Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coreference from the Cross-lingual Perspective

The subject of this thesis is to study properties of coreference using cross-lingual approaches. The work is motivated by the research on coreference-related linguistic typology. Another motivation is to explore whether differences in the ways how languages express coreference can be exploited to build better models for coreference resolution. We design two cross-lingual methods: the bilingually informed coreference resolution and the coreference projection. The results of our experiments with the methods carried out on Czech-English data suggest that with respect to coreference English is more informative for Czech than vice versa. Furthermore, the bilingually informed resolution applied on parallel texts has managed to outperform the monolingual resolver on both languages. In the experiments, we employ the monolingual coreference resolver and an improved method for alignment of coreferential expressions, both of which we also designed within the thesis.
Geomorphological Contribution to Flash Floods Hazard Evaluation: Examples from Campania (Southern Italy)

This short note presents a review of some studies carried out in the last ten years in the region of Southern Apennines, facing the problem of flooding in small catchments and related piedmont areas. This kind of drainage basin are generally prone to flash flood events and many of them recorded in the last years serious damages. Unfortunately, they are often not monitored and the lack of information on rainfall and flow data makes more difficult to apply hydrological and hydraulic models to evaluate hazard and risk condition. In these contexts, a preliminary geomorphological study may be useful to identify the flooding prone areas and to depict the main flooding scenarios. This approach includes field surveys, morphometric analysis in GIS environment, air-photo interpretation and thematic mapping elaboration.
Oxidation of Methane in Boggy Sediment, Industrial Biogas Plant and a Landfill Leachate Treatment Plant

For use in a landfill, a laboratory reactor for safe and environmentally friendly biological utilization of low-concentration methane gas will be further developed. The current principle of denitrification-coupled aerobic methane oxidation will be replaced by methane oxidation under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic methane oxidation offers the advantage that, in addition to methane, nitrate also undergoes biodegradation. Another advantage is that the oxygen content can be significantly lower. This reduces the risk of the formation of an explosive atmosphere in the reactor. Currently, the principle of anaerobic methane oxidation is known. However, organisms capable of doing so are not yet available as a pure culture. Therefore, several biomasses were probed for the ability of anaerobic methane oxidation. It was found that moor-heavy sediment, activated sludge from the leachate treatment plant and biomass from the local biogas plant oxidize methane after the natural carbon source (C source) was been removed.
Discussion Panel: Motion Sickness in Virtual Environments

The purpose of this panel is to provide information on motion sickness in virtual environments and discuss human factors issues associated with visually induced motion sickness. With the continued growth of virtual reality devices comes challenges, one of which is the pervasiveness of motion sickness. A panel of experts on motion sickness will join to discuss how they incite and study sickness in their research, providing lessons on how it can impact other research topics and be avoided in future studies. Panelists use methods such as postural sway, psychophysiological measures, and subjective measures to study different aspects of motion sickness. Technology used by these experts ranges from rotating chairs to high fidelity driving simulators. This panel is oriented for those with simulators who want to know what interventions they can employ to alleviate sickness in their research, those who create virtual environments, and those who use virtual reality devices in their research. Considerations for the design of virtual and augmented reality devices and content will be discussed.
Methodological approach to development of dosimetric models of the human skeleton for beta-emitting radionuclides

Objective of the study : to develop a skeleton model for assessing red bone marrow dose from osteotropic beta-emitting radionuclides. This article describes the modeling methodology which takes into account the individual variability of the macro- and microstructure of bone tissue. Materials and methods: it is proposed to model bone sites with active hematopoiesis by dividing them into small segments described by simple geometric shapes. Spongiosa, which fills the segments, is modeled as an isotropic three-dimensional grid (carcass) of rod-like trabeculae that “run through” the bone marrow. In the process of randomization, multiple carcass deformations are simulated by changing the positions of the grid nodes and the thickness of the rods. Model grid parameters are selected in accordance with the parameters of spongiosa microstructures taken from the published papers. Stochastic modeling of radiation transport in heterogeneous environments simulating distribution of bone tissue and marrow in each of the segments is performed by Monte Carlo method. The model output for the lumbar vertebra is given as an example. The generated vertebral model allowed us to obtain the dosimetric characteristics of bone marrow irradiation, which are comparable to the results obtained with ICRP model developed based on the data of micro-images of bone structures. For the first time ever confidence intervals of dosimetric characteristics associated with individual variability of bone structure were evaluated. The developed methodology for the calculation of doses absorbed in the bone marrow from osteotropic radionuclides does not require additional studies of autopsy material. The obtained results will be used to calculate individual doses in a cohort of Techa riverside residents who were exposed due to Techa River contamination as a result of liquid radioactive waste discharges by the Mayak Production Association.
Using acoustic metrics to characterize underwater acoustic biodiversity in the Southern Ocean

