Explaining Hate Speech Classification with Model Agnostic Methods

There have been remarkable breakthroughs in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, notably in the areas of Natural Language Processing and Deep Learning. Additionally, hate speech detection in dialogues has been gaining popularity among Natural Language Processing researchers with the increased use of social media. However, as evidenced by the recent trends, the need for the dimensions of explainability and interpretability in AI models has been deeply realised. Taking note of the factors above, the research goal of this paper is to bridge the gap between hate speech prediction and the explanations generated by the system to support its decision. This has been achieved by first predicting the classification of a text and then providing a posthoc, model agnostic and surrogate interpretability approach for explainability and to prevent model bias. The bidirectional transformer model BERT has been used for prediction because of its state of the art efficiency over other Machine Learning models. The model agnostic algorithm LIME generates explanations for the output of a trained classifier and predicts the features that influence the model decision. The predictions generated from the model were evaluated manually, and after thorough evaluation, we observed that the model performs efficiently in predicting and explaining its prediction. Lastly, we suggest further directions for the expansion of the provided research work.Comment: 15 pages Accepted paper from Text Mining Workshop at KI 202

Performance Evaluation of Adaptive Equalizer in a Communication System

This project deals with the study of the various kinds of interferences in a communication channel viz. Inter symbol Interference, Multipath Interference and Additive Interference. It deals with the design of an Adaptive Equalizer. The idea of the equalizer is to build (another) filter in the receiver that counteracts the effect of the channel. In essence, the equalizer must “unscatter” the impulse response. This can be stated as the goal of designing the equalizer E so that the impulse response of the combined channel and equalizer CE has a single spike. This can be solved using different techniques. In this project, we have implemented an ‘Adaptive Equalizer’ using four different algorithms in Matlab. We have suggested different ways to decide the coefficients of the equalizer. The first procedure (LEAST SQUARE ALGORITHM) minimizes the square of the symbol recovery error over a block of data which can be done by using matrix pseudo inversion. The second method (LEAST MEAN SQUARE ALGORITHM) involves minimizing the square of the error between the received data values and the transmitted values which are achieved via an adaptive element. The third method (DECISION DIRECTED ALGORITHM) and the fourth method (DISPERSION MINIMIZING ALGORITHM) are used when there is no training sequence and other performance functions are appropriate. In addition to this we have undertaken a study and realization of the Bit Error Rate of a communication system using VisSim Software

Synthesis and Surface Studies of CdS / PVK Nanocomposites

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) is excellent materials for optoelectronic applications. It is interesting to investigate their optical properties at nanometer regime where the properties become size dependent. The nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by chemical method. The samples have been characterized by AFM, SEM and XRD. The XRD study shows formation of CdS nanocrystals with cubic zinc blend crystal structure, having three peaks corresponding to (111), (220) and (311) planes. The crystal size computed by Debye Scherrer’s formula is in the range of 3 to 12 nm. The AFM and SEM studies show the clusters of particles in the range of a few tens of nm. The results obtained from XRD, SEM and AFM studies show increase in particle size, by increasing the CdS concentration in PVK

A CONCEPTUAL STUDY REGARDING IMMUNITY IN AYURVEDA

It has been estimated that about 6 lacks infant and young children die from RSV annually, and if bacterial co infections are included this number may approach 10 lacks deaths annually. More than 2 million deaths are estimated to result each year the world over as a consequence of diarrheal disease in children of under five years. This statistic shows that children are more vulnerable to infection because their immune system is less or under developed. Ayurveda is a vast storehouse of knowledge relevant to human health, disease, medicines and general health-care. However mutual incomprehensibility of the terms and concepts has been a major impediment in meaningful dialogue between modern scientific medicine and Ayurveda. Some recent concepts of molecular medicine, immunology etc. have been found to have striking similarities with certain concepts of Ayurveda. Therefore, it is being realized that it might be possible to develop a relationship between modern medicine and Ayurveda. Here a comprehensive review of the Ayurvedic classical texts is presented to understand the concept of the Vyadhikshamatva w.s.r. to immunity.

Elucidating Mechanisms of Benzo[a]pyrene Mediated Apoptotic and Autophagic Cell Death and its Prevention with Phytotherapeutics

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons form an active source of air pollution that affects our health and environment. In this study, we deciphered the role of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on cellular mechanism associated cell death. The particulate matter collected from an industrial area of Rourkela city found to have B[a]P and other unidentified environmental pollutants that had mutagenic and proapoptotic activity. The apoptotic potential of B[a]P was supported by ligand-protein and protein-protein interaction in silico which was validated on human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell line. Our prediction showed that B[a]P was activated by cytochrome P450 (CYP1B1) to induce multiple cellular effects related to activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) due to formation of toxic metabolites and this in turn activated caspases. Further, we showed that B[a]P induced mitochondrial mediated autophagy dependent cell death through the canonical pathway in HaCaT cells. The autophagic cell death induced by B[a]P was found to be mediated through AMPK/mTOR pathway. We showed that B[a]P abrogated ATP generation and activated reactive oxygen production to induce toxic mitophagy in HaCaT cells. In addition, we identified Bacopa monneiri (BM) plant extract as an inducer of protective autophagy, which may directly contribute to the antioxidant promoting potential of BM on B[a]P induced cell death through Beclin-1 dependent autophagy activation. The present study provided deep insight into the mechanism of B[a]P-mediated cellular toxicity and elucidated the further scope for the development of phytotherapeutics against environmental air pollutants

