Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SemEval-2018 Task 9: Hypernym Discovery

This paper describes the SemEval 2018 Shared Task on Hypernym Discovery. We put forward this task as a complementary benchmark for modeling hypernymy, a problem which has traditionally been cast as a binary classification task, taking a pair of candidate words as input. Instead, our reformulated task is defined as follows: given an input term, retrieve (or discover) its suitable hypernyms from a target corpus. We proposed five different subtasks covering three languages (English, Spanish, and Italian), and two specific domains of knowledge in English (Medical and Music). Participants were allowed to compete in any or all of the subtasks. Overall, a total of 11 teams participated, with a total of 39 different systems submitted through all subtasks. Data, results and further information about the task can be found at https://competitions.codalab. org/competitions/17119.
Effects of Perceptual Training on the Identification of English Vowels by Native Speakers of European Portuguese

The present study investigated whether high variability perceptual training can be effective in the modification of Portuguese EFL learners’ mature perceptual patterns of three English vowel contrasts (/i/-//, //-/æ/, and /u/-//). Learners’ perception was assessed three times (pretest, posttest and delayed posttest) with an identification test. The five‐session perceptual training included discrimination and identification tasks with immediate feedback. The results revealed that the Portuguese learners’ performance in the identification of the target vowels improved significantly after training, and the knowledge gained during perceptual learning was retained two months after completion of the training program. Moreover, the scores of the generalization test indicate that there was robust learning of two of the target vowel contrasts. The results of this experiment support the claim that perceptual learning can occur in non‐ naturalistic environments within a short period of time and corroborate previous findings on the malleability of L2 adult learners’ perceptual systems. Second language (L2) speech learning often poses a challenge to adult learners in terms of articulation and perception of non‐native phonetic
NLPRL-IITBHU at SemEval-2018 Task 3: Combining Linguistic Features and Emoji pre-trained CNN for Irony Detection in Tweets

This paper describes our participation in SemEval 2018 Task 3 on Irony Detection in Tweets. We combine linguistic features with pre-trained activations of a neural network. The CNN is trained on the emoji prediction task. We combine the two feature sets and feed them into an XGBoost Classifier for classification. Subtask-A involves classification of tweets into ironic and non-ironic instances whereas Subtask-B involves classification of the tweet into - non-ironic, verbal irony, situational irony or other verbal irony. It is observed that combining features from these two different feature spaces improves our system results. We leverage the SMOTE algorithm to handle the problem of class imbalance in Subtask-B. Our final model achieves an F1-score of 0.65 and 0.47 on Subtask-A and Subtask-B respectively. Our system ranks 4th on both tasks respectively, outperforming the baseline by 6% on Subtask-A and 14% on Subtask-B.
Dentine Tubule Occlusion by Novel Bioactive Glass-Based Toothpastes

There are numerous over-the-counter (OTC) and professionally applied (in-office) products and techniques currently available for the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity (DH), but more recently, the use of bioactive glasses in toothpaste formulations have been advocated as a possible solution to managing DH. Aim. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to compare several bioactive glass formulations to investigate their effectiveness in an established in vitro model. Materials and Methods. A 45S5 glass was synthesized in the laboratory together with several other glass formulations: (1) a mixed glass (fluoride and chloride), (2) BioMinF, (3) a chloride glass, and (4) an amorphous chloride glass. The glass powders were formulated into five different toothpaste formulations. Dentine discs were sectioned from extracted human teeth and prepared for the investigation by removing the cutting debris (smear layer) following sectioning using a 6% citric acid solution for 2 minutes. Each disc was halved to provide test and control halves for comparison following the brushing of the five toothpaste formulations onto the test halves for each toothpaste group. Following the toothpaste application, the test discs were immersed in either artificial saliva or exposed to an acid challenge. Results. The dentine samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and observation of the SEM images indicated that there was good surface coverage following artificial saliva immersion. Furthermore, although the acid challenge removed the hydroxyapatite layer on the dentine surface for most of the samples, except for the amorphous chloride glass, there was evidence of tubular occlusion in the dentine tubules. Conclusions. The conclusions from the study would suggest that the inclusion of bioactive glass into a toothpaste formulation may be an effective approach to treat DH.
Focal Brain Stimulation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Focal brain stimulation, or focal neuromodulation, offers a unique alternative to psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic treatments for psychiatric disorders. Focal brain stimulation interventions are based in a paradigm that views psychiatric disorders as resulting from dysfunction within a structurally and functionally connected network of brain regions. This paradigm is complementary to those that presume psychiatric dysfunction results from abnormalities of neurochemicals, supporting the development of psychotropic medications, or from dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors, providing the basis for cognitively-behaviorally oriented psychotherapies. Within the neural network paradigm of psychiatric dysfunction, it is posited that altering activity at one specific brain region via focal stimulation will result in downstream functional changes throughout the network involved in the pathophysiology of a particular psychiatric condition. Additionally, it is possible that focal neuromodulation of the neural network can serve to synergize with pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic treatments: e.g., focal neuromodulation of a specific neural circuit may “prime” it to be more responsive to another intervention.
Olive Leaf Extract Reduces Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells, and Modulates the Function of Residual Cells in Experimental Model of Melanoma