Acoustic metrics (AM) assist our interpretation of acoustic environments by aggregating a complex signal into a unique number. Numerous AM have been developed for terrestrial ecosystems, with applications ranging from rapid biodiversity assessments to characterizing habitat quality. However, there has been comparatively little research aimed at understanding how these metrics perform to characterize the acoustic features of marine habitats and their relation with ecosystem biodiversity. Our objectives were to 1) assess whether AM are able to capture the spectral and temporal differences between two distinct Antarctic marine acoustic environment types (i.e., pelagic vs. on‐shelf), 2) evaluate the performance of a combination of AM compared to the signal full frequency spectrum to characterize marine mammals acoustic assemblages (i.e., species richness–SR–and species identity) and 3) estimate the contribution of SR to the local marine acoustic heterogeneity measured by single AM. We used 23 different AM to develop a supervised machine learning approach to discriminate between acoustic environments. AM performance was similar to the full spectrum, achieving correct classifications for SR levels of 58% and 92% for pelagic and on‐shelf sites respectively and > 88% for species identities. Our analyses show that a combination of AM is a promising approach to characterize marine acoustic communities. It allows an intuitive ecological interpretation of passive acoustic data, which in the light of ongoing environmental changes, supports the holistic approach needed to detect and understand trends in species diversity, acoustic communities and underwater habitat quality.
III-Nitride Semiconductors: Optical Properties I

Introduction Chapter One: Time-resolved Photoluminescence Studies of III-Nitrides Chapter Two: Time-resolved Raman Studies of Wide bandgap Wurtzite GaN Chapter Three: Optical Properties of InGaN Based III-Nitride Heterostructures Chapter Four: Optical Properties of Homeopitaxial GaN Chapter Five: Physics and Optical Properties of GaN/InGaN Quantum Wells Chapter Six: Characterization of GaN and Related Alloys by Raman Scattering Chapter Seven: Raman Studies of Wurtzite GaN and Related Compounds Chapter Eight: Light Emission from Rare Earth Doped GaN
Cloud Computing: Types, Topologies, Virtual Machine and VM Migration for decrease in power consumption

As the usage of internet is increasing day by day, more and more people are now getting connected with the web. In the last few years, internet has become a powerful platform that has changed the way to do a business and the way of communication. The number of users which were using the services of internet in last ten years is becoming double in the number, in every two years. As the number of users is increasing the more storage and new technologies and new platform to develop software are on a huge demand. Then cloud computing came into the picture, which is providing huge storage capacity, on demand self-service, pay according to usage, flexible pricing, resource pooling, software for users and services on their demand which can be accessed anywhere (SaaS), platform to develop new software (PaaS), any hardware which is required for development (IaaS). Now even XaaS i.e. everything as a service (here X is considered as everything, its value can be any) is also coming into the picture. To run one or more than one services or applications together but in their separated space or partition, we need virtual machine. It is refer to the one instance of an operating system (Guest OS). Then Virtualization makes it possible to run many operating systems and applications on the same physical computer at the same time. It makes the physical system energy efficient, as many machines or applications are able to run all together, in a way it consumes less energy. To make the physical system more energy efficient, migration of virtual machine is done, so that we can reduce the energy consumption. VM Migration is used for migration of virtual machine from one PM (physical machine) to another physical machine or host. In this paper, we will discuss about the introduction of cloud computing-its types and topologies; and the main focus would be on energy efficiency using VM migration.
Novel grid connection interface for utility‐scale PV power plants based on MMC

The ever-increasing integration of photovoltaic (PV) energy has led to the fast development of utility-scale PV power plants worldwide. A novel grid connection interface for utility-scale PV power plants based on the modular multi-level converter (MMC) is explored. The grid connection interface is a DC boost interface by nature. It adopts the multistring topology, employs DC/DC boost converters, utilises a centralised MMC, and integrates an energy storage system. Meanwhile, the two-level control system for the DC boost interface is also designed. Compared with the conventional AC boost interfaces, the proposed DC boost interface avoids problems regarding reactive power transmission, harmonic resonance, and synchronous stabilisation. It also improves the power quality, efficiency, and the integration capacity of the PV generation. A case study of a utility-scale PV power plant with the DC boost interface is carried out in PSCAD/EMTDC. The simulation results validate the effectiveness and the merits of the DC boost interface under different operation conditions. The proposed DC boost interface proves more suitable for utility-scale PV power plants in areas with high solar irradiance. It also lays a solid foundation for the future research regarding the control and protection of utility-scale PV power plants.
A meta-analysis of data-driven learning approach in the Japanese EFL classroom

