Knowledge-based disambiguation for machine translation

The resolution of ambiguities is one of the central problems for Machine Translation. In this paper we propose a knowledge-based approach to disambiguation which uses Description Logics (DL) as representation formalism. We present the process of anaphora resolution implemented in the Machine Translation system FAST and show how the DL system BACK is used to support disambiguation. The disambiguation strategy uses factors representing syntactic, semantic, and conceptual constraints with different weights to choose the most adequate antecedent candidate. We show how these factors can be declaratively represented as defaults in BACK. Disambiguation is then achieved by determining the interpretation that yields a qualitatively minimal number of exceptions to the defaults, and can thus be formalized as exception minimization

Dialogue acts in automatic dialogue interpreting

In this paper we demonstrate that for an adequate translation of an utterance spoken in a dialogue the dialogue act it performs has to be determined. We introduce an approach that automatically assigns types of dialogue acts to utterances on the basis of both micro- and macro-structural information. Technically, this assignment is realized by modeling preference rules as weighted defaults in the Description Logic system FLEX. The dialogue-act type of an utterance is determined by qualitatively minimizing the exceptions to these defaults. The results described here have been developed within the VERBMOBIL project, a project concerned with face-to-face dialogue interpreting funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology (BMBF). We present the rather positive results of a first evaluation of this implementation showing the accuracy of dialogue act assignment

The VERBMOBIL domain model version 1.0

This report describes the domain model used in the German Machine Translation project VERBMOBIL. In order make the design principles underlying the modeling explicit, we begin with a brief sketch of the VERBMOBIL demonstrator architecture from the perspective of the domain model. We then present some rather general considerations on the nature of domain modeling and its relationship to semantics. We claim that the semantic information contained in the model mainly serves two tasks. For one thing, it provides the basis for a conceptual transfer from German to English; on the other hand, it provides information needed for disambiguation. We argue that these tasks pose different requirements, and that domain modeling in general is highly task-dependent. A brief overview of domain models or ontologies used in existing NLP systems confirms this position. We finally describe the different parts of the domain model, explain our design decisions, and present examples of how the information contained in the model can be actually used in the VERBMOBIL demonstrator. In doing so, we also point out the main functionality of FLEX, the Description Logic system used for the modeling

Coordenadores do Título IX como burocratas de nível de rua nas escolas dos Estados Unidos: Desafios para enfrentar a discriminação sexual na era #MeToo

Sex discrimination in educational contexts is an ongoing problem despite the passage of Title IX in 1972. Many schools have not aligned their policies with new laws protecting students from bullying and harassment, and many professionals are unaware of their new obligations in regards to new state regulations. This article presents the findings from semi-structured interviews with 10 participants reporting on the roles and responsibilities of Title IX coordinators in their K-12 school districts. Title IX coordinators were difficult to locate and recruitment was a challenge in this study. However, our findings indicate a strong alignment with Lipsky’s concept of “street-level bureaucrats” (1971, 2010). We found that these school administrators had autonomy and discretion in interpreting and enacting their duties, however they lacked time, information, and other resources necessary to respond properly to the stated duties in their position. They reported spending very little time on Title IX-related duties, many felt under-supported and under-prepared, and few had comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities. We conclude with recommendations for policy and practice regarding the training and supports of Title IX coordinators and related gender equity efforts in K-12 schools.La discriminación sexual en contextos educativos es un problema continuo a pesar de la aprobación del Título IX en 1972. Muchas escuelas no han alineado sus políticas con nuevas leyes que protegen a los estudiantes de la intimidación y el acoso, y muchos profesionales desconocen sus nuevas obligaciones con respecto a regulaciones estatales Este artículo presenta los hallazgos de entrevistas semiestructuradas con 10 participantes que informan sobre los roles y responsabilidades de los coordinadores del Título IX en sus distritos escolares K-12. Los coordinadores del Título IX fueron difíciles de localizar y el reclutamiento fue un desafío en este estudio. Sin embargo, nuestros hallazgos indican una fuerte alineación con el concepto de Lipsky de "burócratas a nivel de calle" (1971, 2010). Descubrimos que estos administradores escolares tenían autonomía y discreción para interpretar y cumplir sus deberes, sin embargo, carecían de tiempo, información y otros recursos necesarios para responder adecuadamente a los deberes establecidos en su puesto. Informaron que dedicaron muy poco tiempo a los deberes relacionados con el Título IX, muchos se sintieron insuficientemente apoyados y poco preparados, y pocos tenían una comprensión exhaustiva de sus responsabilidades. Concluimos con recomendaciones de políticas y prácticas con respecto a la capacitación y el apoyo de los coordinadores del Título IX y los esfuerzos relacionados con la equidad de género en las escuelas K-12.A discriminação sexual em ambientes educacionais é um problema contínuo, apesar da aprovação do Título IX em 1972. Muitas escolas não alinharam suas políticas com novas leis que protegem os alunos de intimidação e assédio, e muitos profissionais desconhecem seus direitos. novas obrigações com relação aos regulamentos estaduais Este artigo apresenta os resultados de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 10 participantes que relatam os papéis e responsabilidades dos coordenadores do Título IX em seus distritos escolares K-12. Os coordenadores do Título IX foram difíceis de localizar e o recrutamento foi um desafio neste estudo. No entanto, nossos resultados indicam um forte alinhamento com o conceito de "burocratas de rua" de Lipsky (1971, 2010). Descobrimos que esses administradores escolares tinham autonomia e discrição para interpretar e cumprir suas obrigações, no entanto, eles não tinham tempo, informações e outros recursos necessários para responder adequadamente aos deveres estabelecidos em sua posição. Eles relataram que gastaram muito pouco tempo em tarefas relacionadas ao Título IX, muitos se sentiram insuficientemente apoiados e despreparados, e poucos tinham uma compreensão abrangente de suas responsabilidades. Concluímos com recomendações e práticas de políticas relacionadas à formação e apoio de coordenadores do Título IX e esforços relacionados à eqüidade de gênero nas escolas do ensino fundamental e médio

