Structured Prediction of Sequences and Trees using Infinite Contexts

Linguistic structures exhibit a rich array of global phenomena, however commonly used Markov models are unable to adequately describe these phenomena due to their strong locality assumptions. We propose a novel hierarchical model for structured prediction over sequences and trees which exploits global context by conditioning each generation decision on an unbounded context of prior decisions. This builds on the success of Markov models but without imposing a fixed bound in order to better represent global phenomena. To facilitate learning of this large and unbounded model, we use a hierarchical Pitman-Yor process prior which provides a recursive form of smoothing. We propose prediction algorithms based on A* and Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling. Empirical results demonstrate the potential of our model compared to baseline finite-context Markov models on part-of-speech tagging and syntactic parsing

Interactions between unidirectional quantized vortex rings

We have used the vortex filament method to numerically investigate the interactions between pairs of quantized vortex rings that are initially traveling in the same direction but with their axes offset by a variable impact parameter. The interaction of two circular rings of comparable radii produce outcomes that can be categorized into four regimes, dependent only on the impact parameter; the two rings can either miss each other on the inside or outside, or they can reconnect leading to final states consisting of either one or two deformed rings. The fraction of of energy went into ring deformations and the transverse component of velocity of the rings are analyzed for each regime. We find that rings of very similar radius only reconnect for a very narrow range of the impact parameter, much smaller than would be expected from geometrical cross-section alone. In contrast, when the radii of the rings are very different, the range of impact parameters producing a reconnection is close to the geometrical value. A second type of interaction considered is the collision of circular rings with a highly deformed ring. This type of interaction appears to be a productive mechanism for creating small vortex rings. The simulations are discussed in the context of experiments on colliding vortex rings and quantum turbulence in superfluid helium in the zero temperature limit

Failure mechanisms of graphene under tension

Recent experiments established pure graphene as the strongest material known to mankind, further invigorating the question of how graphene fails. Using density functional theory, we reveal the mechanisms of mechanical failure of pure graphene under a generic state of tension. One failure mechanism is a novel soft-mode phonon instability of the $K_1$-mode, whereby the graphene sheet undergoes a phase transition and is driven towards isolated benzene rings resulting in a reduction of strength. The other is the usual elastic instability corresponding to a maximum in the stress-strain curve. Our results indicate that finite wave vector soft modes can be the key factor in limiting the strength of monolayer materials

Proteoglycan neofunctions: regulation of inflammation and autophagy in cancer biology.

Inflammation and autophagy have emerged as prominent issues in the context of proteoglycan signaling. In particular, two small, leucine-rich proteoglycans, biglycan and decorin, play pivotal roles in the regulation of these vital cellular pathways and, as such, are intrinsically involved in cancer initiation and progression. In this minireview, we will address novel functions of biglycan and decorin in inflammation and autophagy, and analyze new emerging signaling events triggered by these proteoglycans, which directly or indirectly modulate these processes. We will critically discuss the dual role of proteoglycan-driven inflammation and autophagy in tumor biology, and delineate the potential mechanisms through which soluble extracellular matrix constituents affect the microenvironment associated with inflammatory and neoplastic diseases

Strong correlation effects and optical conductivity in electron doped cuprates

We demonstrate that most features ascribed to strong correlation effects in various spectroscopies of the cuprates are captured by a calculation of the self-energy incorporating effects of spin and charge fluctuations. The self energy is calculated over the full doping range of electron-doped cuprates from half filling to the overdoped system. The spectral function reveals four subbands, two widely split incoherent bands representing the remnant of the split Hubbard bands, and two additional coherent, spin- and charge-dressed in-gap bands split by a spin-density wave, which collapses in the overdoped regime. The incoherent features persist to high doping, producing a remnant Mott gap in the optical spectra, while transitions between the in-gap states lead to pseudogap features in the mid-infrared.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Impacts of reduced inequalities on quality education: Examining the relationship between regional sustainability and higher education

Although the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocate, through SDG 4 and SDG 10, equitable quality education and the reduction of inequalities within and between countries, respectively, few studies have examined how inequalities in regional sustainability influence higher education. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between regional sustainability and higher education in China using fixed-effects panel modelling. A systematic force framework showing how regional sustainability drives higher education was constructed from economic, social, and environmental perspectives, and the endogeneity in the process of how regional sustainability affects higher education was explored by introducing one-year lagged values as instrumental variables. Our results show that regional sustainability has a significant impact on higher educational attainment in China, with differing effects in the eastern, central, and western regions, respectively. In central China, economic sustainability plays a significant positive role in higher educational attainment; in the western region, economic and social sustainability have stronger positive effects, while environmental sustainability has significantly negative effects. In terms of policy implications, our findings can be used to support regional development policies to promote regional higher education