Measuring efficiency in high-accuracy, broad-coverage statistical parsing

Very little attention has been paid to the comparison of efficiency between high accuracy statistical parsers. This paper proposes one machine-independent metric that is general enough to allow comparisons across very different parsing architectures. This metric, which we call ``events considered'', measures the number of ``events'', however they are defined for a particular parser, for which a probability must be calculated, in order to find the parse. It is applicable to single-pass or multi-stage parsers. We discuss the advantages of the metric, and demonstrate its usefulness by using it to compare two parsers which differ in several fundamental ways.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

The effects of closed loop tracking on a subjective tilt threshold in the roll axis

The indifference thresholds for the perception of tilt in the roll axis were experimentally determined in a moving base simulator under three tracking task difficulties. The threshold level determined in this experiment is approximately 5 to 7 degrees (.lg)

A computerized program for statistical treatment of biological data

Biologists frequently conduct experiments which measure the patterns of inactivation of bacterial populations after exposure to a lethal environment. A computer program is discussed which calculates many of the quantities that have proven to be useful in the analysis of such experimental data

The determination of quantitative microbial sampling requirements for Apollo module

Quantitative microbial sampling requirements for Apollo module

Can local institutions reduce poverty? Rural decentralization in Burkina Faso

The authors present evidence that in Burkina Faso, certain high-performing local institutions contribute to equitable economic development. They link reduced levels of poverty, and inequality to a high degree of internal village organization. The structure of these high-performing local organizations means they can exist in a number of African countries, because they depend more on internal participation, rather than on nay one country's cultural assets. The authors find that: 1) Service-asset management groups (SAMs) - one of three local institutions identified in the study - have helped to significantly reduce inequality in participating households. SAMs are a fusion of long-standing development committees, and indigenous management councils that collectively manage community assets, such as water. SAMs have combined the productivity goals of growth, with the values of equity, and solidarity. 2) Current development approaches use growth as an initiator, assuming that surpluses will be used to benefit the poor. SAMs, and other local institutions in Burkina Faso, start with equity, and solidarity, and aim for a result of growth, and development. 3) Internal participation is essential for SAMs to function. Only locally anchored participation can power the realignments, and institutional revisions needed to scale up development action. SAMs, and other local institutions have launched their communities on equitable growth paths, and are reducing poverty with little, or no outside assistance, despite severe resource constraints. Their impact could be enormous if external development resources augmented their potential. World Bank programs, and policy interventions could build on local strength, and make their activities more sustainable by mapping local institutions to guide new initiatives in pro-poor investment, and using that mapping to formalize, and increase internal local participation - expanding nationwide by using a network of local institutions. SAMs, and other local institutions, could be the vehicle for ensuring transparency, and accountability. Working with the results of local activities, national policies could favor the development of indigenously based, but externally oriented local economies.Decentralization,Regional Rural Development,Public Health Promotion,Enterprise Development&Reform,Economic Theory&Research,Regional Rural Development,Health Economics&Finance,Poverty Assessment,Governance Indicators,National Governance

Effect of Turf Fungicides on Earthworms

Numerous turf fungicides were tested under various conditions for possible deleterious effects upon the earthworm Eisenla foetida. Earthworms treated by immersion for one minute in 0.1% solutions of 10 different fungicides died insignificant numbers after benomyl and thiophanate methyl treatments. After 1% fungicide treatments, there was significant mortality from benomyl, ethazole, Kromad, and thiophanate methyl fungicides. With 2% fungicide solutions, significant numbers died after benomyl, cadmium succinate, ethazole, thiophanate methyl, and thiram treatments. Earthworms fed bermudagrass clippings treated with 10 different fungicides showed a significant decrease in longevity from clippings treated with benomyl, dinocap, ethazole, and thiophanate methyl. Earthworms reared for 84 days in soil treated with 15 different turf fungicides showed a significant decrease in longevity from soil treated with aniyaline, benomyl, chlorothalonil, Duoson, ethazole, fenaminosulf, Kromad, mancozeb, PCNB, thiabendazole, thiophanate methyl, and thiram. Cadmium succinate, dinocap, and RP 26019 did not cause a decrease in longevity. There was no reproduction by worms in soil treated with Duosan, PCNB, thiophanate methyl, and thiram, and only trace amounts in soil treated with chlorothalonil, ethazole, and Kromad. The toxicity of benomyl, thiabendazole, and thiophanate methyl to earthworms was confirmed in the present study, and additional fungicides used for turf disease control were also found to cause significant amounts of mortality