Association of homocysteine and smoking with cerebral microemboli in patients with mechanical heart valves: A transcranial Doppler study

Objectives Microembolic signals (MES) on transcranial Doppler (TCD) predict stroke and cognitive decline. Plasma levels of total homocysteine (tHcy), a prothrombotic factor, are higher in patients with microemboli in carotid stenosis and in patients with paradoxical embolism. In this study we assessed the association between the level of tHcy and the number of MES in patients with mechanical heart valves (MHVs). Methods TCD monitoring was performed to detect MES before and after breathing 100% oxygen and repeated every 2-4 weeks up to six times. Results Twenty-five patients with MHVs (mean age: 63.60±10.15 years) participated in this study; 15 were men (66.47±7.25 years) and 10 were women (59.30±12.60 years). In total, there were 126 study visits. In multiple regression, higher tHcy was associated with more MES in both preoxygenation (OR 1.34 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.68, P=0.009)) and postoxygenation (OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.83, P=0.01)) phases. Current smoking and the length of time between the operation and monitoring also correlated with a higher number of MES before and after breathing oxygen, particularly in women. Conclusions Higher tHcy and smoking were associated with a higher MES count in both preoxygenation and postoxygenation phases. Because smoking can be stopped and hyperhomocysteinaemia is treatable, these are clinically important findings

Dialogue acts in VERBMOBIL

Die vorliegende Arbeit wurde im Rahmen des Verbundvorhabens Verbmobil vom Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie (BMBF), unter dem Förderkennzeichen 01 IV 101 K / 1 gefördert. Die Verantwortung für den Inhalt dieser Arbeit liegt bei den AutorInnen.In the first phase of the VERBMOBIL project (’93-’94) several project partners worked on different aspects of dialogue acts. In Spring ‘94 a meeting was held, in which dialogue acts were discussed in detail and a common terminology was proposed (see [7] for a presentation of these results). For several reasons, which we will discuss in more detail below, a «restandardization» of the dialogue acts to be used in VERBMOBIL became necessary, however. In order to achieve such a restandardization, it was decided to organize a small meeting, in which all groups working with dialogue acts would be represented. The main part of this report contains detailed descriptions of the dialogue acts agreed upon during this meeting, thereby updating the presentations in [7] and [14]. To put our general understanding of dialogue acts into perspective, we also describe briefly the general context of VERBMOBIL and the different uses of dialogue acts in the VERBMOBIL system. In doing so we refer the interested readers to the respective publications which describe these applications in more detail

To soothe or remove? Affect, revanchism and the weaponized use of classical music

Over the past 30 years, in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, classical music has come to function as a sonic weapon. It is used a means of dispelling and deterring ‘loiterers’ by making particular public and privately owned public spaces – such as shopping malls, bus stations, shop fronts and car parks – undesirable to occupy. In this article, I present weaponized classical music as a ‘revanchist’, audio-affective deterrent. Drawing upon Neil Smith’s description of the revanchist city, I examine how weaponized classical music works to affectively police neoliberal ‘public’ space. While credited with the capacity to ‘soothe away’ deviant behaviour through its calming influence, weaponized classical music ultimately aims to ‘remove’ the figure of the threatening and menacing ‘loiterer’ insofar as it is heard as repellent. Although affect has often been understood in contradistinction to social determinisms, weaponized classical music exemplifies the capacity of musical affects to function as a technology of social reproduction

Yolk utilization and growth during the early larval life of the Silver Perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell, 1838)

The aim of this research was to investigate the yolk sac and oil globule utilization by silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) larvae produced from domesticated broodfish. The larvae were kept unfed in the holding tank, sampled, and investigated by image analysis software to determine various characteristics, such as the diameters of ova, water-hardened eggs, yolk-sac, oil globules, and the total length of larvae. The research illustrated that, with the exception of oil globule diameter, all other morphometric parameters were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when compared to the larvae from the wild broodfish. The yolk sac was completely absorbed at 96 h post-hatching (hph) and the oil globule was visible until 240 hph. The larvae exhibited predatory movements and tried to catch rotifer at 4 days post hatching (dph). However, the onset of feeding took place at 5 dph, while 100% of feeding occurred at 6 dph. During the first 96 h (h), larvae grew significantly faster than the next 144 h. Larvae encountered low mortalities (<10%) during the first 96 hph, before increasing significantly in the next 24 h and no unfed larvae survived post 240 h. The results also suggested that the exogenous feed should be available at 96 hph, which is well after the yolk sac is completely depleted. In addition, although most of eggs and larval performance from domesticated broodfish were inferior compared to the wild one, it has larger oil globule that could make longer of its mixed feeding period and therefore could have better in viability