Grammaticality, Acceptability, and Probability: A Probabilistic View of Linguistic Knowledge

The question of whether humans represent grammatical knowledge as a binary condition on membership in a set of well‐formed sentences, or as a probabilistic property has been the subject of debate among linguists, psychologists, and cognitive scientists for many decades. Acceptability judgments present a serious problem for both classical binary and probabilistic theories of grammaticality. These judgements are gradient in nature, and so cannot be directly accommodated in a binary formal grammar. However, it is also not possible to simply reduce acceptability to probability. The acceptability of a sentence is not the same as the likelihood of its occurrence, which is, in part, determined by factors like sentence length and lexical frequency. In this paper, we present the results of a set of large‐scale experiments using crowd‐sourced acceptability judgments that demonstrate gradience to be a pervasive feature in acceptability judgments. We then show how one can predict acceptability judgments on the basis of probability by augmenting probabilistic language models with an acceptability measure. This is a function that normalizes probability values to eliminate the confounding factors of length and lexical frequency. We describe a sequence of modeling experiments with unsupervised language models drawn from state‐of‐the‐art machine learning methods in natural language processing. Several of these models achieve very encouraging levels of accuracy in the acceptability prediction task, as measured by the correlation between the acceptability measure scores and mean human acceptability values. We consider the relevance of these results to the debate on the nature of grammatical competence, and we argue that they support the view that linguistic knowledge can be intrinsically probabilistic

Janus Configurations, Chern-Simons Couplings, And The Theta-Angle in N=4 Super Yang-Mills Theory

We generalize the half-BPS Janus configuration of four-dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory to allow the theta-angle, as well as the gauge coupling, to vary with position. We show that the existence of this generalization is closely related to the existence of novel three-dimensional Chern-Simons theories with N=4 supersymmetry. Another closely related problem, which we also elucidate, is the D3-NS5 system in the presence of a four-dimensional theta-angle.Comment: 66 p

Are undergraduate accounting students developing transferable skills that meet stakeholder needs? An international study

This thesis focuses on the transferable skills of accounting undergraduates and explores whether undergraduate accounting students are meeting the current needs of stakeholders as well as looking to future needs. It reports on perceptions from an accounting graduate perspective and from the perspective of higher education institutions, employers and professional accountancy bodies. The analysis and evaluation of transferable skills is undertaken within the framework of globalised accountancy education. The thesis reports on the triangulation of results from a quantitative on line survey into graduate perceptions with findings from a qualitative study of other stakeholders using semi-structured interviews. My study has a global perspective, with recent graduates being surveyed from a global population and with interviewees representing global institutions and institutions from the UK, Singapore and Australia. This thesis intends to assess whether or not stakeholder needs are being met and, if not, how any deficiencies can be addressed. Although my thesis is primarily about transferable skills, I have also included in my findings current perceptions on the relative importance of technical skills versus transferable skills. Technical skills are subject-specific knowledge skills and transferable skills are generic skills which have transferable qualities to the industry in which the graduate works. They also report on transferable skills where there continues to be an expectation performance gap evidenced by differing stakeholder perceptions on including emotional intelligence and resilience, as well as the importance of definitions in stakeholder perceptions. It highlights those skills that are expected to become more important for employability, such as IT skills, considering factors that may influence the relative importance of these skills, such as the size of the employer firm. The main contribution of this thesis is a review of the current transferable skills of accounting graduates and whether they are meeting stakeholder needs, with recommendations as to how to reduce the expectation performance gap for stakeholders and insights into how to future proof transferable skills in the medium term. The thesis also highlights evidence of the development of professionalism as a differentiating factor for the accounting graduate in a competitive employer-driven global market place

A preliminary audit of medical and aid provision in English Rugby union clubs:compliance with Regulation 9

