Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Data-driven method for Adaptive Referring Expression Generation in Automated Dialogue Systems: Maximising Expected Utility

Adaptive generation of referring expressions in spoken dialogue systems is beneficial in terms of improving grounding and mutual understanding between dialogue partners: a system and its human user. For example, an automated system may need to change its referring behaviour depending on a continuously updated estimate of the user’s lexical knowledge or domain expertise. However, hand-coding such adaptive referring expression generation (REG) policies is difficult, and is not guaranteed to approach an optimal solution. Here we present a data-driven Reinforcement Learning framework to automatically learn adaptive REG policies for spoken dialogue systems. These policies maximise the expected utility of the REG choices made by the system, with respect to statistical models of the behaviour and linguistic knowledge of different users. Here we present preliminary results obtained when training a REG policy using such a model.
CAS22 - FORTRAN program for fast design and analysis of shock-free airfoil cascades using fictitious-gas concept

A user-oriented computer program, CAS22, was developed that is applicable to aerodynamic analysis and transonic shock-free redesign of existing two-dimensional cascades of airfoils. This FORTRAN program can be used: (1) as an analysis code for full-potential, transonic, shocked or shock-free cascade flows; (2) as a design code for shock-free cascades that uses Sobieczky's fictitious-gas concept; and (3) as a shock-free design code followed automatically by the analysis in order to confirm that the newly obtained cascade shape provides for an entirely shock-free transonic flow field. A four-level boundary-conforming grid of an O type is generated. The shock-free design is performed by implementing Sobieczky's fictitious-gas concept of elliptic continuation from subsonic into supersonic flow domains. Recomputation inside each supersonic zone is performed by the method of characteristics in the rheograph plane by using isentropic gas relations. Besides converting existing cascade shapes with multiple shocked supersonic regions into shock-free cascades, CAS22 can also unchoke previously choked cascades and make them shock free.
The Discourse System Project

Abstract : There has been a significant amount of work in the last decade on the processing of discourse, be it for modeling two-person extended dialogues, story and text understanding, or extended question answering systems. While there has been important progress in areas such as the use of world knowledge in language interpretation, the use of plan-based models of language (eg. speech act planning), models of reference and focus, and in models of discourse structure itself, work in each area has not been related to work in the other areas. No one has determined how each individual processing technique can be combined with the others to form a fully functional discourse system. Some suggestions on the organization of discourse have arisen recently (Grosz and Sidner, 1986; Litman and Allen, 1987); Allen, 1987), and while showing promise, have not yet been explored in enough detail for an actual application. This report describes an architecture for discourse systems that allows the integration of many different processing modules. In addition, it describes an initial set of modules that have been implemented and tested using the architecture. (KR)
Natural language inference.

The paper describes the way in which a Preference Semantics system for natural language analysis and generation tackles a difficult class of anaphoric inference problems (finding the correct referent for an English pronoun in context): those requiring either analysis (conceptual) knowledge of a complex sort, or requiring weak inductive knowledge of the course of events in the real world. The method employed converts all available knowledge to a canonical template form and endeavors to create chains of non-deductive inferences from the unknowns to the possible referents. Its method of selecting among possible chains of inferences is consistent with the overall principle of "semantic preference" used to set up the original meaning representation, of which these anaphoric inference procedures are a manipulation.
Improving Mixed Variable Optimization of Computational and Model Parameters Using Multiple Surrogate Functions

Abstract : This research focuses on reducing computational time in parameter optimization by using multiple surrogates and subprocess CPU times without compromising the quality of the results. This is motivated by applications that have objective functions with expensive computational times at high fidelity solutions. Applying, matching, and tuning optimization techniques at an algorithm level can reduce the time spent on unprofitable computations for parameter optimization. The objective is to recover known parameters of a flow property reference image by comparing to a template image that comes from a computational fluid dynamics simulation, followed by a numerical image registration and comparison process. Mixed variable pattern search and mesh adaptive direct search methods were applied using surrogate functions in the search step to produce solutions within a tolerance level of experimental observations. The surrogate functions are based on previous function values and computational times of those values. The use of multiple surrogates at each search step provides parameter selections that lead to improved solutions of an objective function evaluation with less computational time. Previously computed values for the objective function and computation time were used to compute a time cut-off parameter that allows termination during an objective function evaluation if the computational time exceeded a threshold or a divergent template image was created. This approach was tested using DACE and radial basis function surrogates within the NOMADm andad MATLAB (r) software. The numerical results are presented.
Software measurement guidebook

