Memory-based understanding of user utterances in a spoken dialogue system:Effects of feature selection and co-learning

Understanding user utterances in human-computer spoken dialogue systems involves a multi-level pragmatic-semantic analysis of noisy natural language input streams. These analyses are heavily dependent on the dialogue context, and are complex due to the inherent ambiguity of language use, and to the errors induced by the intermediate speech recognition system. We review work on applying k-nearest-neighbour classification to this multi-level task split into (1) dialogue act classification, (2) slot filling identification, and (3) communication problem signalling, showing that co-learning some of these tasks produces superior results over learning them in isolation. We also show that additional feature selection can produce succinct feature sets, illustrating the viability of simple keyword-based shallow understanding.

The Tully-Fisher Zero Point Problem

A long standing problem for hierarchical disk galaxy formation models has been the simultaneous matching of the zero point of the Tully-Fisher relation and the galaxy luminosity function (LF). We illustrate this problem for a typical disk galaxy and discuss three solutions: low stellar mass-to-light ratios, low initial dark halo concentrations, and no halo contraction. We speculate that halo contraction may be reversed through a combination of mass ejection through feedback and angular momentum exchange brought about by dynamical friction between baryons and dark matter during the disk formation process.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in proceedings of "Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Disks", Rome, October 2007, Eds. J.G. Funes, S.J. and E.M. Corsin

MARITIME ESCALATION AND AMBIGUOUS THREATS: CHINA'S MARITIME MILITIA IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

This study explores the relationship between the escalation process and coercive effects achieved by the Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) in the People's Republic of China's (PRC) maritime irregular warfare campaign. Using qualitative research analysis, a comparative case study examined two cases in the South China Sea (SCS) in 2023: the Second Thomas Shoal blockade and the Iroquois Reef transformation. The case study data was mainly collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with subject matter experts during field research in Japan and the Philippines in September 2023. The findings indicate that the interaction between local escalation at sea and strategic escalation with the national tools of state power is a key element that influences the coercive effects of irregular threats in the maritime domain. The relationship between escalation and coercion is illustrated in a conceptual model that shows how intervention in the escalation process can reduce the effectiveness of maritime ambiguous threats. Extrapolating the findings, Western nations or allies could potentially reduce similar non-military maritime threats in other geographic regions, thereby improving the Western position in long-term competition with adversaries in the maritime domain.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Outstanding ThesisMajoor, Netherlands Marine Corp