Text segmentation: A topic modeling perspective

In this paper, the task of text segmentation is approached from a topic modeling perspective. We investigate the use of two unsupervised topic models, latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) and multinomial mixture (MM), to segment a text into semantically coherent parts. The proposed topic model based approaches consistently outperform a standard baseline method on several datasets. A major benefit of the proposed LDA based approach is that along with the segment boundaries, it outputs the topic distribution associated with each segment. This information is of potential use in applications such as segment retrieval and discourse analysis. However, the proposed approaches, especially the LDA based method, have high computational requirements. Based on an analysis of the dynamic programming (DP) algorithm typically used for segmentation, we suggest a modification to DP that dramatically speeds up the process with no loss in performance. The proposed modification to the DP algorithm is not specific to the topic models only; it is applicable to all the algorithms that use DP for the task of text segmentation.     

Telecommunications

MISUNDERSTANDING MEDIA by Brian Winston (New York: Oxford University Press, 1986---$22.50)

SERVICES IN TRANSITION: THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE SERVICE SECTOR edited by Gerald Faulhaber, et al. (Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1986---$29.95)

BUSINESS TELEMATICS: CORPORATE NETWORKS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE by Byron Belitsos and Jay Misra (Homewood, IL: Dow, Jones-Irwin, 1986---$25.00)

COMPUTER & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACRONYMS edited by Julie Towell and Helen Sheppard (Detroit: Gale Research, 1986---$60.00)

Three recent publications from the Program on Information Resources Policy (200 Aiken, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138---inquire of publisher for prices, paper)

COMPUTER III: A NEW ERA—A GUIDE TO THE FCC'S LANDMARK DEREGULATORY RULING edited by Dick Stirba (Telecom Publishing Group, Capitol Publications, 1101 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314---$140, paper)

MARKET AND STRATEGIC IMPACTS OF BYPASS by the Bethesda Research Institute (Phillips Publishing, 7811 Montrose Rd., Potomac, Md. 20854---price not given, paper)

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS ENGINEERING by Wilbur Pritchard and Joseph Sciulli (Englwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986---$42.95)

GUIDE TO SATELLITE TELEVISION INSTALLATION by John E. Traister (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986---$24.95)     

‘The Plastic Ceiling Project’: Advantages of Using Arts‐Based Research to Explore the Pain of Mothers that Work and Study

Since the publication of the Dearing Report in 1997, the UK Government has consistently promoted social mobility and fairness as part of its rhetoric. Yet as Brooks and others have pointed out, compared with other groups of ‘non‐traditional’ students, student mothers and part‐time students with jobs have been given limited consideration, both in terms of policy intervention and research. Despite the drive for inclusivity in higher education institutions, students with mothering responsibilities who are also in employment, often need to overcome considerable challenges in order to complete the course requirements; challenges which often result in extensive emotional pain. Using methods of photo‐elicitation and blogging, The Plastic Ceiling Project aimed to create a platform for mothers that worked and studied to discuss this emotional pain, allowing participants to highlight and discuss commonalities within their experiences. Rather than aiming to ‘solve’ problems for participants, this methodology aimed to empower individuals by allowing them to create a shared reality together, co‐create knowledge and to give them a vehicle to discuss and resolve difficulties and challenges collectively. This article considers how an arts‐based approach to research may have contributed to achieving those aims.     

Heart-Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein,in Early Detection of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Comparison with CK-MB,Troponin I and Myoglobin

The study aimed to investigate whether heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) measurement provides additional diagnostic value to that of conventional cardiac markers in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) within first 6 h after the onset of symptoms. The study included 120 subjects: 60 AMI cases and 60 age and sex matched controls. The cases and controls were further divided into 2 subgroups depending on the time since onset of chest pain as (1) subjects within 3 h and (2) between 3 and 6 h of onset of chest pain. In all the cases and controls, serum H-FABP concentration was measured by Immunoturbidimetric method, serum Troponin I and myoglobin concentrations by Chemiluminescence immunoassay and serum CK-MB concentration by Immuno-inhibition method. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of H-FABP were significantly greater than CK-MB and myoglobin but were lesser than Troponin I in patients with suspected AMI in both within 3 h and 3–6 h groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated greatest diagnostic ability for Troponin I (AUC = 0.99, p < 0.001) followed by H-FABP (AUC = 0.906, p < 0.001) within 3 h and 3–6 h after the onset of chest pain. In conclusion, the diagnostic value of H-FABP is greater than CK-MB and myoglobin but slightly lesser than troponin I for the early diagnosis of AMI within first 6 h of chest pain. H-FABP can be used as an additional diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of AMI along with troponin I.     

Effect of vitamin E on platelet enzymatic anti-oxidants in the patients of myocardial infarction

Effect of administration of 600 mg. vitamin E each day, for six days, was observed on activity of some of the anti-oxidant enzymes and levels of malondialdehyde (as an index of free radical mediated damage) in the platelets of patients reperfused after myocardial infarction. It has been found that vitamin E administration significantly lowers the level of malondialdehyde in the patients. Vitamin E administration increases the activities of anti oxidant enzymes (viz. superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and catalase) tested both in the patients and healthy controls. Vitamin E administration causes general stimulation of anti-oxidant enzyme activities both in healthy persons and the patients, however, lowering of lipid per-oxidation upon administration of vitamin E is specific for patients. These findings exhibit beneficial role of vitamin E administration in the management of the patients reperfused after myocardial infarction.     

Reversal of haemodialysis induced hypertriacylgycerolemia by L-carnitine

A 24 week follow-up study on lipid change following maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) in 25 chronic renal failure (CRF) patients revealed significantly raised serum Triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in these cases (P<0.001), while cholesterol and HDL-Cholesterol did not show any significant change, the extent of increase was 10.5±3.6% after 12 weeks and 23.0±5.8% after 24 weeks. Corresponding increase in CRF patients treated conservatively, without haemodialysis, were 3.1±1.2% and 7.2±2.7% at these intervals. Subsequent oral administration of L-Carnitine (5mg/kg body weight twice a day) for three weeks brought about a significant reversal of elevated serum TAG level in MDH group as well as in the conservatively treated group (P≤0.05). It is concluded that the haemodialysis induced Hyper-Triacylglycerolemia of CRF patients is revertible by Carnitine replenishment. Even the concomitant increase in conservatively treated group is revertible by carnitine administration.     

Our experience with experimental<Emphasis Type="Italic">Wuchereria bancrofti</Emphasis> infection in Indian langur (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Presbytis entellus</Emphasis>)

Thyroid antibodies are commonly utilized in the assessment and diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disorders. We compared the measurements of antithyroglobulin and antithyroidperoxidase antibodies by enzyme immunoassay with that of the conventional agglutination method. This fully automated enzyme immunoassay is more specific and cost effective than the agglutination method. Further this is a very quantitative and rapid method producing results in two hours as compared to at least twenty=four hours required by the conventional method. Antithyroidperoxidase antibodies determined by enzyme immunoassay are more specific and sensitive in the diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis than the antithyroglobulin antibodies.     

Erythrocytic adenosine deaminase in post myocardial infarction angina patients

A comparative study on the levels of erythrocyte adenosine deaminase and lipid peroxidation has been undertaken in post myocardial infarction angina patients along with age and sex matched healthy individuals serving as control. Present findings show that levels of adenosine deaminase is highly elevated in post myocardial infarction angina patients compared to healthy persons. Malondialdehyde levels are also significantly increased in post myocardial infarction angina patients. The study shows that adenosine deaminase has an important implication in ischemic myocardial syndrome.