Foreword The Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) is an organization sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC) and created to investigate the effectiveness of software engineering technologies when applied to the development of applications software. The SEL was created in 1976 and has three primary organizational members: The goals of the SEL are (1) to understand the software development process in the GSFC environment; (2) to measure the effects of various methodologies, tools, and models on this process; and (3) to identify and then to apply successful development practices. The activities, findings, and recommendations of the SEL are recorded in the Software Engineering Laboratory Series, a continuing series of reports that includes this document. Abstract This Software Measurement Guidebook presents information on the purpose and importance of measurement. It discusses the specific procedures and activities of a measurement program and the roles of the people involved. The guidebook also clarifies the role that measurement can and must play in the goal of continual, sustained improvement for all software production and maintenance efforts.
Game On! Teaching Foreign Language Online

This case discusses the development and delivery of a course designed to teach elementary French at the university level in a fully online environment. Included in the discussion are issues related to the problematics of creating an interactive locus where effective communication in the target language can take place both between the instructor and the student and between students. The study examines attitudes about teaching (and learning) language online, how the textbook industry has attempted (or not) to deal with the advent of more online second language instruction, and how advances in tools available to instructors in the Learning Management System can both help and hinder the successful development and deployment of a course in second language instruction. Also examined here are questions of student motivation and retention, and proposed solutions to both problems via innovative quest-based gamification of course lessons and materials. Boise State University is a public institution located in Boise, Idaho (USA). Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Idaho's capitol city (with nearly 635,000 people in the city and its surrounding suburbs), Boise State University, the school with the famous blue football turf, serves over 22,000 students in doctoral, master's, baccalaureate, and associate's programs. (" Boise State University, " 2012). In any given semester, approximately 25% of those students are taking courses online through the university's eCampus programs. move to the state's capitol city in 2003 brought her into the world of distance and online education. Since that time, she has worked with various course delivery methods including " traditional " distance education using TV monitors with students in multiple locations, as well as with hybrid
Evaluation of Face Recognition APIs and Libraries

After years of research, the commercialization of face recognition technology is apparent with the emergence of several face recognition libraries and APIs. Organizations and developers are faced with identifying critical success factors when selecting a face-recognition API or library to be used within the development of a product. This study aims to (1) understand which quality characteristics derived from the ISO/IEC 25010 standard are important for an organization adopting the technology and (2) evaluate two client-side libraries and two cloud based APIs according to the quality characteristics identified. Data was extracted by interviewing a company investigating face recognition technology for software-reuse and an experiment was carried out to evaluate the chosen software by extracting metrics from the ISO 9126 standard. An organization adopting face recognition technology prioritised reliability, functional suitability and maintainability as the most important. The experiment concluded the chosen cloud-based APIs were more computationally accurate than the client-side libraries. However, the data collected concluded that the chosen client-side libraries have less failure density than cloudbased APIs.
IEEE 1588: An Update on the Standard and Its Application

Abstract : Since the publication of version 1 of IEEE 1588 in November 2002, there has been increasing interest in and development of the technology. The standard has been adopted by a number of trade groups and is referenced in several other standards. The 1588 standard is currently being revised to include provisions for new application areas and to improve the quality of synchronization. This paper will present the technical issues under discussion in the P1588 standards group and outline the proposed changes to the standard. The applications and technology requirements driving these changes will be discussed. A brief review of application areas, supporting products available, and demonstrated synchronization performance will be provided. The paper will conclude with a brief discussion of how IEEE 1588 is changing electronic measurement instrumentation and how this will change the architecture of measurement systems.
Knowledge-based systems : techniques and applications

Over 40 Articles Including: Geometric Knowledge-Based Systems Framework For Structural Image Analysis and Postprocessing. A Universal Representation Paradigm for Knowledge-Based Structuring Methods. Database Systems Techniques and Tools in Automatic Knowledge Acquisition for Rule-Based Expert Systems. Geometric Knowledge-Based Systems Framework for Stereo Image Matching. Datamining and Deductive Databases. Knowledge Processing in Control Systems. Using Domain Knowledge in Knowledge Discovery: An Optimization Perspective. Dynamic Structuring of Computer Control Systems. Dynamic Construction of Knowledge-Based Systems. Petri Nets in Knowledge Verification and Validation of Rule-Based Expert Systems. Assembling Techniques for Building Knowledge-Based Systems. Self Learning Knowledge Systems and Fuzzy Systems and Their Applications. Knowledge-Based Hybrid Techniques Combined with Simulation and Their Application to Robust Manfacturing Systems. Performance Evaluation and Tuning of UNIX Based Software Systems. Case-Based Reasoning. Discrete Time Control Systems. Design Knowledge Development Techniques and Applications in Productivity Enhancement in Concurrent Systems Design. Expert Systems in Power Systems Control. A Knowledge Modeling Technique for Construction of Knowledge and Databases in Industrial Applications. The Representation of Positional Information. Development of VLSI Systems. Expert Systems in Foundry System Operations. The Integration and Visualization of Assembly Sequences in Manufacturing Systems. Knowledge-Based Decision Support Systems.
SNAP: A computer program for generating symbolic network functions

