Acta Orientalia Vilnensia
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Making sense of transformer success
No full textThis article provides an epistemological analysis of current attempts of explaining how the relatively simple algorithmic components of neural language models (NLMs) provide them with genuine linguistic competence. After introducing the Transformer architecture, at the basis of most of current NLMs, the paper firstly emphasizes how the central question in the philosophy of AI has been shifted from “can machines think?”, as originally put by Alan Turing, to “how can machines think?”, pointing to an explanatory gap for NLMs. Subsequently, existing explanatory strategies for the functioning of NLMs are analyzed to argue that they, however debated, do not differ from the explanatory strategies used in cognitive science to explain intelligent behaviors of humans. In particular, available experimental studies turned to test the theory of mind, discourse entity tracking, and property induction in NLMs are examined under the light of the functional analysis in the philosophy of cognitive science; the so-called copying algorithm and the induction head phenomenon of a Transformer are shown to provide a mechanist explanation of in-context learning; finally, current pioneering attempts to use NLMs to predict brain activation patterns when processing language are here shown to involve what we call a co-simulation, in which a NLM and the brain are used to simulate and understand each other
To Be Born to Narrate and to Understand the Pain of the World: Hannah Arendt and Rahel Varnhagen
No full textTired of a philosophical reflection that had made of the mortality and the condition of the "end" the destiny of the human condition, Hannah Arendt reverses the terms of the question and starts again from the beginning: to begin with the beginning means that to die we must first be born and it means that this origin, "being born", is something more than being simply and casually "thrown into the world". It shows us the novelty of which we are capable: to break into the world and start something new. Certainly, the conditions of our natality we passively suffer, however it is the way in which we react to this givenness that makes us unique and particulars. The need to reflect on our life through other stories or writing biographies or our own autobiography can become an important moment to reflect on our own origin. It is important narrate one's own pain, inherent in every coming to the world, because it allows those who do so to continue to live and survive. Arendt reconstructs the biography of Rahel Varnhagen, because she was attracted by her destiny of pain, her "uncomfortable and infamous" birth. The pain that afflicts Rahel is her Judaism and a life of exclusion and marginalization
Scurvy, all the faces you can see: our experience and review of the literature
No full textBackground: In the recent past an incremental incidence of scurvy has been reported in the pediatric population, especially in children with neuropsychiatric disorders and a selective diet. Musculoskeletal manifestations, such as limp and refusal to walk, usually represent the main causes of access in the emergency room. Nowadays, new patterns of manifestations have been demonstrated, such as hematological and cardiological changes including pulmonary hypertension, rarely resulting in potential lethal complications. Case presentation: : We describe five pediatric patients affected by developmental delay or autism, with a restrictive diet, diagnosed with scurvy during the hospitalization: 3 pre-school aged boys presenting with typical clinical presentation, due to severe malnutrition; a 6-year-old girl with refusal to walk and a very high titre of inflammatory markers, without typical signs of scurvy; a 4-year-old boy with severe pulmonary hypertension, rarely related to vitamin C deficiency. In all the cases, a prompt resolution of the symptoms after the administration of vitamin C has been observed, confirming the diagnosis. Conclusion: At present, scurvy is a more contemporary condition than previously thought. It is fundamental to recognize both typical and atypical manifestations to avoid delay of diagnosis or rarely life-threatening complications
New insights on the Mount Etna volcano (Southern Italy) from local earthquake tomography.
No full textInfluenza Vaccination Appropriateness: Insights from the Local Health Unit of Catania During the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 Seasons
No full textQuadrupedal Locomotion with Passive Ventral Wheels: A Data-Driven Approach to Energy Efficiency Analysis
No full textIn this paper, a hybrid locomotion approach is proposed and experimentally validated for a quadrupedal robot to enhance energy efficiency on mixed terrains. A mechanical solution was implemented by adding passive wheels on the robot’s abdomen, to allow for gliding on flat portions of the faced terrains. This strategy aims to reduce the use of the legs, decreasing the overall energy consumption. To allow an efficient use of simulations, a data-driven approach was developed to estimate motor power consumption from joint dynamics on the real robot and subsequently applied within the simulation environment. The neural network achieved a coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.97, ensuring accurate estimation of energy consumption under both simulated and real conditions. Experimental and simulated results show that the proposed sliding gait reduces the average Cost of Transport from approximately 4.5–6.0 during trotting to 0.8–1.1 during sliding, corresponding to a four–five-fold improvement in energy efficiency. Overall, the results demonstrate that a simple mechanical upgrade of the robot’s body structure can significantly enhance locomotion efficiency and versatility on flat or slightly descending terrains
Albori della medicina ambientale. Walter Reed di Bertolt Brecht
No full textNel contributo proposto si affronta la dimensione etica e teoretica della medicina a partire dalla figura di Water Reed esplorata nel ritratto di Bertolt Brecht: sulla base della storia filmica Die Fliege (1938) si affronta la tematica scientifico-medica come strategia di gestione epidemica, attraverso la figura del medico statunitense che nel 1900 diresse a Cuba il gruppo di ricerca che svelò la patogenesi della febbre gialla
Lorundrostat in Participants With Uncontrolled Hypertension and Treatment-Resistant Hypertension: The Launch-HTN Randomized Clinical Trial
No full textImportance Uncontrolled hypertension remains a global health concern and dysregulated aldosterone production is a central mechanism. Lorundrostat, a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor that reduces aldosterone production, demonstrated efficacy in participants with uncontrolled hypertension, including those with treatment-resistant hypertension.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lorundrostat for lowering blood pressure (BP) when added to a prescribed regimen of 2 to 5 antihypertensive medications in adults with uncontrolled hypertension and treatment-resistant hypertension.
