Frequency Value Grammar and Information Theory

I previously laid the groundwork for Frequency Value Grammar (FVG) in papers I submitted in the proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Cognitive Science (2003), Sydney Australia, and Corpus Linguistics Conference (2003), Lancaster, UK. FVG is a formal syntax theoretically based in large part on Information Theory principles. FVG relies on dynamic physical principles external to the corpus which shape and mould the corpus whereas generative grammar and other formal syntactic theories are based exclusively on patterns (fractals) found occurring within the well-formed portion of the corpus. However, FVG should not be confused with Probability Syntax, (PS), as described by Manning (2003). PS is a corpus based approach that will yield the probability distribution of possible syntax constructions over a fixed corpus. PS makes no distinction between well and ill formed sentence constructions and assumes everything found in the corpus is well formed. In contrast, FVG’s primary objective is to distinguish between well and ill formed sentence constructions and, in so doing, relies on corpus based parameters which determine sentence competency. In PS, a syntax of high probability will not necessarily yield a well formed sentence. However, in FVG, a syntax or sentence construction of high ‘frequency value’ will yield a well-formed sentence, at least, 95% of the time satisfying most empirical standards. Moreover, in FVG, a sentence construction of ‘high frequency value’ could very well be represented by an underlying syntactic construction of low probability as determined by PS. The characteristic ‘frequency values’ calculated in FVG are not measures of probability but rather are fundamentally determined values derived from exogenous principles which impact and determine corpus based parameters serving as an index of sentence competency. The theoretical framework of FVG has broad applications beyond that of formal syntax and NLP. In this paper, I will demonstrate how FVG can be used as a model for improving the upper bound calculation of entropy of written English. Generally speaking, when a function word precedes an open class word, the backward n-gram analysis will be homomorphic with the information source and will result in frequency values more representative of co-occurrences in the information source

Olfactory cue use by three-spined sticklebacks foraging in turbid water: prey detection or prey location?

Foraging, when senses are limited to olfaction, is composed of two distinct stages: the detection of prey and the location of prey. While specialist olfactory foragers are able to locate prey using olfactory cues alone, this may not be the case for foragers that rely primarily on vision. Visual predators in aquatic systems may be faced with poor visual conditions such as natural or human-induced turbidity. The ability of visual predators to compensate for poor visual conditions by using other senses is not well understood, although it is widely accepted that primarily visual fish, such as three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, can detect and use olfactory cues for a range of purposes. We investigated the ability of sticklebacks to detect the presence of prey and to locate prey precisely, using olfaction, in clear and turbid (two levels) water. When provided with only a visual cue, or only an olfactory cue, sticklebacks showed a similar ability to detect prey, but a combination of these cues improved their performance. In open-arena foraging trials, a dispersed olfactory cue added to the water (masking cues from the prey) improved foraging success, contrary to our expectations, whereas activity levels and swimming speed did not change as a result of olfactory cue availability. We suggest that olfaction functions to allow visual predators to detect rather than locate prey and that olfactory cues have an appetitive effect, enhancing motivation to forage

Prey aggregation is an effective olfactory predator avoidance strategy

Predator–prey interactions have a major effect on species abundance and diversity, and aggregation is a well-known anti-predator behaviour. For immobile prey, the effectiveness of aggregation depends on two conditions: (a) the inability of the predator to consume all prey in a group and (b) detection of a single large group not being proportionally easier than that of several small groups. How prey aggregation influences predation rates when visual cues are restricted, such as in turbid water, has not been thoroughly investigated. We carried out foraging (predation) experiments using a fish predator and (dead) chironomid larvae as prey in both laboratory and field settings. In the laboratory, a reduction in visual cue availability (in turbid water) led to a delay in the location of aggregated prey compared to when visual cues were available. Aggregated prey suffered high mortality once discovered, leading to better survival of dispersed prey in the longer term. We attribute this to the inability of the dead prey to take evasive action. In the field (where prey were placed in feeding stations that allowed transmission of olfactory but not visual cues), aggregated (large groups) and semi-dispersed prey survived for longer than dispersed prey—including long termsurvival. Together, our results indicate that similar to systems where predators hunt using vision, aggregation is an effective anti-predator behaviour for prey avoiding olfactory predators

Sulphur in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy - Including NLTE corrections

