A General, Sound and Efficient Natural Language Parsing Algorithm based on Syntactic Constraints Propagation

This paper presents a new context-free parsing algorithm based on a bidirectional strictly horizontal strategy which incorporates strong top–down predictions (deriva- tions and adjacencies). From a functional point of view, the parser is able to propagate syntactic constraints reducing parsing ambiguity. From a computational perspective, the algorithm includes different techniques aimed at the improvement of the manipu- lation and representation of the structures used

New Technique to Enhance the Performance of Spoken Dialogue Systems by Means of Implicit Recovery of ASR Errors

This paper proposes a new technique to implicitly correct some ASR errors made by spoken dialogue systems, which is implemented at two levels: statistical and linguistic. The goal of the former level is to employ for the correction knowledge extracted from the analysis of a training corpus comprised of utterances and their corresponding ASR results. The outcome of the analysis is a set of syntactic-semantic models and a set of lexical models, which are optimally selected during the correction. The goal of the correction at the linguistic level is to repair errors not detected during the statistical level which affects the semantics of the sentences. Experiments carried out with a previouslydeveloped spoken dialogue system for the fast food domain indicate that the technique allows enhancing word accuracy, spoken language understanding and task completion by 8.5%, 16.54% and 44.17% absolute, respectively.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIN2007-64718 HAD

Towards Emotion Recognition: A Persistent Entropy Application

Emotion recognition and classification is a very active area of research. In this paper, we present a first approach to emotion classification using persistent entropy and support vector machines. A topology-based model is applied to obtain a single real number from each raw signal. These data are used as input of a support vector machine to classify signals into 8 different emotions (calm, happy, sad, angry, fearful, disgust and surprised)

Maude: specification and programming in rewriting logic

Maude is a high-level language and a high-performance system supporting executable specification and declarative programming in rewriting logic. Since rewriting logic contains equational logic, Maude also supports equational specification and programming in its sublanguage of functional modules and theories. The underlying equational logic chosen for Maude is membership equational logic, that has sorts, subsorts, operator overloading, and partiality definable by membership and equality conditions. Rewriting logic is reflective, in the sense of being able to express its own metalevel at the object level. Reflection is systematically exploited in Maude endowing the language with powerful metaprogramming capabilities, including both user-definable module operations and declarative strategies to guide the deduction process. This paper explains and illustrates with examples the main concepts of Maude's language design, including its underlying logic, functional, system and object-oriented modules, as well as parameterized modules, theories, and views. We also explain how Maude supports reflection, metaprogramming and internal strategies. The paper outlines the principles underlying the Maude system implementation, including its semicompilation techniques. We conclude with some remarks about applications, work on a formal environment for Maude, and a mobile language extension of Maude

Effect of Moderate Consumption of Different Phenolic-Content Beers on the Human Gut Microbiota Composition: A Randomized Crossover Trial

The moderate consumption of beer has been associated with positive effects on health, and these benefits are driven, in part, by the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds found in this beverage. However, the potential impact of beer polyphenols on the human gut microbiome and their consequences are yet to be elucidated. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the effect of three different phenolic-content beers on the gut microbiome and the potential role of the induced shifts in the antioxidant capacity of beer polyphenols. In total, 20 subjects (10 healthy volunteers and 10 individuals with metabolic syndrome) were randomly assigned in a crossover design to consume each of the different beers (alcohol-free, lager or dark beer) during a 2-week intervention. Significant changes in the relative abundance of Streptococcaceae and Streptococcus were found after beer consumption. An increased abundance of Streptococcaceae and Streptococcus was observed after the consumption of dark beer, with no detected differences between baseline and alcohol-free/lager beer intervention. Moreover, some of the detected differences appeared to be related to the metabolic status. Finally, a decrease in porphyrin metabolism and heme biosynthesis was found after the intervention, especially after the consumption of dark beer. These results show that the antioxidant capacity of beer polyphenols may induce positive shifts in gut microbiota composition, and some of the observed changes may also boost the antioxidant capacity of these compoundsM.Q.-M. was supported by a Manuel de Oya Research fellowship from Foro para la Investigación de la Cerveza y Estilos de Vida (FICYE). I.M.-I. and C.G.-R. were supported by the Miguel Servet Type I program and P.R.-L. by the Sara Borrell program both of the Carlos III Health Institute (co-founded by the European Regional Development Fund-ERDF-) (CP16/00163, CP20/00066 and CD19/00216, respectively). In addition, this study was supported by the “Network of Centers for Biomedical Research” (CIBER) of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) (CB06/03/0018), research grants from the ISCIII (PI18/01160, PI21/01677) and co-financed by the Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Relationship between olive oil consumption and ankle-brachial pressure index in a population at high cardiovascular risk

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to ascertain the association between the consumption of different categories of edible olive oils (virgin olive oils and olive oil) and olive pomace oil and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) in participants in the PREDIMED-Plus study, a trial of lifestyle modification for weight and cardiovascular event reduction in individuals with overweight/obesity harboring the metabolic syndrome. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Consumption of any category of olive oil and olive pomace oil was assessed through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to assess associations between olive oil consumption and ABI. Additionally, ABI ≤1 was considered as the outcome in logistic models with different categories of olive oil and olive pomace oil as exposure. Results: Among 4330 participants, the highest quintile of total olive oil consumption (sum of all categories of olive oil and olive pomace oil) was associated with higher mean values of ABI (beta coefficient: 0.014, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.002, 0.027) (p for trend = 0.010). Logistic models comparing the consumption of different categories of olive oils, olive pomace oil and ABI ≤1 values revealed an inverse association between virgin olive oils consumption and the likelihood of a low ABI (odds ratio [OR] 0.73, 95% CI [0.56, 0.97]), while consumption of olive pomace oil was positively associated with a low ABI (OR 1.22 95% CI [1.00, 1.48]). Conclusions: In a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk, total olive oil consumption was associated with a higher mean ABI. These results suggest that olive oil consumption may be beneficial for peripheral artery disease prevention, but longitudinal studies are needed