Hydroclimate variations in the Caspian Sea region from the late Quaternary to the future : a model perspective

The northern hemispheric glacial-interglacial climate states during the late Quaternary period drove Caspian Sea level (CSL) changes of up to 150 m and can be used as an analogue for assessing present and future climate impacts. Geologic reconstructions of these paleo-lake levels and potential links with different climate events remain complex while future declines in modelled lake levels vary widely and are uncertain. The key drivers for such CSL include variations in the water budget balance between precipitation and evaporation (P-E). This thesis employs a climate modeling approach to investigate long-term changes in the Caspian Sea (CS) hydroclimate during different climate states from the late Quaternary to the end of the 21st century. The new results from the Community Earth System Model (CESM1.2.2), contribute to an improved interpretation of reconstructed paleo-lake levels with respect to changing P-E patterns and identify key drivers for future CSL changes. This study produced new modeling results for the late Quaternary period, that constrain the timings and identify the climate conditions favourable for major CS transgressions and regressions, in comparison with selected geological reconstructions; under three glacial (Marine Isotope 3 (MIS3), Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Heinrich event 1 (H1)) and two interglacial (last interglacial (LIG) and early Holocene (EH)) climate states. The two interglacial climate states suggest favourable climate conditions (higher temperature and precipitation) for the CS that result in a positive water budget (LIG-P-E anomalies of 14.6 meter/1000 years and the EH-P-E anomalies 5 meter/1000yr). The results propose a transgression was initiated by the summer large-scale and convective precipitation, triggered by enhanced summer insolation and the associated wind anomalies. The warmer and wetter MIS3 interstadial climate is identified as being responsible for a transgression with P-E anomalies of 16 meter/1000yr. The colder and drier LGM climate favours a regression with P-E of -12 meter/ 1000yr. These P-E anomalies and climate conditions agree with the reconstructions. However, our simulated P-E anomalies (for the H1); do not capture the magnitude of the reconstructed highstands during the deglaciation, and it is clear that meltwater into the CS is responsible for this highstand; and as our model does not include a sophisticated meltwater routing into the CS; hence comparisons with selected reconstructions remain complicated. This study also assessed different CESM horizontal resolutions and model setups to identify the best version that can represent the CS climate and climate modes of variability such as North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) for the period 1850-2000 CE, as well as presenting new CSL under two new emission scenarios by the end of the 21st century. CESM1.2.2 with 1AAAdegree CAM5 is identified as the best skill in simulating the NAO and its effects on CS catchment hydrology. Projections under the Representative Concentration Pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 confirm the winter NAO remains the major winter variability with a significant impact on the Caspian catchment hydroclimate. However, under global warming, the evaporation over the sea is the key driver for a CSL decrease of about 9 m and 18 m between 2020 and 2100 for the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. The new CSL values are larger than previous projections of CSL, and include an overestimated total evaporation due to a larger CS surface area in CESM. Despite the clear potential for this, current global climate models neglect to include accurate representations of CS area. This study generated new results to notably aid in evaluating the impacts of different CS surface areas on the regional and large-scale climate. Regionally, the presence of a larger CS area has a clear impact as higher evaporation over the sea and higher precipitation over the south-west catchment, while reducing (summer) and increasing (winter) surface air temperatures and vice versa for smaller CS area. Most importantly, this summer temperature disturbs the upper atmospheric circulation (at the 200 hPa and the 500 hPa level) with a southward shift and increase in speed of the summer jet stream. This leads to enhanced summer precipitation over central Asia and increased winter warming over the north-western Pacific. An accurate Caspian Sea area representation is thus vital in global climate models for paleo and future scenarios and share serious implications for expanding coastal communities, agricultural activities, fisheries and the ecosystem

EFFECTS OF MATERNAL LEAD ACETATE EXPOSURE DURING LACTATION ON POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF OVARIES IN OFFSPRING OF SWISS ALBINO MICE

ABSTRACT: The course of human development from conception to adulthood is extremely complex. The developing organism is particularly vulnerable to toxic insult because of rapid cell division and differentiation and severely affected during gestation and lactation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate lead toxicity on the female reproductive system during neonatal period. A total of 30 female mice randomly divided into two equal groups; control and treatment group. During experimental period, lactating female mice was given lead acetate (0.5ml/Day) from day 1 to day 21 of lactation. At 7, 14 and 21 days after birth, the ovaries weights and diameters of different developing follicles were measured. Following tissue processing, 5 µm sections were stained with haematoxylin eosin and evaluated with quantitative techniques. Ovarian parameters in different groups were compared by one-way ANOVA. The results indicated that exposure of lead caused histological alteration in developing ovaries of mice and significantly (P< 0.05) decreased Ovaries weights and diameters of different developing ovarian follicles. Studies conducted on females revealed that lead suppresses the development of various follicles during fetal and neonatal life. It appears that lead interferes during specific events of ovarian developmental stages, which may create higher sensitivity for dysfunction in reproductive system during adulthood. The present investigation evaluates the relative influences of prenatal and postnatal exposure of lead acetate on growth and ovarian histology in female offspring during postnatal development

An Ontology for Transportation System

In this work, we present a domain ontology for Transportation System. We have developed an ontology for a semantics-aware transportation system from the perspective of a traveler user, capable of answering general competence queries like the nearest bus stop to a particular place, the nearest parking slots available, etc. We have studied the transportation system of some of the big cities of the world and have tried to come up with a vocabulary that can be applied to any city with little modifications. This vocabulary is further aligned with an upper-level ontology to have a common starting point