BackgroundGoverning bodies are largely responsible for the monitoring and management of risks associated with a safe playing environment, yet adherence to regulations is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the current status of medical personnel, facilities, and equipment in Rugby Union clubs at regional level in England.MethodsA nationwide cross-sectional survey of 242 registered clubs was undertaken, where clubs were surveyed online on their current medical personnel, facilities, and equipment provision, according to regulation 9 of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).ResultsOverall, 91 (45. 04%) surveys were returned from the successfully contacted recipients. Of the completed responses, only 23.61% (n = 17) were found to be compliant with regulations. Furthermore, 30.56% (n = 22) of clubs were unsure if their medical personnel had required qualifications; thus, compliance could not be determined. There was a significant correlation (p = −0.029, r = 0.295) between club level and numbers of practitioners. There was no significant correlation indicated between the number of practitioners/number of teams and number of practitioners/number of players. There were significant correlations found between club level and equipment score (p = 0.003, r = −0.410), club level and automated external defibrillator (AED) access (p = 0.002, r = −0.352) and practitioner level and AED access (p = 0.0001, r = 0.404). Follow-up, thematic analysis highlighted widespread club concern around funding/cost, awareness, availability of practitioners and AED training.ConclusionThe proportion of clubs not adhering overall compliance with Regulation 9 of the RFU is concerning for player welfare, and an overhaul, nationally, is required

Modelling the complex evaporated gas flow and its impact on particle spattering during laser powder bed fusion

The additive manufacturing (AM) of metals is becoming an increasingly important production process with the potential to replace traditional techniques such as casting. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is used in many applications to print metal parts from powder. The metal powder is heated locally with sufficient laser radiation that the liquid melt easily reaches its boiling temperature, which leads to a metallic vapour jet that can entrain both powder bed particles and molten droplets. The small size of laser-matter interaction site makes a detailed experimental analysis of the process challenging. Synchrotron X-ray imaging experiments are one of the few methods which can capture the dynamic melting and solidification processes. Comparing such experiments with computer simulations of the process is an important approach in order to better understand the manufacturing process and to analyse the influence of process parameters on the evaporated gas jet and the subsequent impact on particle ejection, leading to potentially reduced AM component quality. The melting and solidification of the metal powder is simulated using an Eulerian multiphase approach based on a control volume discretization of powder bed and substrate and a volume of liquid separation from melt and gas phase. The gas phase modelled as an ideal gas reaches velocities up to 100 m/s. Lagrangian particle tracking in the simulation demonstrates that the velocity fields calculated by the Eulerian multi-phase approach in combination with a standard drag-force model lead to particle accelerations in good agreement with those measured experimentally. In order to avoid numerical laborious Lagrangian calculations, a direct method to compare an Eulerian multiphase simulation with synchrotron X-ray experiments was introduced and validated. This approach is used to analyse the influence of process parameters including laser power and laser speed on the maximal acceleration of particles from the melt pool area. While the particle acceleration increases linearly with line energy in the conduction mode, a linear decrease of the acceleration with increasing line energy can be found in the transition mode before the acceleration increases again with line energy in the keyhole mode

The filtering equations revisited

The problem of nonlinear filtering has engendered a surprising number of mathematical techniques for its treatment. A notable example is the change-of--probability-measure method originally introduced by Kallianpur and Striebel to derive the filtering equations and the Bayes-like formula that bears their names. More recent work, however, has generally preferred other methods. In this paper, we reconsider the change-of-measure approach to the derivation of the filtering equations and show that many of the technical conditions present in previous work can be relaxed. The filtering equations are established for general Markov signal processes that can be described by a martingale-problem formulation. Two specific applications are treated

Mapping degeneration of the visual system in long-term follow-up after childhood hemispherectomy - A series of four cases

