Membrane instantons from a semiclassical TBA

The partition function on the three-sphere of ABJM theory contains non-perturbative corrections which correspond to membrane instantons in M-theory. These corrections can be studied in the Fermi gas approach to the partition function, and they are encoded in a system of integral equations of the TBA type. We study a semiclassical or WKB expansion of this TBA system in the ABJM coupling k, which corresponds to the strong coupling expansion of the type IIA string. This allows us to study membrane instanton corrections in M-theory at high order in the WKB expansion. Using these WKB results, we verify the conjectures for the form of the one-instanton correction at finite k proposed recently by Hatsuda, Moriyama and Okuyama (HMO), which are in turn based on a conjectural cancellation of divergences between worldsheet instantons and membrane instantons. The HMO cancellation mechanism is important since it shows in a precise, quantitative way, that the perturbative genus expansion is radically insufficient at strong coupling, and that non-perturbative membrane effects are essential to make sense of the theory. We propose analytic expressions in k for the full two-membrane instanton correction and for higher-order non-perturbative terms, which pass many consistency checks and provide further evidence for the HMO mechanism.Comment: 23 pages, one figure. v2: misprints correcte

A Strategy for Multilingual Spoken Language Understanding Based on Graphs of Linguistic Units

[EN] In this thesis, the problem of multilingual spoken language understanding is addressed using graphs to model and combine the different knowledge sources that take part in the understanding process. As a result of this work, a full multilingual spoken language understanding system has been developed, in which statistical models and graphs of linguistic units are used. One key feature of this system is its ability to combine and process multiple inputs provided by one or more sources such as speech recognizers or machine translators. A graph-based monolingual spoken language understanding system was developed as a starting point. The input to this system is a set of sentences that is provided by one or more speech recognition systems. First, these sentences are combined by means of a grammatical inference algorithm in order to build a graph of words. Next, the graph of words is processed to construct a graph of concepts by using a dynamic programming algorithm that identifies the lexical structures that represent the different concepts of the task. Finally, the graph of concepts is used to build the best sequence of concepts. The multilingual case happens when the user speaks a language different to the one natively supported by the system. In this thesis, a test-on-source approach was followed. This means that the input sentences are translated into the system's language, and then they are processed by the monolingual system. For this purpose, two speech translation systems were developed. The output of these speech translation systems are graphs of words that are then processed by the monolingual graph-based spoken language understanding system. Both in the monolingual case and in the multilingual case, the experimental results show that a combination of several inputs allows to improve the results obtained with a single input. In fact, this approach outperforms the current state of the art in many cases when several inputs are combined.[ES] En esta tesis se aborda el problema de la comprensión multilingüe del habla utilizando grafos para modelizar y combinar las diversas fuentes de conocimiento que intervienen en el proceso. Como resultado se ha desarrollado un sistema completo de comprensión multilingüe que utiliza modelos estadísticos y grafos de unidades lingüísticas. El punto fuerte de este sistema es su capacidad para combinar y procesar múltiples entradas proporcionadas por una o varias fuentes, como reconocedores de habla o traductores automáticos. Como punto de partida se desarrolló un sistema de comprensión multilingüe basado en grafos. La entrada a este sistema es un conjunto de frases obtenido a partir de uno o varios reconocedores de habla. En primer lugar, se aplica un algoritmo de inferencia gramatical que combina estas frases y obtiene un grafo de palabras. A continuación, se analiza el grafo de palabras mediante un algoritmo de programación dinámica que identifica las estructuras léxicas correspondientes a los distintos conceptos de la tarea, de forma que se construye un grafo de conceptos. Finalmente, se procesa el grafo de conceptos para encontrar la mejo secuencia de conceptos. El caso multilingüe ocurre cuando el usuario habla una lengua distinta a la original del sistema. En este trabajo se ha utilizado una estrategia test-on-source, en la cual las frases de entrada se traducen al lenguaje del sistema y éste las trata de forma monolingüe. Para ello se han propuesto dos sistemas de traducción del habla cuya salida son grafos de palabras, los cuales son procesados por el algoritmo de comprensión basado en grafos. Tanto en la configuración monolingüe como en la multilingüe los resultados muestran que la combinación de varias entradas permite mejorar los resultados obtenidos con una sola entrada. De hecho, esta aproximación consigue en muchos casos mejores resultados que el actual estado del arte cuando se utiliza una combinación de varias entradas.[CA] Aquesta tesi tracta el problema de la comprensió multilingüe de la parla utilitzant grafs per a modelitzar i combinar les diverses fonts de coneixement que intervenen en el procés. Com a resultat s'ha desenvolupat un sistema complet de comprensió multilingüe de la parla que utilitza models estadístics i grafs d'unitats lingüístiques. El punt fort d'aquest sistema és la seua capacitat per combinar i processar múltiples entrades proporcionades per una o diverses fonts, com reconeixedors de la parla o traductors automàtics. Com a punt de partida, es va desenvolupar un sistema de comprensió monolingüe basat en grafs. L'entrada d'aquest sistema és un conjunt de frases obtingut a partir d'un o més reconeixedors de la parla. En primer lloc, s'aplica un algorisme d'inferència gramatical que combina aquestes frases i obté un graf de paraules. A continuació, s'analitza el graf de paraules mitjançant un algorisme de programació dinàmica que identifica les estructures lèxiques corresponents als distints conceptes de la tasca, de forma que es construeix un graf de conceptes. Finalment, es processa aquest graf de conceptes per trobar la millor seqüència de conceptes. El cas multilingüe ocorre quan l'usuari parla una llengua diferent a l'original del sistema. En aquest treball s'ha utilitzat una estratègia test-on-source, en la qual les frases d'entrada es tradueixen a la llengua del sistema, i aquest les tracta de forma monolingüe. Per a fer-ho es proposen dos sistemes de traducció de la parla l'eixida dels quals són grafs de paraules. Aquests grafs són posteriorment processats per l'algorisme de comprensió basat en grafs. Tant per la configuració monolingüe com per la multilingüe els resultats mostren que la combinació de diverses entrades és capaç de millorar el resultats obtinguts utilitzant una sola entrada. De fet, aquesta aproximació aconsegueix en molts casos millors resultats que l'actual estat de l'art quan s'utilitza una combinació de diverses entrades.Calvo Lance, M. (2016). A Strategy for Multilingual Spoken Language Understanding Based on Graphs of Linguistic Units [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/62407TESI

