Few-Shot and Zero-Shot Learning for Historical Text Normalization

Historical text normalization often relies on small training datasets. Recent work has shown that multi-task learning can lead to significant improvements by exploiting synergies with related datasets, but there has been no systematic study of different multi-task learning architectures. This paper evaluates 63~multi-task learning configurations for sequence-to-sequence-based historical text normalization across ten datasets from eight languages, using autoencoding, grapheme-to-phoneme mapping, and lemmatization as auxiliary tasks. We observe consistent, significant improvements across languages when training data for the target task is limited, but minimal or no improvements when training data is abundant. We also show that zero-shot learning outperforms the simple, but relatively strong, identity baseline.Comment: Accepted at DeepLo-201

The effects of transnationalisation on the organizational structure of the Russian fuel and energy companies

The article deals with changes in economic and organizational structure of enterprises in connection with the transnationalization of their business, namely the transformation into a multinational group of enterprises, formation of special purpose structures in the company

Features of the ancestral bilaterian inferred from Platynereis dumerilii ParaHox genes

Background The ParaHox gene cluster is the evolutionary sister to the Hox cluster. Whilst the role of the Hox cluster in patterning the anterior-posterior axis of bilaterian animals is well established, and the organisation of vertebrate Hox clusters is intimately linked to gene regulation, much less is known about the more recently discovered ParaHox cluster. ParaHox gene clustering, and its relationship to expression, has only been described in deuterostomes. Conventional protostome models (Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans) are secondarily derived with respect to ParaHox genes, suffering gene loss and cluster break-up. Results We provide the first evidence for ParaHox gene clustering from a less-derived protostome animal, the annelid Platynereis dumerilii. Clustering of these genes is thus not a sole preserve of the deuterostome lineage within Bilateria. This protostome ParaHox cluster is not entirely intact however, with Pdu-Cdx being on the opposite end of the same chromosome arm from Pdu-Gsx and Pdu-Xlox. From the genomic sequence around the P. dumerilii ParaHox genes the neighbouring genes are identified, compared with other taxa, and the ancestral arrangement deduced. Conclusion We relate the organisation of the ParaHox genes to their expression, and from comparisons with other taxa hypothesise that a relatively complex pattern of ParaHox gene expression existed in the protostome-deuterostome ancestor, which was secondarily simplified along several invertebrate lineages. Detailed comparisons of the gene content around the ParaHox genes enables the reconstruction of the genome surrounding the ParaHox cluster of the protostome-deuterostome ancestor, which existed over 550 million years ago.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Quality management implementation in Russian automotive industry. Case: PKC Group Russian unit "AEK".

This thesis discusses about TQM, automotive industry and quality standards. The objective of the study is to define the problems existing within TQM system in Russian automotive industry and to analyze the ways to overcome these problems. A Finnish-Russian factory “AEK”, which produces wiring harnesses for trucks, is used as a case company. The chosen research method is qualitative. The data is collected through interviews with quality managers of the case company. The theoretical section is based on the literature concerning the TQM and scientific articles about TQM in Russia. The conclusions are based on the analysis of theoretical and empirical sections of the research. The findings of this research show that there are certain difficulties in implementing TQM system in Russian factories. Specific factors such as cultural and economical development affect on quality management system. But despite of this, the possibility of successful TQM implementation in Russian factories is relatively high

Features of consumer behavior of Russian tourists in duty-free shops

In the modern world, a new category of travelers (global shoppers) has appeared. They are people who spend their time for shopping on abroad trips. The article considers the problem of understanding the consumer behavior of Russian tourists (Russian global shoppers) in duty-free shops. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of consumer behavior, motives and habits of Russian tourists when shopping at duty free stores at airports. A pilot study was conducted by questionnaire survey at the airport. The results of the study showed that Russian tourists consider shopping (duty free) as part of their trip abroad. They are looking for a favorable price / quality ratio. Many of them do not plan their shopping in advance, but adhere to certain budget restrictions. The paper offers suggestions to improve customer satisfaction. The results of the study are useful for business persons and marketing managers in the international trade sphere