In Galactic halo stars, sulphur has been shown to behave like other $\alpha$-elements, but until now, no comprehensive studies have been done on this element in stars of other galaxies. Here, we use high-resolution ESO VLT/FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectra to determine sulphur abundances for 85 stars in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy, covering the metallicity range $-2.5\leq \text{[Fe/H]} \leq-0.8$. The abundances are derived from the S~I triplet at 9213, 9228, and 9238~\AA. These lines have been shown to be sensitive to departure from local thermodynamic equilibrium, i.e. NLTE effects. Therefore, we present new NLTE corrections for a grid of stellar parameters covering those of the target stars. The NLTE-corrected sulphur abundances in Sculptor show the same behaviour as other $\alpha$-elements in that galaxy (such as Mg, Si, and Ca). At lower metallicities ($\text{[Fe/H]}\lesssim-2$) the abundances are consistent with a plateau at $\text{[S/Fe]}\approx+0.16$, similar to what is observed in the Galactic halo, $\text{[S/Fe]}\approx+0.2$. With increasing [Fe/H], the [S/Fe] ratio declines, reaching negative values at $\text{[Fe/H]}\gtrsim-1.5$. The sample also shows an increase in [S/Mg] with [Fe/H], most probably because of enrichment from Type Ia supernovae.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables + 3 online tables, accepted in A&

Maternal urinary bisphenol a during pregnancy and maternal and neonatal thyroid function in the CHAMACOS study.

BackgroundBisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic bottles, food and beverage can linings, thermal receipts, and dental sealants. Animal and human studies suggest that BPA may disrupt thyroid function. Although thyroid hormones play a determinant role in human growth and brain development, no studies have investigated relations between BPA exposure and thyroid function in pregnant women or neonates.ObjectiveOur goal was to evaluate whether exposure to BPA during pregnancy is related to thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women and neonates.MethodsWe measured BPA concentration in urine samples collected during the first and second half of pregnancy in 476 women participating in the CHAMACOS (Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas) study. We also measured free thyroxine (T4), total T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in women during pregnancy, and TSH in neonates.ResultsAssociations between the average of the two BPA measurements and maternal thyroid hormone levels were not statistically significant. Of the two BPA measurements, only the one taken closest in time to the TH measurement was significantly associated with a reduction in total T4 (β = -0.13 µg/dL per log2 unit; 95% CI: -0.25, 0.00). The average of the maternal BPA concentrations was associated with reduced TSH in boys (-9.9% per log2 unit; 95% CI: -15.9%, -3.5%) but not in girls. Among boys, the relation was stronger when BPA was measured in the third trimester of pregnancy and decreased with time between BPA and TH measurements.ConclusionResults suggest that exposure to BPA during pregnancy is related to reduced total T4 in pregnant women and decreased TSH in male neonates. Findings may have implications for fetal and neonatal development

Effect of past century mining activities on sediment properties and toxicity to freshwater organisms in northern Sweden

The release of toxic metals from local mining activities often represents a severe environmental hazard for nearby lake ecosystems. Previous studies on the impact of mining have primarily focused on single lakes, with less emphasis on spatial and temporal recovery patterns of multiple lakes within the same catchment, but with different hydrological connection and distance to the pollutant source. This knowledge gap prevents us from assessing the real environmental risk of abandoned mines and understanding ecosystem recovery. This study explores the intensity and spatial patterns of sediment contamination and the potential for ecosystem recovery in three lakes in close vicinity of a lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) mine in Sweden that has been inoperative for >20 years. Dated (210Pb and 137Cs) sediment cores from each lake were used to reconstruct temporal patterns in trace element deposition and relate those with past mining activities. Results show that all lakes were affected by mining, indicated by increasing Pb and Zn concentrations and decreasing organic matter content, at the onset of mining. However, the extent and timing of mining impact differed between lakes, which was partly ascribed to differences in the historical use of tailings and settling ponds. Assessment of toxicity levels in sediments, based on normalized Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) to organic matter content, provided more consistent results with the historical mining than conventional methods, showing a decreasing impact in lakes once the operations ceased. Still, sediment Pb concentrations were > 10 times higher than pre-mining values, evidencing the urgent need for remediation actions in the study lakes. This study highlights the importance of considering spatial heterogeneity in metal deposition, sediment organic matter content, and hydrological connectivity with tailings when risk assessments are performed in mining-impacted lakes. The use of normalized PEC-Q in toxic assessments is also recommended

Faktor-Faktor Kritis Dalam Sistem Manajemen Mutu (SMM) Untuk Optimasi Profitabilitas Dan Daya Saing Perusahaan Jasa Konstruksi Di Indonesia

. In the middle of the emulation business competitiveness demand by selling quality development, financial company services is of course not escape in execution and development of product quality and service to the customer. Total Quality Management System (TQM) have been proved as the best technique of quality management which have applicated. Empirical study have concluded that application of TQM can give effect which is impact and result significantly to business. Along desire of industry so that all developer (subcontractors) have certificate, and possibility that this matter is prerequisite of new tender to public service company, The message by industry is very clear, do the company adopt ISO 9001:2000 and become competitive or disregarding it and become its own risk. But that way, at the opposite of successfulness the number of state and company which adopting Quality Management System, there is elementary question, how far company which have strained after follow that International standard, that is true succeed to improve its company performance. This research prove empirically and statistic correlation applying of competitiveness and profitability with Critical Success Factors (CSF) of Quality Management System