OBJECTIVE: Although hemidisconnection surgery may eliminate or reduce seizure activity in patients with epilepsy, there are visual, cognitive and motor deficits which affect patients' function post-operatively, with varying severity and according to pathology. Consequently, there is a need to map microstructural changes over long time periods and develop/apply methods that work with legacy data. METHODS: In this study, we applied the novel single shell 3-Tissue method to data from a cohort of 4 patients who were scanned 20-years following childhood hemidisconnection surgery and presented with variable clinical outcomes. We have successfully reconstructed tractography of the whole visual pathway from single shell diffusion data with reduced number of gradient directions. RESULTS: All patients presented with degeneration of the visual system characterised by low fractional anisotropy and high mean diffusivity. There were no apparent microstructural differences between both optic nerves that could explain the different level of visual function across patients. However, we provide evidence suggesting an association between the level of visual function and DTI metrics within the remaining components of the visual system, particularly the optic tract, of the contralateral hemisphere post-surgery. SIGNIFICANCE: We believe this study suggests that diffusion MRI can be used to monitor the integrity of the visual system following hemispherectomy and if extended to larger cohorts and a greater number of time-points, including pre-surgically, can provide a clearer picture of the natural history of visual system degeneration. This knowledge may in turn help to identify patients at greatest risk of poor visual outcomes that might benefit from rehabilitation therapies

Economic and agronomic impact assessment of wheat straw based alkyl polyglucoside produced using green chemical approaches

Results from a previous environmental impact assessment highlight the potential for the proposed process, that converts low-value agricultural residue (wheat straw) into a high-value biosurfactant, to result in significant (>75%) GHG savings, relative to the commercial candidate derived from palm kernel and wheat grain. This was achieved via the use of low-energy techniques like supercritical CO2 extraction, low-temperature microwave and in-situ fractionation of platform chemicals. Despite the environmental benefits, process commercialization relies on the economic feasibility of the production. Adopting a ‘cradle-to-gate’ life cycle costing approach, this paper has quantified the economic feasibility and resource efficiency characteristics of producing wheat-straw based APG, via the previously suggested green low-waste generating processes. Here, we undertook economic analysis of a wheat straw-derived APG production pathway, in comparison to palm-kernel and wheat-grain APG. Total processing costs were determined to range between $0.92-$1.87 per kg of wheat straw-APG demonstrating relatively better output service quality and energy efficiency, while conventional APG costs $1.95-$2.87 per kg, highlighting the significant potential of the residue-derived pathway to be scaled to commercial-level. In addition, a semi-quantitative assessment of the demand-based implications of adopting and scaling-up the green process, in the current context and practices of wheat cultivation was also undertaken. Potential agronomic impact that might be result from such scale-up scenarios, focusing on the effect of conventional residue incorporation practiced by farmers was assessed in detail to encourage farmers opt for informed choices and also to encourage both environmentally and economically sustainable systems-thinking

A proposal for selective resuscitation of adult cardiac arrest patients in a pandemic

Allocation of limited resources in pandemics begs for ethical guidance. The issue of ventilator allocation in pandemics has been reviewed by many medical ethicists, but as localities activate crisis standards of care, and health care workers are infected from patient exposure, the decision to pursue cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must also be examined to better balance the increased risks to healthcare personnel with the very low resuscitation rates of patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). A crisis standard of care that is equitable, transparent, and mindful of both human and physical resources will lessen the impact on society in this era of COVID‐19. This paper builds on previous work of ventilator allocation in pandemic crises to propose a literature‐based, justice‐informed ethical framework for selecting treatment options for CPR. The pandemic affects regions differently over time, so these suggested guidelines may require adaptation to local practice variations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156457/3/emp212096_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156457/2/emp212096.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156457/1/emp212096-sup-0001-Appendix.pd

Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.A large literature proposes that preferences for exaggerated sex typicality in human faces (masculinity/femininity) reflect a long evolutionary history of sexual and social selection. This proposal implies that dimorphism was important to judgments of attractiveness and personality in ancestral environments. It is difficult to evaluate, however, because most available data come from largescale, industrialized, urban populations. Here, we report the results for 12 populations with very diverse levels of economic development. Surprisingly, preferences for exaggerated sex-specific traits are only found in the novel, highly developed environments. Similarly, perceptions that masculine males look aggressive increase strongly with development, specifically, urbanization. These data challenge the hypothesis that facial dimorphism was an important ancestral signal of heritable mate value. One possibility is that highly developed environments provide novel opportunities to discern relationships between facial traits and behavior by exposing individuals to large numbers of unfamiliar faces, revealing patterns too subtle to detect with smaller samples