In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted targeting the studies that employ data-driven learning (DDL) approach in the Japanese EFL classroom context. After a thorough literature search, 32 effect sizes from 14 primary studies that took place in the Japanese EFL classroom were retrieved, coded, and calculated. The synthesized results, based on the classification of the outcome measures, showed that the DDL approach worked well particularly for learning vocabulary items (Level 1: lemma). It also worked positively for basic grammar items (Level 2: category) and noun and verb phrases (Level 3: phrase). For a proficiency measure, the combined effect size was small. Accordingly, the results of the current metaanalysis would provide further support for the use of DDL approach in the classroom, which could be an alternative methodology for facilitating the learning of lexico-grammatical items. Suggestions for further research and pedagogical implications are provided.
A NEW CAD SOFTWARE FOR EVALUATION OF BREAST LESIONS IN CONTRAST – ENHANCED MR MAMMOGRAPHY

The aim of this study was software designing for the detection and diagnosis of breast lesions in contrast enhanced MR mammography. In this study MR mammography was performed in 31 women with 54 suspected breast lesions consisting of 34 malignant and 20 benign entities. Every lesion was evaluated through multiple diagnostic parameters such as morphologic and physiologic lesion traits by designed software. Final results from the physiologic and morphologic assessments for each lesion were compared with the pathology reports. Designed software could show easy reading colored view of each image and it was able to show the margin and internal architecture of lesions. Final results showed that software sensitivity for lesion detection was 94.1% and its specificity was 85%. In this study, efforts have been made to design software for the assessment of physiologic and morphologic breast lesion traits simultaneously. Relatively high sensitivity and specificity is due to this contemporary assessment.
Using blended learning to improve undergraduate introduction to literature courses: A mixed methods approach

Blended learning is being used more and more in higher education. However, for humanities and other loosely content structured areas, blended learning can be challenging. It has generally been reserved for subject areas such as computer programing, mathematics, business, science, and statistics--courses where competence is commonly assessed by administering work on which performance is either right or wrong. Furthermore, agreement has not yet been reached on how to best incorporate the face-to-face and online teaching resources. This study examines one approach of implementing web-based instruction to improve undergraduate Introduction to Literature courses at a midsized Midwestern university. This study was designed to accomplish three goals. The first was to discover whether an undergraduate Introduction to Literature course based upon the recommendations of Rosenblatt (1994) and Perkins and Unger (1999) can meet the needs of students in a BL environment. The second goal of this study was to measure the students’ perceptions of the blended Introduction to Literature environment with respect to its productiveness in terms of their attitudes and achievements. The third and final goal was to discover how students experience the teacher’s practice and behavior and the extent to which these factors affect student perceptions of the course and BL environment in general. These goals were examined through the CABLS lens designed by Wang, Han, and Yang (2015). The mixed methods study gathered the data through multiple data points. These included student surveys, student interviews, students’ pre-and post-tests, student assignments, the university’s student evaluation of teaching, classroom observations, videos, and the researcher’s action research of the experience. Overall, the approach used for the blended Introduction to Literature course met with positive outcomes in terms of both student perceptions and achievement. Conclusions and implications of using the blended learning format for an effective introductory literature course including realizing blended learning is a complex adaptive system, may help learners gain new positive learner identities, may supply a more accurate assessment of student learning, may not be for everyone, requires teachers to take on multiple identities, is challenging, requires plenty of supports, and may not be cost saving. USING BLENDED LEARNING TO IMPROVE UNDERGRADUATE INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE COURSES: A MIXED METHODS APPROACH
BP Neural Network Model for early Diagnosis of Kawasaki Disease

In order to diagnose Kawasaki Disease during early phase, clinical symptoms (temperature, rash, conjunctival injection, erythema of thelips, and oral mucosal changes) and laboratory data (white blood cell, neutrophil, platelet, high sensitive c-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) of 138 children with Kawasaki disease or infectious diseases were used to develop a BP neural network model. 90 random cases were trained using MATLAB software for setting up the BP neural network model. The other 48 cases were analyzed to predict Kawasaki disease using this model. Results showed that the predict accuracy in patients with Kawasaki disease and children with infectious diseases are 95.6% and 88%, respectively. Our result indicates that the BP neural network model is likely to provide an accurate test for early diagnosis of Kawasaki disease.
EyeSwipe: text entry using gaze paths

