Speeding up Context-based Sentence Representation Learning with Non-autoregressive Convolutional Decoding

Context plays an important role in human language understanding, thus it may also be useful for machines learning vector representations of language. In this paper, we explore an asymmetric encoder-decoder structure for unsupervised context-based sentence representation learning. We carefully designed experiments to show that neither an autoregressive decoder nor an RNN decoder is required. After that, we designed a model which still keeps an RNN as the encoder, while using a non-autoregressive convolutional decoder. We further combine a suite of effective designs to significantly improve model efficiency while also achieving better performance. Our model is trained on two different large unlabelled corpora, and in both cases the transferability is evaluated on a set of downstream NLP tasks. We empirically show that our model is simple and fast while producing rich sentence representations that excel in downstream tasks

Rethinking Skip-thought: A Neighborhood based Approach

We study the skip-thought model with neighborhood information as weak supervision. More specifically, we propose a skip-thought neighbor model to consider the adjacent sentences as a neighborhood. We train our skip-thought neighbor model on a large corpus with continuous sentences, and then evaluate the trained model on 7 tasks, which include semantic relatedness, paraphrase detection, and classification benchmarks. Both quantitative comparison and qualitative investigation are conducted. We empirically show that, our skip-thought neighbor model performs as well as the skip-thought model on evaluation tasks. In addition, we found that, incorporating an autoencoder path in our model didn't aid our model to perform better, while it hurts the performance of the skip-thought model

Can Online Wait Be Managed? The Effect of Filler Interfaces and Presentation Modes on Perceived Waiting Time Online

This is the published version. Copyright 2012 MIS Quarterly.Long waits online undermine users’ evaluations of Web sites and their providers, triggering abandonment behaviors. Yet e-business researchers and practitioners have not perfected mechanisms to respond to online wait issues. A filler interface that runs during the wait for search results may influence online users’ perceived waiting time (PWT); however, no scientific investigation has attempted to design effective filler interfaces for managing online waits. By adopting resource allocation theory, cognitive absorption theory, and human computer interaction (HCI) theories (competition for attention, visual search, and motion effect), we design diverse filler interfaces and investigate their effects on antecedents of PWT. The proposed research model considers cognitive absorption factors such as temporal dissociation, focused immersion, and heightened enjoyment as antecedents of PWT, which in turn triggers three outcomes: affective appraisals, cognitive appraisals, and Web site use intention. A multistage, multimethod approach is used to test the research hypotheses. In the first stage, we compare a filler interface condition with a no-filler interface condition, and find the superiority of a filler interface with respect to inducing focused immersion and temporal dissociation. In the second stage, we conduct two controlled experiments to examine whether filler interfaces with various designs (varying the presence and relevance of image, text, and image motion) distinctly influence antecedents of PWT and confirm their distinctive effects on focused immersion, temporal dissociation, and heightened enjoyment. In addition, by conducting a structural equation modeling analysis, we find that our research model explains 51 percent, 51 percent, 44 percent, and 45 percent of the variance in PWT, affective appraisals, cognitive appraisals, and Web site use intention respectively. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are provided

Dyspnea assessment and pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis: Utility of the University of California, San Diego, Shortness of Breath Questionnaire

Objective The University of California in San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (UCSD SOBQ) has been used to assess dyspnea‐related activity limitation in patients with airway and parenchymal lung disease. We sought to assess the construct validity and responsiveness of the UCSD SOBQ in systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) patients with incident pulmonary hypertension (PH) and those at high risk of developing PH. Methods We used data from 179 patients enrolled in the Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma Registry with pre‐PH (defined by criteria on pulmonary function tests and/or echocardiogram) or definite PH with mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mm Hg by right‐sided heart catheterization within 6 months of enrollment. For this analysis, we included those subjects with complete data for self‐reported measures at baseline and at 12 months. Results At baseline, the UCSD SOBQ had strong correlations in the expected direction with the disability index (DI) of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001), dyspnea assessment by visual analog scale (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001), and the Short Form 36 (SF‐36) health survey physical component summary (PCS) score (r = −0.77, P < 0.0001), as well as a moderate correlation with the 6‐minute walk test distance (r = −0.33, P < 0.0001), Borg dyspnea score (r = 0.47, P < 0.0001), and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (r = −0.33, P < 0.0001). Change in the UCSD SOBQ at 12 months correlated in the expected direction with change in the HAQ DI (r = 0.54, P < 0.0001) and change in the SF‐36 PCS (r = −0.44, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, and race identified male sex as a significant predictor of death (odds ratio [OR] 7.00, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.55–31.76), while the UCSD SOBQ showed a strong trend toward significance (OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.97–3.41). Conclusions The UCSD SOBQ demonstrates good construct validity and responsiveness to change in SSc patients with pulmonary vascular disease.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96723/1/21827_ftp.pd

