Neural Discourse Structure for Text Categorization

We show that discourse structure, as defined by Rhetorical Structure Theory and provided by an existing discourse parser, benefits text categorization. Our approach uses a recursive neural network and a newly proposed attention mechanism to compute a representation of the text that focuses on salient content, from the perspective of both RST and the task. Experiments consider variants of the approach and illustrate its strengths and weaknesses.Comment: ACL 2017 camera ready versio

Dynamic Entity Representations in Neural Language Models

Understanding a long document requires tracking how entities are introduced and evolve over time. We present a new type of language model, EntityNLM, that can explicitly model entities, dynamically update their representations, and contextually generate their mentions. Our model is generative and flexible; it can model an arbitrary number of entities in context while generating each entity mention at an arbitrary length. In addition, it can be used for several different tasks such as language modeling, coreference resolution, and entity prediction. Experimental results with all these tasks demonstrate that our model consistently outperforms strong baselines and prior work.Comment: EMNLP 2017 camera-ready versio

Estimating the mass of the debris disc in HD 69830

We present a method to estimate the mass of the debris disc in the HD 69830 system, which also hosts three exoplanets with Neptune-like minimum masses. By considering the range of published stellar ages, we interpret the infrared emission from the debris disc as originating from a steady state, collisional cascade of dust grains. Using dynamical survival models subjected to observational constraints, we estimate the allowed range of disc masses. If the disc has an age of about 1 Gyr, then its mass is several times that of our asteroid belt. The maximum allowed age for the disc and the number of planetesimals it contains are determined by the assumed value for the binding energy of the planetesimals. If one insists on interpreting the disc as being transient, then this mass estimate becomes an upper limit.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. 4 pages, 2 figures. No changes from previous version, except for corrections of typographical errors and to British English (e.g., "disc"

Single Transverse Spin Asymmetry for Large-p_T Pion Production in Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering

We study the single spin asymmetry (SSA) for the pion production with large transverse momentum p_T in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering $ep^\uparrow\to e\pi X$. We derive the twist-3 cross section formula for SSA, focussing on the soft-gluon-pole contributions associated with the twist-3 distribution for the nucleon and with the twist-3 fragmentation function for the pion. We present a simple estimate of the asymmetries due to each twist-3 effect from nucleon and pion, respectively, by fixing the overall strength of the relevant nonperturbative quantities by the data on the SSA A_N in $p^\uparrow p\to\pi X$ collision.Comment: 19 pages in LaTex. Some discussions added. To appear in Nucl. Phys.

Technologies for imaging neural activity in large volumes

Neural circuitry has evolved to form distributed networks that act dynamically across large volumes. Collecting data from individual planes, conventional microscopy cannot sample circuitry across large volumes at the temporal resolution relevant to neural circuit function and behaviors. Here, we review emerging technologies for rapid volume imaging of neural circuitry. We focus on two critical challenges: the inertia of optical systems, which limits image speed, and aberrations, which restrict the image volume. Optical sampling time must be long enough to ensure high-fidelity measurements, but optimized sampling strategies and point spread function engineering can facilitate rapid volume imaging of neural activity within this constraint. We also discuss new computational strategies for the processing and analysis of volume imaging data of increasing size and complexity. Together, optical and computational advances are providing a broader view of neural circuit dynamics, and help elucidate how brain regions work in concert to support behavior

Twist-3 Formalism for Single Transverse Spin Asymmetry Reexamined: Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering

We study the single spin asymmetry (SSA) for the pion production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering, $ep^\uparrow\to e\pi X$, in the framework of the collinear factorization. We derive the complete cross section formula associated with the twist-3 quark-gluon correlation functions for the transversely polarized nucleon, including all types of pole (hard-pole, soft-fermion-pole and soft-gluon-pole) contributions which produce the strong interaction phase necessary for SSA. We prove that the partonic hard part from each pole contribution satisfies certain constraints from Ward identities for color gauge invariance. We demonstrate that the use of these new constraints is crucial to reorganize the collinear expansion of the Feynman diagrams into manifestly gauge-invariant form so as to obtain the factorization formula for the cross section in terms of a complete set of the twist-3 distributions without any double counting. It also provides a simpler method for the actual calculation. We also present a simple estimate of SSA based on our cross section formula, using a model for the ``soft-gluon-pole function'' that represents the relevant twist-3 quark-gluon correlation, and compare the magnitude of the terms involving the derivative of the soft-gluon-pole function with that of the ``non-derivative'' terms.Comment: 38 pages, 11 figures. Final version, to appear in Nucl. Phys.

Found: High Surface Brightness Compact Galaxies

We are using the 2dF spectrograph to make a survey of all objects (`stars' and `galaxies') in a 12 sq.deg region towards the Fornax cluster. We have discovered a population of compact emission-line galaxies unresolved on photographic sky survey plates and therefore missing in most galaxy surveys based on such material. These galaxies are as luminous as normal field galaxies. Using H-alpha to estimate star formation they contribute at least an additional 5 per cent to the local star formation rate.Comment: To appear in "The Low Surface Brightness Universe", IAU Coll 171, eds. J.I. Davies et al., A.S.P. Conference Series. 3 pages, LaTex, 1 encapsulated ps-figure, requires paspconf.st

Decentralized Multi-Armed Bandit Can Outperform Classic Upper Confidence Bound

This paper studies a decentralized multi-armed bandit problem in a multi-agent network. The problem is simultaneously solved by N agents assuming they face a common set of M arms and share the same mean of each arm's reward. Each agent can receive information only from its neighbors, where the neighbor relations among the agents are described by a directed graph whose vertices represent agents and whose directed edges depict neighbor relations. A fully decentralized multi-armed bandit algorithm is proposed for each agent, which twists the classic consensus algorithm and upper confidence bound (UCB) algorithm. It is shown that the algorithm guarantees each agent to achieve a better logarithmic asymptotic regret than the classic UCB provided the neighbor graph is strongly connected. The regret can be further improved if the neighbor graph is undirected