Query-biased web page summarisation: a task-oriented evaluation

We present a system that offers a new way of assessing web document relevance and new approach to the web-based evaluation of such a system. Provisionally named WebDocSum, the system is a query-biased web page summariser that aims to provide an alternative to the short, irrelevant abstracts typical of many web search result lists. Based on an initial evaluation the system appears to be more useful in helping users gauge document relevance than the traditional ranked titles/abstracts approach

Finding relevant documents using top ranking sentences: an evaluation of two alternative schemes

In this paper we present an evaluation of techniques that are designed to encourage web searchers to interact more with the results of a web search. Two specific techniques are examined: the presentation of sentences that highly match the searcher's query and the use of implicit evidence. Implicit evidence is evidence captured from the searcher's interaction with the retrieval results and is used to automatically update the display. Our evaluation concentrates on the effectiveness and subject perception of these techniques. The results show, with statistical significance, that the techniques are effective and efficient for information seeking

Processing of ultrafine-size particulate metal matrix composites by advanced shear technology

Copyright @ 2009 ASM International. This paper was published in Metallurgical & Materials Transactions A 40A(3) and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of ASM International. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplications of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of this paper are prohibited.Lack of efficient mixing technology to achieve a uniform distribution of fine-size reinforcement within the matrix and the high cost of producing components have hindered the widespread adaptation of particulate metal matrix composites (PMMCs) for engineering applications. A new rheo-processing method, the melt-conditioning high-pressure die-cast (MC-HPDC) process, has been developed for manufacturing near-net-shape components of high integrity. The MC-HPDC process adapts the well-established high shear dispersive mixing action of a twin-screw mechanism to the task of overcoming the cohesive force of the agglomerates under a high shear rate and high intensity of turbulence. This is followed by direct shaping of the slurry into near-net-shape components using an existing cold-chamber die-casting process. The results indicate that the MC-HPDC samples have a uniform distribution of ultrafine-sized SiC particles throughout the entire sample in the as-cast condition. Compared to those produced by conventional high-pressure die casting (HPDC), MC-HPDC samples have a much improved tensile strength and ductility.EP-SR

Life path analysis: scaling indicates priming effects of social and habitat factors on dispersal distances

1. Movements of many animals along a life-path can be separated into repetitive ones within home ranges and transitions between home ranges. We sought relationships of social and environmental factors with initiation and distance of transition movements in 114 buzzards Buteo buteo that were marked as nestlings with long-life radio tags. 2. Ex-natal dispersal movements of 51 buzzards in autumn were longer than for 30 later in their first year and than 35 extra-natal movements between home ranges after leaving nest areas. In the second and third springs, distances moved from winter focal points by birds that paired were the same or less than for unpaired birds. No post-nuptial movement exceeded 2 km. 3. Initiation of early ex-natal dispersal was enhanced by presence of many sibs, but also by lack of worm-rich loam soils. Distances travelled were greatest for birds from small broods and with relatively little short grass-feeding habitat near the nest. Later movements were generally enhanced by the absence of loam soils and short grassland, especially with abundance of other buzzards and probable poor feeding habitats (heathland, long grass). 4. Buzzards tended to persist in their first autumn where arable land was abundant, but subsequently showed a strong tendency to move from this habitat. 5. Factors that acted most strongly in ½-km buffers round nests, or round subsequent focal points, usually promoted movement compared with factors acting at a larger scale. Strong relationships between movement distances and environmental characteristics in ½-km buffers, especially during early ex-natal dispersal, suggested that buzzards became primed by these factors to travel far. 6. Movements were also farthest for buzzards that had already moved far from their natal nests, perhaps reflecting genetic predisposition, long-term priming or poor habitat beyond the study area

CUORE: A Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events

CUORE is a proposed tightly packed array of 1000 TeO2 bolometers, each being a cube 5 cm on a side with a mass of 760 g. The array consists of 25 vertical towers, arranged in a square of 5 towers by 5 towers, each containing 10 layers of 4 crystals. The design of the detector is optimized for ultralow-background searches: for neutrinoless double beta decay of 130Te (33.8% abundance), cold dark matter, solar axions, and rare nuclear decays. A preliminary experiment involving 20 crystals 3x3x6 cm3 of 340 g has been completed, and a single CUORE tower is being constructed as a smaller scale experiment called CUORICINO. The expected performance and sensitivity, based on Monte Carlo simulations and extrapolations of present results, are reported.Comment: 39 pages, 12 figures, submitted to NI