Background: Immunosuppression in melanoma is mediated by increased accumulation of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs). Olive Leaf Extract (OLE) has been developed as a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative and antiapoptotic agent on cancer immunotherapy. Objective: To investigate whether OLE could inhibit MDSCs, enhance anti-tumor activities and consequently increase the survival rate of the murine melanoma model. Methods: The C57BL/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously with B16/F10 melanoma tumor cell lines. Induced mice were orally treated with 500 mgkg-1 of olive extract per kg of body weight for 8 consecutive days. The frequency and function of MDSCs and induction of inflammatory mediators as well as tumor growth and survival rate were assessed in treated and untreated mice. Results: The results of current study revealed that the optimal dose of OLE (500 mgkg-1) reduced the tumor growth (40%), and prolonged mice survival (25%) by significant decreasing (P<0.05) the number (over 50%), and suppressive function of MDSCs (over 60%) (P<0.05). OLE was also significantly (P<0.05) down regulated the induction of inflammatory agents in melanoma-bearing mice (over 50%) at the applied dose (500 mgkg-1). Conclusion: Therefore, these results altogether provided some evidence that regulation of immunosuppression were the possible therapeutic effects of OLE in tumor cells.
Diethylnitrosamine Increases Proliferation in Early Stages of Hepatic Carcinogenesis in Insulin-Treated Type 1 Diabetic Mice

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induces hepatocarcinogenesis, increasing mitotic hepatocytes and leading to chronic inflammation. In addition, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is also characterized by a proinflammatory state and by requiring insulin exogenous treatment. Given the association of diabetes, insulin treatment, and cell proliferation, our specific goal was to determine whether the liver in the diabetic state presents a greater response to DEN-induced cell cycle alteration, which is essential for the malignant transformation. Male C57BL/6 mice (four-week-old) were divided into 4 groups: C, C + DEN, T1DM, and T1DM + DEN. Mice were euthanized ten weeks after DEN injection. DEN per se produced an increase in liver lipid peroxidation levels. Besides, in T1DM + DEN, we found a greater increase in the proliferation index, in comparison with C + DEN. These results are in agreement with the increased expression observed in cell cycle progression markers: cyclin D1 and E1. In addition, a proapoptotic factor, such as activated caspase-3, evidenced a decrease in T1DM + DEN, while the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and the protooncogene p53 showed a higher increase with respect to C + DEN. Overall, the results allow us to highlight a major DEN response in T1DM, which may explain in part the greater predisposition to the development of hepatocarcinoma (HCC) during the diabetic state.
Comparison of Intravitreal Aflibercept and Ranibizumab following Initial Treatment with Ranibizumab in Persistent Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose To compare the visual and anatomic outcomes in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) who switched from ranibizumab to aflibercept with those who continued with previous ranibizumab therapy. Methods In this retrospective comparative study, medical records of consecutive patients with center-involved DME ≥ 350 μm who had at least three recent consecutive monthly ranibizumab injections followed by as-needed therapy with either aflibercept or ranibizumab were reviewed. Data were collected at presentation (preinjection), at the intermediary visit, and at the last visit (at the end of the follow-up period). Results Forty-three eyes of 43 patients were divided into two groups: the switch group (n = 20) and the ranibizumab group (n = 23). Though no significant improvement was found in the mean BCVA from the intermediary visit to the last visit, there was a difference in the mean CMT in the switch group and the ranibizumab group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, resp.). The mean CMT decreased after the intermediary visit by 188.6 ± 120.5 μm in the switch group and by 60.3 ± 117.1 μm in the ranibizumab group (p = 0.003). Conclusions Both aflibercept and ranibizumab decreased CMT in patients with persistent DME who showed a poor response to ranibizumab injections. However, switching to aflibercept provided only morphologic improvement.
Muscle and tendon adaptation in adolescent athletes: A longitudinal study