KURAUCHI, A. T. N. EyeSwipe: Text Entry Using Gaze Paths. 2018. Thesis (Doctorate) Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 2018. People with severe motor disabilities may communicate using their eye movements aided by a virtual keyboard and an eye tracker. Text entry by gaze may also benefit users immersed in virtual or augmented realities, when they do not have access to a physical keyboard or touchscreen. Thus, both users with and without disabilities may take advantage of the ability to enter text by gaze. However, methods for text entry by gaze are typically slow and uncomfortable. In this thesis we propose EyeSwipe as a step further towards fast and comfortable text entry by gaze. EyeSwipe maps gaze paths into words, similarly to how finger traces are used on swipe-based methods for touchscreen devices. A gaze path differs from the finger trace in that it does not have clear start and end positions. To segment the gaze path from the user’s continuous gaze data stream, EyeSwipe requires the user to explicitly indicate its beginning and end. The user can quickly glance at the vicinity of the other characters that compose the word. Candidate words are sorted based on the gaze path and presented to the user. We discuss two versions of EyeSwipe. EyeSwipe 1 uses a deterministic gaze gesture called Reverse Crossing to select both the first and last letters of the word. Considering the lessons learned during the development and test of EyeSwipe 1 we proposed EyeSwipe 2. The user emits commands to the interface by switching the focus between regions. In a text entry experiment comparing EyeSwipe 2 to EyeSwipe 1, 11 participants achieved an average text entry rate of 12.58 words per minute (wpm) with EyeSwipe 1 and 14.59 wpm with EyeSwipe 2 after using each method for 75 minutes. The maximum entry rates achieved with EyeSwipe 1 and EyeSwipe 2 were, respectively, 21.27 wpm and 32.96 wpm. Participants considered EyeSwipe 2 to be more comfortable and faster, while less accurate than EyeSwipe 1. Additionally, with EyeSwipe 2 we proposed the use of gaze path data to dynamically adjust the gaze estimation. Using data from the experiment we show that gaze paths can be used to dynamically improve gaze estimation during the interaction.
Cost-Efficient Service Function Chain Orchestration for Low-Latency Applications in NFV Networks

With the popularization and development of cloud computing, network function virtualization and service function chain (SFC) provisioning have attracted increasing attention from researchers. Excellent and reliable network service is important for network development. Moreover, as the number of network users increases, network service construction costs become very high. Therefore, an efficient algorithm is necessary to provide an SFC with excellent performance and low resource costs. In this paper, we re-examine the problem of optimizing the deployment of an SFC to provide users with excellent and resource-saving network service. We propose a heuristic, closed-loop feedback (CLF) algorithm to find the shortest path to map an SFC. To solve the problem, we introduce and integrate a restricted Boltzmann machine and cross entropy to improve the performance of CLF. Simulation results demonstrate the excellent performance of CLF. The communication delay is reduced by approximately 20%, the accept ratio improves by approximately 15%, and the algorithm running time decreases by approximately 20%. In addition, the resource utilization ratio increases by approximately 15%, and the resource fragmentation ratio decreases by approximately 50%.
Measuring Satisfaction With Standard Survey Instruments and Single-Button Responses on Kiosks

User satisfaction with a technology is an essential usability metric. Unlike efficiency and effectiveness, which are generally recorded during use, satisfaction is often measured subsequently using questionnaires, such as the modified version of the system usability scale (MSUS). This makes satisfaction the most costly usability measure to acquire in large-scale testing. To mitigate this cost, we compared the performance of a four-button kiosk with a standard SUS instrument for measuring satisfaction. Three hundred and fifty four demographically diverse subjects used the kiosk and completed a SUS questionnaire immediately after using one of two different alternative technologies. Kiosk ratings took only 11.43 (sd = 7.30) seconds on average to collect, much faster than 1200 seconds on average for the SUS. Kiosk ratings and MSUS scores were strongly correlated (r = 0.62, p < .005), showing the same pattern of differences between the tested technologies. However, the index of dispersion for kiosk ratings was 71.74% larger than for MSUS scores. We conclude that satisfaction kiosks are a cost-effective alternative for measuring satisfaction in usability studies with large sample sizes.
An automatic acquisition algorithm for power distribution line based on vehicle-mounted system

In order to realize automatic inspection of power distribution line and improve the safety of distribution network, a novel vehicle inspection system was designed, which contains visible-light camera, infrared imager and partial discharge detector. To ensure the effective information acquisition of equipments we expected to inspect, visual servo is used here to implement data automatic collection. An improved Edge Drawing Lines(EDLines) algorithm which gives fast and accurate results was proved to detect power lines in images. Based on the position of wire line in image, a reasonable pitch angle of pan-tilt can be adjusted automatically to realize the tracking process. On condition that GPS information of vehicle and power poles is given, a method of image capturing for pole and tower using image-based servo system is proposed, which provides the clear and the integrated images. Faster-RCNN algorithm is adopted here for detection and location of electric power tower in images. The experimental results demonstrate that the approach is effective for automatic inspection data collection of power distribution line and has a good application value.