Data-driven smart buildings: Narratives of drivers and barriers from real-world implementations

Progress in the digitalisation of building services has been slow. Data-driven insights combined with innovative business models have the potential to unlockvalue. Yet barriers associated with implementing smart building technologies in the real worldinclude an unclear value proposition, differing stakeholder perspectives, and limited evidence of the benefits and disbenefits. This paper reports ongoingwork within the International Energy Agency Annex 81, “Data-driven smart buildings, ”to understandthe current technology landscape and opportunities by implementingdata-driven building servicesin non-domestic buildings. Several case studies were collected fromaround the world, contributed by Annex81 participants. This paper discusses stakeholder narratives on the value proposition and lessons learnt from the case studies collected and gives practical suggestions to overcomedigitalisation barriers

Mn-Intercalated MoSe2_2 under pressure: electronic structure and vibrational characterization of a dilute magnetic semiconductor

Intercalation offers a promising way to alter the physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials. Here we investigate the electronic and vibrational properties of 2D layered MoSe$_2$ intercalated with atomic manganese at ambient and high pressure up to 7 GPa by Raman scattering and electronic structure calculations. The behavior of optical phonons is studied experimentally with a diamond anvil cell and computationally through density functional theory calculations. Experiment and theory show excellent agreement in optical phonon behavior. The previously Raman inactive A$_{2u}$ mode is activated and enhanced with intercalation and pressure, and a new Raman mode appears upon decompression, indicating a possible onset of a localized structural transition, involving the bonding or trapping of intercalant in 2D layered materials. Density functional theory calculations reveal a shift of Fermi level into the conduction band and spin polarization in Mn$_x$MoSe$_2$ that increases at low Mn concentration and low pressure. Our results suggest that intercalation and pressurization of van der Waals materials may allow one to obtain dilute magnetic semiconductors with controllable properties, providing a viable route for the development of new materials for spintronic applications.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Examining Factors Influencing Behavioral Intentions to Use Asynchronous Web-Based Language Learning

Over the past few years, the prevalence of web-based applications in school and at home makes learning and teaching through the Internet become an inevitable way in education. With great potentials for enriching all kinds of educational applications, web-based instruction is becoming an impressive apparatus for learning resource delivering. In this study, an asynchronous web-based language learning (AWBLL) system is employed in a vocational-technical college in Taiwan to support undergraduate English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. Drawing on the concepts from theory of reasoned action, technology acceptance model and social cognitive theory, this study proposed a comprehensive model and developed an instrument for measuring students’ intentions to use AWBLL Systems. The research findings indicate that students in EFL show great readiness to and positive intentions towards the system for EFL courses and exposed a possible benefit from its use in the long run. However, they also convey some negative opinions of the AWBLL system, suggesting additional improvement of the relative underlying factors of AWBLL technology. The results can proffer useful suggestions for web-based language learning, as well as serve as instrumental guidelines for web-based system to be effectively implemented with care to avoid attenuating students’ interests and activations

Immunochemistry of Elastotic Material in Sun-Damaged Skin

The nature of elastotic material in sun-damaged human skin was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence. Antibodies were used against the following components of the dermis: type I and type VI collagens, aminopropeptide of type I and type III procollagens, fibronectin, elastin, microfibrillar proteins, and basement membrane represented by the 7S domain of type IV collagen, laminin, and nidogen. The elastotic material exhibited marked fluorescence for elastin and microfibrillar proteins which codistributed with fibronectin. The presence of type I and VI collagens and procollagen type III were demonstrated to a lesser extent within the elastotic material. These results suggest that solar elastosis is primarily derived from elastic fibers and not from preexisting or newly synthesized collagens