A comparison of homonym meaning frequency estimates derived from movie and television subtitles, free association, and explicit ratings

First Online: 10 September 2018Most words are ambiguous, with interpretation dependent on context. Advancing theories of ambiguity resolution is important for any general theory of language processing, and for resolving inconsistencies in observed ambiguity effects across experimental tasks. Focusing on homonyms (words such as bank with unrelated meanings EDGE OF A RIVER vs. FINANCIAL INSTITUTION), the present work advances theories and methods for estimating the relative frequency of their meanings, a factor that shapes observed ambiguity effects. We develop a new method for estimating meaning frequency based on the meaning of a homonym evoked in lines of movie and television subtitles according to human raters. We also replicate and extend a measure of meaning frequency derived from the classification of free associates. We evaluate the internal consistency of these measures, compare them to published estimates based on explicit ratings of each meaning’s frequency, and compare each set of norms in predicting performance in lexical and semantic decision mega-studies. All measures have high internal consistency and show agreement, but each is also associated with unique variance, which may be explained by integrating cognitive theories of memory with the demands of different experimental methodologies. To derive frequency estimates, we collected manual classifications of 533 homonyms over 50,000 lines of subtitles, and of 357 homonyms across over 5000 homonym–associate pairs. This database—publicly available at: www.blairarmstrong.net/homonymnorms/—constitutes a novel resource for computational cognitive modeling and computational linguistics, and we offer suggestions around good practices for its use in training and testing models on labeled data

CHANGES IN THE DYNAMICS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITY OF ANIMALS ON THE DAY OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF AUGUST 1, 2008

According to the observations of the total solar eclipse of August 1, 2008 changes in the daily dynamics of air temperature, wind speed and behavioral activity of animals, especially day-time insects were recorded. It was found out that the decline and subsequent recovery of meteorological and biological indicators follow the progress of illumination values with a slight time delay

ВЛИЯНИЕ ГИБРИДНОГО НАПОЛНЕНИЯ КОРОТКИМ СТЕКЛОВОЛОКНОМ И ТЕРМОРАСШИРЕННЫМ ГРАФИТОМ НА СТРУКТУРУ И СВОЙСТВА ПОЛИЭТИЛЕНТЕРЕФТАЛАТА

The effect of short glass fibers (GFs) and thermally expanded graphite (TEG), added to polyethyleneterephtalate (PET), on mechanical, including dynamical mechanical, and rheological properties, as well as the structural features of the produced composites is studied. Compounding with the PET melt is realized by reactive extrusion using a co-rotating twin screw extruder-reactor with L / D = 40. Analyzed composites contained from 15 to 60 wt. % of GFs, and the TEG concentration was 0.5 and 3.0 wt. It is found that hybrid filling of PET results in a synergetic increase of the tensile modulus of the composites reaching the values more than 22 GPa, as well as that of the dynamic shear modulus in a wide temperature range. Adding TEG into PET/GF composites increases the degree of binder crystallinity. An effect of an anomalous decrease in the intrinsic viscosity of PET solutions and an increase in the melt flow index of the melt composites observed at higher GF concentrations is attributed to a deeper degradation of polymer. Исследовано влияние добавок коротких стеклянных волокон (СВ) и терморасширенного графита (ТРГ), вводимых в полиэтилентерефталат (ПЭТ), на механические, в том числе динамические механические, и реологические свойства, а также особенности структуры получаемых композитов. Компаундирование материалов осуществляли смешением в расплаве ПЭТ методом реакционной экструзии при использовании двухшнекового реактора-смесителя с односторонним вращением шнеков и L / D = 40. Исследуемые композиты содержали от 15 до 60 мас. % СВ, а концентрация ТРГ составляла 0,5 и 3,0 мас. %. Показано, что при гибридном наполнении ПЭТ наблюдается синергическое повышение модуля упругости композитов, предельные значения которого превышают 22 ГПа, а также динамического модуля сдвига в широком интервале температур. При введении ТРГ в композиты ПЭТ/СВ повышается кристалличность связующего. Обнаружен эффект аномального снижения характеристической вязкости растворов ПЭТ и повышения текучести расплава композитов при повышенной >30 мас. % концентрации наполнителей, что обусловлено углублением деструкции макромолекул.

Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology

We present an extensive, large-scale, long-term and multitaxon database on phenological and climatic variation, involving 506,186 observation dates acquired in 471 localities in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The data cover the period 1890-2018, with 96% of the data being from 1960 onwards. The database is rich in plants, birds and climatic events, but also includes insects, amphibians, reptiles and fungi. The database includes multiple events per species, such as the onset days of leaf unfolding and leaf fall for plants, and the days for first spring and last autumn occurrences for birds. The data were acquired using standardized methods by permanent staff of national parks and nature reserves (87% of the data) and members of a phenological observation network (13% of the data). The database is valuable for exploring how species respond in their phenology to climate change. Large-scale analyses of spatial variation in phenological response can help to better predict the consequences of species and community responses to climate change.Peer reviewe

Phenological shifts of abiotic events, producers and consumers across a continent

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes. The authors use systematic monitoring across the former USSR to investigate phenological changes across taxa. The long-term mean temperature of a site emerged as a strong predictor of phenological change, with further imprints of trophic level, event timing, site, year and biotic interactions.Peer reviewe

Adaptive control of linear Stirling cryogenic coolers

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Fundamental concepts of space-time in unified theories of philosophical interactions

A system of the mine power supply is considered in the paper aiming at the collection establishment of main dependences and laws of the control object displacement. The development of models, structures, algorithms of the functioning, methods and means for the effective control of mine power supply systems is also the aim of the paper. As a result the hierarchical structure model of the control distribution system, making it possible to estimate the degree of the information packing (aggregation) has been developed as well as the method of the control system analysis, consisting of the division of the controlled object set on separate subsets. The automatic-decomposition model, functioning algorithms, structures and new principles of the technical realization of the multilevel system for the mine power supply automated control have been created as well as the universal devices on microprocessor controllers, realizing the functions of the distributed system logical control. Scientific statements, conclusions and recommendations have been realized in the form of normative-technical and methodical documents, introduced on coal mines of main basins. There in the economic effectAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio

Bioelectrochemical Properties of Enzyme-Containing Multilayer Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules Modified with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

This work investigated changes in the biochemical parameters of multilayer membrane structures, emerging at their modification with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The structures were represented by polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PMCs) containing glucose oxidase (GOx). PMCs were made using sodium polystyrene sulfonate (polyanion) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (polycation). Three compositions were considered: with MWCNTs incorporated between polyelectrolyte layers; with MWCNTs inserted into the hollow of the microcapsule; and with MWCNTs incorporated simultaneously into the hollow and between polyelectrolyte layers. The impedance spectra showed modifications using MWCNTs to cause a significant decrease in the PMC active resistance from 2560 to 25 kOhm. The cyclic current–voltage curves featured a current rise at modifications of multilayer MWCNT structures. A PMC-based composition was the basis of a receptor element of an amperometric biosensor. The sensitivity of glucose detection by the biosensor was 0.30 and 0.05 μA/mM for PMCs/MWCNTs/GOx and PMCs/GOx compositions, respectively. The biosensor was insensitive to the presence of ethanol or citric acid in the sample. Polyelectrolyte microcapsules based on a multilayer membrane incorporating the enzyme and MWCNTs can be efficient in developing biosensors and microbial fuel cells