Neural Machine Translation into Language Varieties

Both research and commercial machine translation have so far neglected the importance of properly handling the spelling, lexical and grammar divergences occurring among language varieties. Notable cases are standard national varieties such as Brazilian and European Portuguese, and Canadian and European French, which popular online machine translation services are not keeping distinct. We show that an evident side effect of modeling such varieties as unique classes is the generation of inconsistent translations. In this work, we investigate the problem of training neural machine translation from English to specific pairs of language varieties, assuming both labeled and unlabeled parallel texts, and low-resource conditions. We report experiments from English to two pairs of dialects, EuropeanBrazilian Portuguese and European-Canadian French, and two pairs of standardized varieties, Croatian-Serbian and Indonesian-Malay. We show significant BLEU score improvements over baseline systems when translation into similar languages is learned as a multilingual task with shared representations.Comment: Published at EMNLP 2018: third conference on machine translation (WMT 2018

Transfer Learning in Multilingual Neural Machine Translation with Dynamic Vocabulary

We propose a method to transfer knowledge across neural machine translation (NMT) models by means of a shared dynamic vocabulary. Our approach allows to extend an initial model for a given language pair to cover new languages by adapting its vocabulary as long as new data become available (i.e., introducing new vocabulary items if they are not included in the initial model). The parameter transfer mechanism is evaluated in two scenarios: i) to adapt a trained single language NMT system to work with a new language pair and ii) to continuously add new language pairs to grow to a multilingual NMT system. In both the scenarios our goal is to improve the translation performance, while minimizing the training convergence time. Preliminary experiments spanning five languages with different training data sizes (i.e., 5k and 50k parallel sentences) show a significant performance gain ranging from +3.85 up to +13.63 BLEU in different language directions. Moreover, when compared with training an NMT model from scratch, our transfer-learning approach allows us to reach higher performance after training up to 4% of the total training steps.Comment: Published at the International Workshop on Spoken Language Translation (IWSLT), 201

Quark Model and Neutral Strange Secondary Production by Neutrino and Antineutrino Beams

The experimental data on $K^0$ and $\Lambda$ production by $\nu$ and $\bar{\nu}$ beams are compared with the predictions of quark model assuming that the direct production of secondaries dominates. Disagreement of these predictions with the data allows one to suppose that there exists considerable resonance decay contribution to the multiplicities of produced secondaries.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, 2 table

СОЦИАЛЬНАЯ ОБУСЛОВЛЕННОСТЬ КОННОТАТИВНОГО ЗНАЧЕНИЯ СЛОВА

Many practical and theoretical problems in the area of lexical connotation are not decided until now, although a lot of publications and works in this field. In this article the connotation is considered as sociopsycholinguistical phenomenon that depends on the functioning the word in the communicative situation. Within such model of connotation we can mark out the sociolinguistical (subsystems) components of connotation. These subsystems components indicate the subsystem the word belongs to. In the article the problems of boundaries fuzziness of subsystem connotations and conditionality of these boundaries are demonstrated on the material of informal, low colloquial and slang Russian words, their marks in dictionaries and their appreciation of native speakers (students)

Impact of Tide-Topography Interactions on Basal Melting of Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica

