza in Rome, with gestational age <32 weeks or body birth weight <1,500 g and with a diagnosis of hs-PDA as confirmed by ECHO evaluation performed within 72 h of life. We classified the babies in two cohorts: (A) pharmacological treatment immediately after ECHO screening and (B) pharmacological therapy for PDA was administered when the relevance of a hs-PDA was associated with clinical signs of hemodynamic instability. Results: We considered as primary outcome newborns who survived without any morbidities (A: 48.1% vs. B: 22.2%, p = 0.022). In particular, we found that the rate of intraventricular hemorrhage stage ≥2 was increased in cohort B (A: 3.7% vs. B 24.4%, p = 0.020). A multivariate analysis showed that assignment to cohort A independently influences the primary outcome. Conclusions: Adopting an hs-PDA management option based on ECHO-directed therapy regardless of symptoms may reduce the morbidity and improve the survival of very low birth weight infants