There is evidence that a non‐uniform adaptation of muscle and tendon in young athletes results in increased tendon stress during mid‐adolescence. The present longitudinal study investigated the development of the morphological and mechanical properties of muscle and tendon of volleyball athletes in a time period of 2 years from mid‐adolescence to late adolescence. Eighteen elite volleyball athletes participated in magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound‐dynamometry sessions to determine quadriceps femoris muscle strength, vastus lateralis, medialis and intermedius morphology, and patellar tendon mechanical and morphological properties in mid‐adolescence (16 ± 1 years) and late adolescence (18 ± 1 years). Muscle strength, anatomical cross‐sectional area (CSA), and volume showed significant (P < 0.05) but moderate increases of 13%, 6%, and 6%, respectively. The increase of patellar tendon CSA (P < 0.05) was substantially greater (27%) and went in line with increased stiffness (P < 0.05; 25%) and reduced stress (P < 0.05; 9%). During late adolescence, a pronounced hypertrophy of the patellar tendon led to a mechanical strengthening of the tendon in relation to the functional and morphological development of the muscle. These adaptive processes may compensate the unfavorable relation of muscle strength and tendon loading capacity in mid‐adolescence and might have implications on athletic performance and tendon injury risk.
LBIRCH: An Improved BIRCH Algorithm Based on Link

BIRCH algorithm is a hierarchical clustering method which is suitable for clustering very large datasets especially. The traditional BIRCH algorithm uses distance to control the shape of clusters. However, the clustering results effect of the non-spherical dataset is not good, and in some cases the non-spherical clusters are divided into different clusters. In order to break through such limitation, this paper presents an improved BIRCH algorithm based on Link, which draws on the link concept of ROCK algorithm. Experiments show that the improved algorithm can cluster any shape clusters.
Analysis of Landing in Ski Jumping by Means of Inertial Sensors and Force Insoles

Landing and its preparation are important phases for performance and safety of ski jumpers. A correct ski positioning could influence the jump length as also the cushioning effect of the aerodynamic forces that permits the reduction of landing impacts. Consequently, the detection of ski angles during landing preparation could allow for analyzing landing techniques that result in reduced impact forces for the athletes. In this study, two athletes performed with force insoles and inertial sensors positioned on the ski during training conditions on the ski jumping hill. The results confirmed previous studies, showing that impact forces can reach more than four times body weight. In the analyzed cases, the force distribution resulted to be more concentrated on the forefoot and the main movement influencing the impact was the pitch. The combination of inertial sensors, in particular gyroscopes, plus force insoles demonstrated to be an interesting set up for ski jumping movement analysis.
Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Workshop on Programming Languages and Analysis for Security

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 11th ACM SIGSAC Workshop on Programming Languages and Analysis for Security (PLAS 2016). For the first time since PLAS began in 2006, PLAS 2016 is co-located with the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS). Over its now ten-year history, PLAS has provided a unique forum for researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas about programming language and program analysis techniques with the goal of improving the security of software systems. This year, PLAS received its third-highest number of submissions, attesting to the continued vitality of the community whose work sits at the intersection of programming languages and security. PLAS has always welcomed the submission of both long research papers as well as short papers presenting preliminary or exploratory work. But, in a slight departure from previous years, the 2016 Call for Papers explicitly solicited short position papers presenting radical, open-ended and forward-looking ideas that are likely to generate lively discussion. The Call for Papers attracted 21 submissions---of which, 10 were short papers---from 13 countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Romania, Sweden, USA), with authors spanning both academia and industry. PLAS 2016 is delighted to have two excellent invited talks: Flow: Analysis of JavaScript for type checking and beyond, Avik Chaudhuri (Facebook) Verified Secure Implementations for the HTTPS Ecosystem, Cedric Fournet (Microsoft Research)
Anthropometric Predictors for Multiple Risk Factor Aggregation in Adults from Maracaibo City

Context and Objective: There are several anthropometric measures that are useful for diagnosis obesity and also are related to the development of different cardiovascular risk factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive ability of various anthropometric parameters for the multiple risk factors aggregation (MRFA) in the adult population of the city of Maracaibo-Venezuela. Conclusion: Waist circumference provides greater predictive ability of MRFA compared to other parameters. Participants and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study undertaken with 1902 adult individuals of both genders. Waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) and waist-height index ratio (WHtR) were determined. MRFA was defined as the presence ≥2 components of metabolic syndrome (MS) except for high waist circumference. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the area under the curve (AUC) for each anthropometric parameter. Results: There were 52.2% women in this study. All studied anthropometric variables were associated with MRFA ( p<0.0001). According to ROC curves, the best AUC for a MRFA parameter was for WHtR [Men: 0.725 (0693-0757) and Women: 0.760 (07290791)]. However when analyzing Odds Ratios, WC is the only one that exhibits association after adjustment [OR 2.6 (1.44-2.95); p<0.01].
Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk in Female Athletes Biomechanical Measures of Neuromuscular Control and Valgus Loading of the Knee Predict Anterior

