Automated Detection of Usage Errors in non-native English Writing

In an investigation of the use of a novelty detection algorithm for identifying inappropriate word combinations in a raw English corpus, we employ an unsupervised detection algorithm based on the one- class support vector machines (OC-SVMs) and extract sentences containing word sequences whose frequency of appearance is significantly low in native English writing. Combined with n-gram language models and document categorization techniques, the OC-SVM classifier assigns given sentences into two different groups; the sentences containing errors and those without errors. Accuracies are 79.30 % with bigram model, 86.63 % with trigram model, and 34.34 % with four-gram model

Introducing E-learning to Lower Level Learners of English: A Preliminary Study

本稿は大学の授業における下位英語学習者へのe-learning 教材導入の有効性及びその効 果的活用方法を検証し考察するものである。E-learning導入後のTOEICスコア変化と自律 学習アンケート結果を、統制群を用いて比較検証した。その結果、distance learning モデ ルである実験群では、TOEIC スコアに大きな伸びがみられたが、GTEC テストを用いた統 制群では、実験群のような著しい伸びは認められなかった。また、実験群では自律学習の アンケート結果から「意識要因」のMotivation とIdeal-Self の値が微増していることが分 かった。本研究は学内COE 教育支援経費を受けての予備調査であるものの、教員の適切な 指導と助言があれば、下位英語学習者へのdistance learning モデルにおいて効果的に e-learning教材が活用出来ることを示唆している

European Strategies on Gas Supply Security

European countries employ different strategies on gas supply security depending on the time scale : while their short-term strategies focus on economic efficiency, long-term strategies also place more emphasis on ensuring energy security. With regard to short-term natural gas procurement strategies, each country places priority on ensuring immediate economic benefits. Furthermore, these strategies are led by enterprises, and no explicit government intervention can be detected. While its natural gas procurement focuses on economic efficiency in the short term, Europe has developed strategies that emphasize not only economic efficiency but also ensuring supply security with regard to medium- to long-term procurement. The EU, Britain, Germany and France differ in their strategies to ensure supply security, but what they have in common is that they all have a clear policy as to how to cope with their growing dependence on Russia. This is believed to be a result of European countries engaging in very deep discussion and consideration over their supply security. Japan, which is also an energy importing country like countries in Europe, can learn a lot from major European countries gas supply security strategies in considering its own security policy. As Europe has done, Japan should also accelerate efforts toward ensuring future energy security from a medium- to long-term perspective, in addition to immediate short-term strategies.Europe, Energy, supply, security

Defect detection using quasi-scholte wave for plate loaded with water on single surface

Ultrasonic guided waves achieve non-destructive inspection of thin plates. However, issues such as large energy leakage and attenuation often plague guided wave inspection of storage tanks and pipes filled with fluid. This study experimentally investigated the non-destructive testing of a water-loaded flat aluminum alloy plate through the application of a quasi-Scholte (QS) wave that propagated along the fluid-plate interface without experiencing attenuation due to leakage. A QS wave was confirmed as having been generated and propagated in a plate loaded with water on the bottom surface using ultrasonic incidence and detection at the top water-free surface. Two-dimensional Fourier transform images of the waveforms revealed refiection of the QS wave from a defect as well as a forward incident QS wave. The visualization results experimentally confirmed-via measurements of waves in water using a laser Doppler vibrometer-that QS waves propagated along a plate surface, while scattered waves were generated by defects