Design, Setting, and Participants In this phase 3, randomized clinical trial, adults with uncontrolled hypertension, including those with treatment-resistant hypertension, were enrolled between November 2023 and September 2024 at 159 clinic sites across 13 countries. The last date of follow-up was January 24, 2025.
Intervention Randomization ratio of 1:2:1 to 50 mg/d of lorundrostat for 6 weeks followed by 100 mg/d of lorundrostat for 6 weeks (n = 270) if they met prespecified criteria, 50 mg/d of lorundrostat for 12 weeks (n = 541), or daily placebo for 12 weeks (n = 272). The prespecified criteria included systolic BP of 130 mm Hg or greater, potassium level of 4.8 mmol/L or less, sodium level of 135 mmol/L or greater, an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of greater than 45 mL/min/1.73 m2, and less than a 25% reduction in eGFR.
Main Outcome and Measures The primary outcome was change in automated office systolic BP at week 6 for participants randomized to 50 mg of lorundrostat vs placebo. Adverse events of special interest included dose reduction, interruption, or discontinuation due to events such as hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, and reduction in kidney function.
Results Of the 1083 participants, the mean age was 61.6 years (SD, 10.3 years), 508 (46.9%) were female, 311 (28.7%) were Black or African American, 733 (67.7%) were White, and 685 (63.3%) had a body mass index of 30 or greater (obesity). At randomization, 432 participants (39.9%) were taking 2 prescribed antihypertensive medications and 651 (60.1%) were taking 3 or more. For the pooled 50 mg of lorundrostat group (n = 808), the least-squares mean change in automated office systolic BP at week 6 was −16.9 mm Hg (95% CI, −19.0 to −14.9 mm Hg) vs −7.9 mm Hg (95% CI, −11.5 to −4.2 mm Hg) for the placebo group (least-squares mean difference, −9.1 mm Hg [95% CI, −13.3 to −4.9 mm Hg]; P < .001). Hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and reduction in kidney function were reported more often with lorundrostat vs placebo. In the 50 mg of lorundrostat group with possible escalation to 100 mg, treatment discontinuation occurred in 1 participant (0.37%) due to hyperkalemia, in 1 (0.37%) due to hyponatremia, and in 0 due to reduction in kidney function. In the 50 mg of lorundrostat group, treatment discontinuation occurred in 2 participants (0.37%) due to hyperkalemia, in 2 (0.37%) due to hyponatremia, and in 3 (0.56%) due to reduction in kidney function. Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 49.9% of participants (538/1078) and were mostly mild or moderate in severity.
Conclusions and Relevance The efficacy and safety of lorundrostat, an aldosterone synthase inhibitor, was demonstrated for lowering BP in adults with uncontrolled hypertension, including those with treatment-resistant hypertension
LE PRECLUSIONI ALLA MESSA ALLA PROVA MINORILE (ANCORA UNA VOLTA) SUL BANCO DELLA CORTE COSTITUZIONALE
No full textLa legge 13 novembre 2023, n. 159, in sede di conversione del decreto legge 15 settembre 2023, n. 123 (c.d. decreto Caivano), ha introdotto un catalogo di reati ostativi all’operatività della messa prova minorile, stravolgendo l’assetto dell’istituto, fino a quel momento libero da preclusioni applicative. A meno di due anni dalla sua entrata in vigore, la disposizione che ospita l’emendamento (art. 28, comma 5-bis, d.P.R. n. 448 del 1988) è stata sottoposta ben cinque volte all’attenzione della Corte costituzionale. Il contributo, avvalendosi dell’analisi comparata delle ordinanze di rimessione finora presentate al Giudice delle leggi e soffermandosi sulla più recente, offre alcune riflessioni sulle ragioni dell’inopportunità del citato intervento legislativo: per un verso è difficile negare la fondatezza dei rilievi di incostituzionalità formulati dai giudici a quibus, tra i quali spicca, accanto alla violazione dell’art. 31, comma 2 Cost., l’irragionevolezza del catalogo dei reati ostativi voluto dal legislatore; per altro verso, il regime ostativo rischia di incentivare la strumentalizzazione degli (altri) istituti a beneficio del minore autore di reato, peraltro conseguendo quell’effetto clemenziale che il legislatore intendeva invece scongiurare