The Detection of a Massive Chain of Dark H i Clouds in the GAMA G23 Field

We report on the detection of a large, extended H i cloud complex in the Galaxy and Mass Survey G23 field, located at a redshift of z ∼0.03, observed as part of the MeerKAT Habitat of Galaxies Survey campaign (a pilot survey to explore the mosaicing capabilities of the MeerKAT telescope). The cloud complex, with a total mass of 1010.0 M, lies in proximity to a large galaxy group with M dyn ∼1013.5 M. We identify seven H peak concentrations, interconnected as a tenuous chain structure, extending ∼400 kpc from east to west, with the largest (central) concentration containing 109.7 M in H gas distributed across 50 kpc. The main source is not detected in ultraviolet, optical, or infrared imaging. The implied gas mass-to-light ratio (M H I/L r) is extreme (>1000) even in comparison to other dark clouds. The complex has very little kinematic structure (110 km s-1), making it difficult to identify cloud rotation. Assuming pressure support, the total mass of the central concentration is > 1010.2 M, while a lower limit to the dynamical mass in the case of full rotational support is 1010.4 M. If the central concentration is a stable structure, it has to contain some amount of unseen matter, but potentially less than is observed for a typical galaxy. It is, however, not clear whether the structure has any gravitationally stable concentrations. We report a faint UV-optical-infrared source in proximity to one of the smaller concentrations in the gas complex, leading to a possible stellar association. The system nature and origins is enigmatic, potentially being the result of an interaction with or within the galaxy group it appears to be associated with

Extreme Ultra-Violet Spectroscopy of the Lower Solar Atmosphere During Solar Flares

The extreme ultraviolet portion of the solar spectrum contains a wealth of diagnostic tools for probing the lower solar atmosphere in response to an injection of energy, particularly during the impulsive phase of solar flares. These include temperature and density sensitive line ratios, Doppler shifted emission lines and nonthermal broadening, abundance measurements, differential emission measure profiles, and continuum temperatures and energetics, among others. In this paper I shall review some of the advances made in recent years using these techniques, focusing primarily on studies that have utilized data from Hinode/EIS and SDO/EVE, while also providing some historical background and a summary of future spectroscopic instrumentation.Comment: 34 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Solar Physics as part of the Topical Issue on Solar and Stellar Flare

A new look at old friends – I. Imaging classical radio galaxies with uGMRT and MeerKAT

We have undertaken a systematic study of FR I and FR II radio galaxies with the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) and MeerKAT. The main goal is to explore whether the unprecedented few μJy sensitivity reached in the range 550–1712 MHz at the resolution of ∼4–7 arcsec reveals new features in the radio emission which might need us to revise our current classification scheme for classical radio galaxies. In this paper, we present the results for the first set of four radio galaxies, i.e. 4C 12.02, 4C 12.03, CGCG 044–046, and CGCG 021–063. The sources have been selected from the 4C sample with well-defined criteria and have been imaged with the uGMRT in the range 550–850 MHz (band 4) and with the MeerKAT in the range 856–1712 MHz (L-band). Full resolution images are presented for all sources in the sample, together with MeerKAT in-band spectral images. Additionally, the uGMRT–MeerKAT spectral image and MeerKAT L-band polarization structure are provided for CGCG 044–046. Our images contain a wealth of morphological details, such as filamentary structure in the emission from the lobes, radio emission beyond the hotspots in three sources, and misalignments. We briefly discuss the overall properties of CGCG 044–046 in the light of the local environment as well, and show possible restarted activity in 4C 12.03 which needs to be confirmed. We conclude that at least for the sources presented here, the classical FR I/FR II morphological classification still holds with the current improved imaging capabilities, but the richness in details also suggests caution in the systematic morphological classification carried out with automatic procedures in surveys with poorer sensitivity and angular resolution.http://mnras.oxfordjournals.orghj2022Physic

A new measurement of direct CP violation in two pion decays of the neutral kaon

The NA48 experiment at CERN has performed a new measurement of direct CP violation, based on data taken in 1997 by simultaneously collecting K_L and K_S decays into pi0pi0 and pi+pi-. The result for the CP violating parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) is (18.5 +/- 4.5(stat)} +/- 5.8 (syst))x10^{-4}.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Viewing classical radio galaxies with the upgraded GMRT and MeerKAT

We present a progress report of a study of FR I and FR II radio galaxies. Several new morphological features in the radio emission are now revealed using the high (mJy) sensitivity reached in the range 550–1712 MHz, more than a factor of three, at the high ( 400 700) angular resolution with the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) and MeerKAT. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand if we need to revise our current classification scheme for classical radio galaxies. In order to address our goals, we have carefully constructed a sample of 14 (6 FR I, 6 FR II and 2 FR 0) radio galaxies. The uGMRT and MeerKAT images of our four target sources revealed a wealth of morphological details, e.g., filamentary structure in the emission from the lobes, misalignments, radio emission beyond the hot-spots in three sources, etc.; see Fanaroff et al. (2021). Here, we present preliminary results for two more radio galaxies from our sample using uGMRT, in the light of the local environment. Finally, we are awaiting uGMRT and MeerKAT observations of remaining sample sources. Our results show that for the radio galaxies in this study, the morphological classification scheme for the classical FR I/FR II radio galaxies still holds, even with the improved imaging capabilities of the uGMRT and MeerKAT. Furthermore, we need to be cautious when using automated procedures for classification schemes, e.g., in surveys (with poorer sensitivities and angular resolutions) because of the rich morphological details that are shown in our uGMRT and MeerKAT images.The Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India; the Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, Direzione Generale per la Promozione del Sistema Paese, Progetto di Grande Rilevanza; the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology; the National Research Foundation; the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme; the Italian Minister for Research and Education (MIUR) and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/galaxiesam2022Physic