Short-term effects of nitrogen deposition on soil microbial biomass in Calluna heathlands NW Spain: critical loads

We evaluate the short-term effects of different N deposition loads on nutrient dynamic of soil microbial biomass in Cantabrian heathlands. A surplus of 10 kg N ha-1 yr-1 above N background deposition was required to increase soil microbial biomass N content in old Calluna heathlands, while a surplus of 20 kg N ha-1 yr-1 was required in young ones. The increase of atmospheric N deposition showed no change in soil microbial biomass C content. This caused a decrease in C:N ratio with the highest N deposition loads, being linked to a bacterial biomass dominance against fungal dominance

Objective Competitiveness Ranking amongst EU Regions (Objective Method for Quantifying Regional Competitiveness - a case study applied to EU15 Regions)

Nowadays the key target of Cohesion Policy is to promote the creation of conditions to improve the growth, and to increase the factors that lead to a real convergence (Economic and Social Cohesion). An important group of these factors is found when considering the competitivity of a Region that implies, (even whitout existintg a clear definition), to consider at the same time two different levels: - The first one through the specific factors to improve the development of the resident managerial weave (Innovation, Research & Development, enterprises nets, labour market, training, support in the use of new technologies, servicies to entreprises, etc.). – The second one, improving the enviromental conditions for the development of such an managerial activity (Transport and comunication infrastructures, environment and sustainable developpment ,use of renewable energies, etc.) The objetcive of the present paper is to propose an objective way to consider the totalitiy of factors simultaneously, in order to obtain a ranking of the of the regional competitivity, and to study his changes in the time. For this, it will be used the data base “REGIO” and techniques of ranking belonging to multicriteria decision making. The analyzed period is from 1987 to 2002 which shows interesting results mainly when compared with other analyses carried out.

Resolving user queries using contextual information

When responding to a request from another person, human beings take into account non-verbal cues and relevant implicit contextual information to determine an appropriate response. In contrast, digital assistants do not currently take such contextual information into account. Thus, a digital assistant may provide a sub-optimal or contextually inappropriate response to the user’s request, or require the user to modify the original request iteratively until the user’s full intent is communicated. If the user permits, the techniques described in this disclosure enable a digital assistant to infer the user’s intent by using device and environmental sensors to extract available contextual information, e.g., noise level, the user’s tone of voice, the number of people in a room, objects in the room, temperature, time, location, weather, traffic, etc. The information is used, as permitted by the user, to determine an appropriate response to the user’s request

Intelligent assistant for music practice

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to techniques to automatically provide feedback and suggestions to musicians. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to provide real-time feedback to musicians based on audio and/or video of the musician playing music. The techniques of this disclosure use various input features, e.g., the musician’s practice piece; references from a database of musical scores, data from different sensors, e.g., microphones, cameras, etc. to analyze the musician’s playing and provide real-time feedback or suggestions for corrections to be made, e.g., changing the tempo, playing a sharp or flat note (acting as an intelligent tuner), suggestions of practice pieces, etc

Dynamically updated personalized recommendations for broadcast television

The large number of channels available on television can make the process of searching for the appropriate TV channel cumbersome and time consuming. This disclosure describes techniques to make real-time personalized recommendations for live TV programming, implemented with the user’s permission. The recommendations are based on the application of a trained machine learning model. Upon being turned on, the TV is automatically tuned to a channel showing the program that is identified as being most likely to be watched by the user, chosen from all programs available at that time. Further, the user is shown a dynamically updated personalized shortlist of other channels that are broadcasting programs of likely interest to the user. Further, a notification can be shown to alert the user when a channel other than the one currently being watched starts broadcasting a program the user is likely to find of greater interest that the one on the current channel

User-Tailored Language Training

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for language training. Language training can be tailored to a user’s skill level in the language. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to learn a user’s skill level in a language based on user communications in the language. Additionally, the one or more machine-learned models can provide tailored exercises to a user based on one or more learning objectives associated with the user

Economic and Social Cohesion in the EU: a critical approach

Economic and Social Cohesion is one of the principal aims of European Union according to the Treaty. Although it has a clear and rather well defined political dimension, there is not a unique definition that permits a technical definition. ¿Has an increase of Economic and Social Cohesion been observed in recent decades? ¿How could this be measured? To answer these two questions it is necessary to define, first, what is the acceptable degree of regional inequalities and, second, which could be the variables or indexes to measure it properly (not only GDP per capita). The aim of this paper is to propose new answers to the problem, using REGIO database and applying multicriteria methods. We have researched a new empirical approach to the European Cohesion and we have calculated the accomplishment of a higher Economic and Social Cohesion between the European regions. The period analysed is 1987-1999 and the results are rather shocking and suggestive, particularly compared to the ones arising from the most conventional analysis on the evolution of GDP per capita. Key words: Social and Economic Cohesion; Regional Convergence; EU Regional Policy, multicriteria methods.