http://ajs.sagepub. com/content/33/4/492 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/0363546504269591 2005 33: 492 Am J Sports Med J. van den Bogert, Mark V. Paterno and Paul Succop Timothy E. Hewett, Gregory D. Myer, Kevin R. Ford, Robert S. Heidt, Jr, Angelo J. Colosimo, Scott G. McLean, Antonie Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk in Female Athletes Biomechanical Measures of Neuromuscular Control and Valgus Loading of the Knee Predict Anterior
Exploiting the Concept of Multivalency with 68Ga- and 89Zr-Labelled Fusarinine C-Minigastrin Bioconjugates for Targeting CCK2R Expression

Cholecystokinin-2 receptors (CCK2R) are overexpressed in a variety of malignant diseases and therefore have gained certain attention for peptide receptor radionuclide imaging. Among extensive approaches to improve pharmacokinetics and metabolic stability of minigastrin (MG) based radioligands, the concept of multivalency for enhanced tumour targeting has not been investigated extensively. We therefore utilized fusarinine C (FSC) as chelating scaffold for novel mono-, di-, and trimeric bioconjugates for targeting CCK2R expression. FSC-based imaging probes were radiolabelled with positron emitting radionuclides (gallium-68 and zirconium-89) and characterized in vitro (log⁡D, IC50, and cell uptake) and in vivo (metabolic stability in BALB/c mice, biodistribution profile, and microPET/CT imaging in A431-CCK2R/A431-mock tumour xenografted BALB/c nude mice). Improved targeting did not fully correlate with the grade of multimerization. The divalent probe showed higher receptor affinity and increased CCK2R mediated cell uptake while the trimer remained comparable to the monomer. In vivo biodistribution studies 1 h after administration of the 68Ga-labelled radioligands confirmed this trend, but imaging at late time point (24 h) with 89Zr-labelled counterparts showed a clearly enhanced imaging contrast of the trimeric probe compared to the mono- and dimer. Furthermore, in vivo stability studies showed a higher metabolic stability for multimeric probes compared to the monomeric bioconjugate. In summary, we could show that FSC can be utilized as suitable scaffold for novel mono- and multivalent imaging probes for CCK2R-related malignancies with partly improved targeting properties for multivalent conjugates. The increased tumour accumulation of the trimer 24 h postinjection (p.i.) can be explained by slower clearance and increased metabolic stability of multimeric conjugates.
Maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors and placental transmission: a pilot study

Abstract Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are known to affect maternal and child health. The objective of our study was to identify the association between some of the most important endocrine-disruptive substances (perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS], perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], di2-ethylhexyl-phthalate [DEHP] and mono2-ethylhexyl-phthalate [MEHP]) and both pregnancy variability and birth outcomes. We measured the concentration of the EDs in maternal and cord blood samples of 29 mother–newborn pairs from the Pertini Hospital in Rome between March and June 2016. Each mother reported demographic, life style and diet information. We compared concentrations of the endocrine disruptors between mother and newborn, and among different molecules. We analyzed differences and trends of each ED substance according to the demography and diet information. PFOA levels in maternal blood showed a negative association with newborn weight. Concentration levels of PFOA in both maternal and cord blood of those with physiological progression of pregnancy were higher in than in those with pathological pregnancies. MEHP trend showed a positive association with maternal age. These results confirm the maternal-to-fetus transfer of EDs through the placenta and the impact that endocrine disruptors have on pregnancy and birth outcomes. 摘要 众所周知, 内分泌干扰物(EDs)会影响母婴健康。 我们的研究目的是确定一些最重要的内分泌干扰物质(全氟辛烷值磺酸盐[PFOS]、全氟辛酸[PFOA]、二乙基己基邻苯二甲酸酯[DEHP]和单2-乙基己基邻苯二甲酸酯[MEHP])与妊娠变异性和出生结局之间的联系。 我们收集了2016年3月至6月期间罗马佩尔蒂尼医院29对母婴血液样本中EDs的浓度, 以及每位母亲的个人背景、生活方式和饮食信息。 我们比较了母亲和新生儿之间分泌干扰物的浓度。 我们根据人口统计学和饮食信息分析了每种ED物质的差异和趋势。 母体血液中PFOA水平与新生儿体重呈负相关。 有生理性进展的孕妇以及脐带血中的PFOA浓度均高于有病理性进展的孕妇。 MEHP趋势与母亲年龄呈正相关。 这些结果证实了EDs通过胎盘的母婴传播, 以及内分泌干扰物对妊娠和分娩结果的影响。