Leveraging Formulae and Text for Improved Math Retrieval

Large collections containing millions of math formulas are available online. Retrieving math expressions from these collections is challenging. Users can use formula, formula+text, or math questions to express their math information needs. The structural complexity of formulas requires specialized processing. Despite the existence of math search systems and online community question-answering websites for math, little is known about mathematical information needs. This research first explores the characteristics of math searches using a general search engine. The findings show how math searches are different from general searches. Then, test collections for math-aware search are introduced. The ARQMath test collections have two main tasks: 1) finding answers for math questions and 2) contextual formula search. In each test collection (ARQMath-1 to -3) the same collection is used, Math Stack Exchange posts from 2010 to 2018, introducing different topics for each task. Compared to the previous test collections, ARQMath has a much larger number of diverse topics, and improved evaluation protocol. Another key role of this research is to leverage text and math information for improved math information retrieval. Three formula search models that only use the formula, with no context are introduced. The first model is an n-gram embedding model using both symbol layout tree and operator tree representations. The second model uses tree-edit distance to re-rank the results from the first model. Finally, a learning-to-rank model that leverages full-tree, sub-tree, and vector similarity scores is introduced. To use context, Math Abstract Meaning Representation (MathAMR) is introduced, which generalizes AMR trees to include math formula operations and arguments. This MathAMR is then used for contextualized formula search using a fine-tuned Sentence-BERT model. The experiments show tree-edit distance ranking achieves the current state-of-the-art results on contextual formula search task, and the MathAMR model can be beneficial for re-ranking. This research also addresses the answer retrieval task, introducing a two-step retrieval model in which similar questions are first found and then answers previously given to those similar questions are ranked. The proposed model, fine-tunes two Sentence-BERT models, one for finding similar questions and another one for ranking the answers. For Sentence-BERT model, raw text as well as MathAMR are used

Assessment of the Physico-Chemical Parameters of Surface Water Samples in Birjand Flood Plain, Iran

The physico-chemical status of twelve surface water samples from the Birjand flood plain of eastern Iran during the November 2010 were assessed. The sampling points were selected on the basis of their importance. The physico-chemical parameter like, pH, temperature (T), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+ ), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), sulphate (SO42-), phosphate (PO43-), bicarbonate (HCO3–), carbonate (CO32–), nitrite (NO2–), nitrate (NO3–), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of surface water were determined. Results showed that the quality of surface water not suitable for drinking, with references to the concentrations of EC, TDS, TH, Na+, HCO3-, and BOD5 which are more than the prescribed limits, in most sites. Results also indicated that there were correlations among the measured parameters

The Contents of Sesamol in Iranian Sesame Seeds

Abstract Sesamol is a sesame lignan. Sesame lignans have multiple functions, including antioxidant activity and also seem to have potential as a source of phytostrogens. This study was condncted to evaluate sesamol contents of 7 brands of Iranian sesame seeds (Sesamum indicume L.). The brands were named Karaj 29, Darab 14, Ultan, Dezful, Varamin, Branching Naz, and Nonbranching Naz. After method validation, the methanolic extracts of seeds were investigated by HPLC. Their mean of total sesamol was found to be 4.67±0.92 mg/g (ranging between 2.75 and 6.13 mg/g). The brands Karaj 29 with 5.84±0.25 mg/g, Dezful with 5.48±0.08 mg/g, and Varamin with 5.4±0.1mg/g had the highest content, and Darab 14 with the content of 3.30±0.57mg/g had the lowest (p<0.05). Iranian sesame can be considered to be a good source of natural antioxidants for medicinal and commercial uses

Performance Evaluation of Modified Canola Flour Adhesive in Plywood Production

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of canola flour adhesive in plywood manufacturing. For this reason, first canola flour was modified with sodium hydroxide and urea/sodium hydroxide, separately. Then to create cross linking between protein molecules, different levels of pMDI (5, 15, and 30%) was added to slurry as based on dry weight of canola flour. The results of this study indicated that the dry shear strength of specimens was significantly increased compared to unmodified adhesive as the alkali and urea was added to canola flour adhesive. Also, more pMDI content in adhesives resulted more improvement this property. In this study, the dry shear strength of all modified canola adhesives was more than the En-314-2 standard. Also, chemical modification of canola adhesives caused improvement the water resistance so that in soaking/drying cycles, the behavior of some adhesives was close or similar to Urea formaldehyde

Promotion of Medication Adherence Program among AIDS Patients: Application of the I-Change Model

Background and Objective: Medication adherence has a critical role to play in the control and treatment of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The present research aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate an interventional program to promote medication adherence among AIDS patients referred to Behavioral Diseases Counseling Centers in Kermanshah using the I-Change model. Materials and Methods: The present research was conducted based on a quasi-experimental design on a total of 150 AIDS patients in Kermanshah in 2021. They were randomly selected and assigned to intervention and control (n=75 in each group) groups. The intervention development was based on the I-Change model needs assessment and intervention mapping approach. The collected data was evaluated before and three months after the implementation intervention. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16). Results: The mean age of patients was 39.11±6.07 years (range: 22-51 years). After implementing the intervention, the intervention group obtained significantly higher mean scores in regular medication adherence behaviors (P<0.001, d=0.48) and knowledge (P=0.028, d=0.31), as well as lower scores in perceived barrier (P=0.020, d=0.35) compared to the control group. Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of the present study, the I-Change model can be used as a basis for the development of interventional programs to improve medication adherence among AIDS patients

Difference in the Cytomegalovirus-related Clinical Laboratory Findings Between Patients With Bone Marrow and Kidney Transplantations

Background: Despite close monitoring of transplant patients, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has remained one of the most critical problems in transplantation. This study investigates the relationship between CMV viral load and clinical laboratory findings in transplant recipients. Materials And Methods: A total of 34 transplant recipients comprising 15 Kidney Transplant (KT) recipients and 19 Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) recipients admitted to the Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah Province, Iran, were enrolled in this study. The CMV viral load was quantified by the real-time PCR technique. Results: The CMV viral load in KT recipients was significantly higher than in BMT recipients (P=0.03), and there was a positive association between the level of virus and the level of cyclosporine in the blood of patients (r=0.51, P=0.02). Besides, CMV viral load was positively correlated with WBC (r=0.32, P=0.04), urea (r=0.47, P=0.002), creatinine (r=0.39, P=0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.33, P=0.04), and lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.4, P=0.01). Also, it was negatively associated with albumin (r=-0.61, P<0.001), sodium (r=-0.4, P=0.01), and calcium levels (r=-0.46, P=0.003). There were also significant differences between KT and BMT recipients regarding the CMV-related clinical laboratory findings of urea (P=0.02), creatinine (P=0.001), uric acid (P=0.005), direct bilirubin (P=0.04), albumin (P=0.04), platelet (P<0.001), and sodium (P=0.04) levels. Conclusion: Based on present data, we conclude that despite careful monitoring of patients, infection with CMV is still one of the most important problems associated with organ transplantation, which is directly related to many laboratory findings