Basal melting of ice shelves around Antarctica contributes to formation of Antarctic Bottom Water and can affect global sea level by altering the offshore flow of grounded ice streams and glaciers. Tides influence ice shelf basal melt rate (w(b)) by contributing to ocean mixing and mean circulation as well as thermohaline exchanges with the ice shelf. We use a three-dimensional ocean model, thermodynamically coupled to a nonevolving ice shelf, to investigate the relationship between topography, tides, and w(b) for Larsen C Ice Shelf (LCIS) in the northwestern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Using our best estimates of ice shelf thickness and seabed topography, we find that the largest modeled LCIS melt rates occur in the northeast, where our model predicts strong diurnal tidal currents (similar to 0.4 m s(-1)). This distribution is significantly different from models with no tidal forcing, which predict largest melt rates along the deep grounding lines. We compare several model runs to explore melt rate sensitivity to geometry, initial ocean potential temperature (theta(0)), thermodynamic parameterizations of heat and freshwater ice-ocean exchange, and tidal forcing. The resulting range of LCIS-averaged w(b) is similar to 0.11-0.44 m a(-1). The spatial distribution of w(b) is very sensitive to model geometry and thermodynamic parameterization while the overall magnitude of w(b) is influenced by theta(0). These sensitivities in w(b) predictions reinforce a need for high-resolution maps of ice draft and sub-ice-shelf seabed topography together with ocean temperature measurements at the ice shelf front to improve representation of ice shelves in coupled climate system models

Multi-wavelength observations of afterglow of GRB 080319B and the modeling constraints

We present observations of the afterglow of GRB 080319B at optical, mm and radio frequencies from a few hours to 67 days after the burst. Present observations along with other published multi-wavelength data have been used to study the light-curves and spectral energy distributions of the burst afterglow. The nature of this brightest cosmic explosion has been explored based on the observed properties and it's comparison with the afterglow models. Our results show that the observed features of the afterglow fits equally good with the Inter Stellar Matter and the Stellar Wind density profiles of the circum-burst medium. In case of both density profiles, location of the maximum synchrotron frequency $\nu_m$ is below optical and the value of cooling break frequency $\nu_c$ is below $X-$rays, $\sim 10^{4}$s after the burst. Also, the derived value of the Lorentz factor at the time of naked eye brightness is $\sim 300$ with the corresponding blast wave size of $\sim 10^{18}$ cm. The numerical fit to the multi-wavelength afterglow data constraints the values of physical parameters and the emission mechanism of the burst.Comment: 8 Pages, 3 Figures, Accepted for publication to Astronomy and Astrophysics on 02/04/200

The Atlantic Water boundary current north of Svalbard in late summer

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 (2017): 2269–2290, doi:10.1002/2016JC012486.Data from a shipboard hydrographic/velocity survey carried out in September 2013 of the region north of Svalbard in the Nansen Basin are analyzed to characterize the Atlantic Water (AW) boundary current as it flows eastward along the continental slope. Eight meridional transects across the current, spanning an alongstream distance of 180 km, allow for a detailed description of the current and the regional water masses. During the survey the winds were light and there was no pack-ice. The mean section reveals that the boundary current was O(40 km) wide, surface-intensified, with a maximum velocity of 20 cm/s. Its mean transport during the survey was 3.11 ± 0.33 Sv, of which 2.31 ± 0.29 Sv was AW. This suggests that the two branches of AW entering the Arctic Ocean via Fram Strait—the Yermak Plateau branch and the Svalbard branch—have largely combined into a single current by 30°E. At this location the boundary current meanders with a systematic change in its kinematic structure during offshore excursions. A potential vorticity analysis indicates that the flow is baroclinically unstable, consistent with previous observations of AW anticyclones offshore of the current as well as the presence of a near-field cyclone in this data set. Our survey indicates that only a small portion of the boundary current is diverted into the Kvitøya Trough (0.17 ± 0.08 Sv) and that the AW temperature/salinity signal is quickly eroded within the trough.National Science Foundation Grant Number: ARC-12640982017-09-2

Study of first- and second-year students’ perception of the curriculum of “Pharmacy”

The article deals with students’ perception of the curriculum of educational program 33.05.01 “Pharmacy” based on the results of the questionnaire. An action group of students proposed a project of developments in the curriculum for Pharmacy that is showed in this articleСтатья рассматривает анализ оценивания учебного плана специальности 33.05.01 «Фармация» студентами 1-го и 2-го курсов на основе результатов проведенного анкетирования. Инициативной группой обучающихся были предложены проектные изменения для внесения в учебный план первого года обучения, которые представлены в данной статье

