93 research outputs found

    Isis and the Theater of Terror: A Study of Official English-Language Videos (2014-2017)

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    This thesis examines 79 official English-language ISIS videos from 2014-2017 to enhance the understanding of ISIS global propaganda apparatus. It includes a threefold analysis and starts from a content analysis guided by Braddock and Horgan (2016) to explore the prevalence of and the change in production characteristic and thematic distribution of the videos. The second analysis then goes further to quantify the speech acts used in the videos through the lens of Quentin Skinner's (2002) hermeneutic theory of interpretation. Using the previously established methodological approach, the third and final analysis qualitatively examines four major videos that respectively represent four most dominant speech acts used in the videos. The results indicate that, first, the largest portion of themes were about enemy and religion, and the theme of Sharia (Islamic law) is featured most prominently in the videos; second, directive, expressive, and assertive were the most common classes of speech acts, and the four most prevalent individual speech acts were threatening, condemning, inviting, and inciting; third, the most prevalent themes and speech acts mostly maintained a consistent presence over the course of three years. This study concludes that ISIS has generated a highly sophisticated global media infrastructure and operation system and that possess a great deal of capacity and flexibility to cope with circumstances that the group faced on the ground to respond to group-related real-world events

    ANPL: Compiling Natural Programs with Interactive Decomposition

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    The advents of Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown promise in augmenting programming using natural interactions. However, while LLMs are proficient in compiling common usage patterns into a programming language, e.g., Python, it remains a challenge how to edit and debug an LLM-generated program. We introduce ANPL, a programming system that allows users to decompose user-specific tasks. In an ANPL program, a user can directly manipulate sketch, which specifies the data flow of the generated program. The user annotates the modules, or hole with natural language descriptions offloading the expensive task of generating functionalities to the LLM. Given an ANPL program, the ANPL compiler generates a cohesive Python program that implements the functionalities in hole, while respecting the dataflows specified in sketch. We deploy ANPL on the Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus (ARC), a set of unique tasks that are challenging for state-of-the-art AI systems, showing it outperforms baseline programming systems that (a) without the ability to decompose tasks interactively and (b) without the guarantee that the modules can be correctly composed together. We obtain a dataset consisting of 300/400 ARC tasks that were successfully decomposed and grounded in Python, providing valuable insights into how humans decompose programmatic tasks. See the dataset at https://iprc-dip.github.io/DARC

    Removal of iron from ilmenite by KOH leaching-oxalate leaching method

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    Oxalic acid was used for the removal of iron from the intermediates of ilmenite leached by KOH liquor. Various parameters, such as pH, temperature, initial oxalate concentration, and illumination were investigated. Meanwhile, it was found that orthorhombic crystal Ti(2)O(2)(OH)(2)(C(2)O(4))center dot H(2)O formed as the leaching proceeded. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) images implied that the formation of Ti(2)O(2)(OH)(2)(C(2)O(4))center dot H(2)O with good crystallinity proceeded through three stages. Calcining Ti(2)O(2)(OH)(2)(C(2)O(4))center dot H(2)O, anatase (350 degrees C) or rutile (550 degrees C) type TiO(2) was obtained, respectively. Element analysis found that the calcined product contained 94.9% TiO(2) and 2.5% iron oxide, but only about 1600 ppm dissolvable iron oxide was left, which indicates that oxalic acid was comparatively effective on iron oxide removal from the intermediates. Finally, an improved route was proposed for the upgrading of ilmenite into rutile

    Production of TiO2 from CaTiO3 by alkaline roasting method

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    CaTiO3 was decomposed by alkaline roasting method for the production of TiO2. The process included alkaline roasting, water leaching and acid leaching steps. In the alkaline roasting step, the factors Such as roasting temperature and NaOH/CaTiO3 molar ratio were investigated and 99.5% TiO2 Could be extracted from CaTiO3. In addition, it is believed that only ion-exchange between Ca2+ and Na+ takes place, while the structure of TiO32- in CaTiO3 was not destroyed during the roasting process. In the acid leaching step, Ca(OH)(2) Could be completely leached at pH = 6-7 and Na2TiO3 was completely hydrolyzed simultaneously. The crystal structure of the leached sample seemed to be affected by pH and sequent calcination temperature. Finally, a flowsheet was proposed for the extraction of TiO2 from perovskite
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