Сравнительная клиническая эффективность лекарственных средств неспецифической профилактики гриппа и орви у детей в период сезонного подъема заболеваемости

Objective: comparative open-label randomized study of the safety and efficacy of the drugs Alpha-glutamyl-tryptophan + Ascorbic acid + Bendazole («Cytovir-3«) and Umifenovir for prophylactic influenza and acute respiratory viral infectionsin children aged over 6 in organized groups.Materials and methods. 207 healthy children ≥6 years old of organized educational groups. According to study protocol they were divided into 2 groups: 102 children were randomizes to receive Alpha-glutamyl-tryptophan + Ascorbic acid + Bendazole (Сytovir-3, Group 1), capsules (JSC MBSPC «Cytomed«, Russia) while 105 children were randomizes to receive Umifenovir 100 mg (Group 2) capsules (Pharmstandart Leksredstva, Russia). The frequency of adverse reactions on drugs and adverse events was assessed while taking drugs and within 3 weeks after. Efficiency was assessed by calculate value of prophylactic efficiency index in comparison groups. Efficacy was analyzed on the basis of the comparative incidence of children included in the study with a total incidence in Saint-Petersburg.Results: the studied drugs showed a high safety profile and match preventive clinical efficacy against influenza and acute respiratory viral infections. Both drugs during prophylactic administration stimulated the production of secretory IgA. A tendency to a decrease in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections in groups of children taking the studied drugs was revealed and compared with general indicators reflecting the integrated epidemic situation of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in Saint-Petersburg during the study. The data obtained allow us to recommend the use of the drug Alpha-glutamyl-tryptophan + Ascorbic acid + Bendazole («Сytovir-3«) (dosage form – capsules) for the prevention of respiratory diseases in organized children’sgroups during the period of seasonal increase in the incidence of  influenza and acute respiratory viral infectionsin.Цель: открытое сравнительное, рандомизированное исследование безопасности и эффективности препаратов Альфа-глутамил-триптофан + Аскорбиновая кислота + Бендазол («Цитовир-3») и «Умифеновир» для профилактики гриппа и ОРВИ у детей с 6 лет в организованных коллективах.Материалы и методы. В исследовании приняли участие 207 детей в возрасте ≥6 лет соматически здоровые, посещающие организованные образовательные коллективы. Согласно протоколу исследования, дети были рандомизированы на 2 группы: 1-я (n=102) получала препарат Альфа-глутамил-триптофан + Аскорбиновая кислота + Бендазол («Цитовир-3»), капсулы (ЗАО «МБНПК «Цитомед», Россия), 2-я группа (n=105) – «Умифеновир» капсулы 100 мг («Фармстандарт Лексредства», Россия). Оценивалась частота побочных реакций на препараты и нежелательных явлений на фоне приема лекарственных средств и в течение 3 недель после. Профилактическая эффективность оценивалась путем расчёта величины – индекс эффективности, определения sIg A, а также на основании сравнительной заболеваемости детей, включенных в исследование с общей заболеваемостью в Санкт-Петербурге.Результаты: исследуемые препараты показали высокий профиль безопасности и  соответствующую клиническую эффективность по предупреждению гриппа и ОРВИ. Оба препарата на фоне профилактического приема стимулировали выработку секреторного IgA. Выявлена тенденция к снижению заболеваемости ОРВИ в группах детей, принимавших исследуемые препараты, в сравнении с общими показателями, отражающими интегральную эпидемическую ситуацию по гриппу и другим ОРВИ в Санкт-Петербурге во время  проведения исследования. Полученные данные позволяют рекомендовать применение  препарата Альфа-глутамил-триптофан + Аскорбиновая кислота + Бендазол («Цитовир-3») (лекарственная форма – капсулы) для профилактики респираторных заболеваний в организованных образовательных детских коллективах в период сезонного повышения заболеваемости