The computer program SNAP (symbolic network analysis program) generates symbolic network functions for networks containing R, L, and C type elements and all four types of controlled sources. The program is efficient with respect to program storage and execution time. A discussion of the basic algorithms is presented, together with user's and programmer's guides.
Development of a High-Resolution (< 10 ps RMS) 32-channel TDC in a Field-Programmable-Gate-Array

Time to Digital Converters (TDCs) are widely used in many scientific applications. At GSI high-resolution ASIC-TDCs and commercial modules are utilized in Time of Flight detectors. Two methods used in highresolution applications – the Vernier and the tapped delay line (TDL) method – have been successfully implemented in FPGAs, e.g. a FPGA-TDC with 17 ps time resolution has been described recently in [1]. The advantage of a FPGA implementation is the less complex, less expensive and less time consuming design process as well as the flexibility and adaptability of the FPGA-TDC design to special needs of the current application. These facts motivated us to explore the performance of a TDC implementation in a FPGA.
Detection of Arrhythmia Using Heart Rate Variability and A Fuzzy Neural Network

This paper presents an approach to detect arrhythmia using heart rate variability and a fuzzy neural network. The proposed algorithm diagnoses arrhythmia using 32 RR-intervals that are 2 5 seconds on average. We extract six statistical values from the 32 RR-intervals, which are used to input data of the fuzzy neur al network. This paper uses the neural network with weighted fuzzy membership functions(NEWFM) to diagnose arrhythmia. The N EWFM used in this algorithm classifies normal and arrhythmia. The performances by Tsipouras using the 48 records of the MIT-B IH arrhythmia database was below 80% of SE(sensitivity) and SP(specificity) in both. The detection algorithm of arrhythmia shows 88.75% of SE, 82.28% of SP, and 86.31% of accuracy.
Ciclo de maturação e força de desprendimento dos frutos de café Conilon em cultivo irrigado no Cerrado

This study aimed to determinate the release strength and the maturation cycle of the fruits of 217 genotypes of Conilon coffee, originated from open field crossings of the Robusta Tropical cultivar, in five stages along the maturation cycle (green, green cane, cherry, passed and dry). The experimental field, located in Embrapa Cerrados, in Planaltina, DF, was established in 2009, irrigated by center pivot, with 3,5 m between rows and 1,0 m between plants in the row. The measurements were realized using a portable dynamometer, and there were sampled six fruits from each side of the row, in the medium part of the plant. The data of release strength in each maturation stage were used to determinate the release strength curve of each genotype, by logistic regression, using the R software. According to the cycle duration, the genotypes were disported in early cycle and medium cycle, and were estimated the equation coefficients, which are connected to the interception point of the Y-axis (b0) and the curve inclination (b1). There were perceived variations of the release strength of the fruits between genotypes and along the maturation cycle, with a clear tendency of lower strengths on cherry, passed and dry stages. These results indicate the possibility of some genotypes be more apt to selective mechanical harvesting.
Computer Analysis of Aymara Morphology: A Two-Level, Finite-State Approach

Kenneth R. Beesley stuart N. Newton ALPNET 190 West 800 North Provo, UT 84604 (801) 379-2300 This paper describes a working computer program which performs morphological analysis and dictionary lookup of words in Aymara, an Andean language spoken in Bolivia and Peru. Aymara is noteworthy for the richness of its morphology; there are, for example, 24 suffix classes that can follow a verb root. The analysis is written using a morphology analysis tool based on Koskenniemi' s Two-Level Theory of morphology; this generalized morphology tool is driven by lexicons and tables and can be applied to other languages, including semitic languages, without modification of the code.
The Design and Development of a Statistics Performance Support System: An Application of Behavioral Modeling and Case Based Reasoning

THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A STATISTICS PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SYSTEM: AN APPLICATION OF BEHAVIORAL MODELING AND CASE BASED REASONING Isaku Tateishi Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology Master of Science The following report is a description of the design, development, and evaluation of an online statistics performance support system. The target audience for the support system is students of Instructional Psychology and Technology (IP&T), especially those who have taken the IP&T 550 “Empirical Inquiry and Statistics” course. The product is designed to be used as a supplemental reference tool. The main purpose of the online performance support system is to help IP&T students select appropriate statistical procedures for their research and learn how to perform the necessary calculations using a statistics analysis software package called SPSS. This report summarizes the needs analysis, target audience analysis, instructional design process and the formative evaluation of the product. The results of the evaluation indicated that the users found great value in the product, that it was useful and effective in helping them select an appropriate statistical procedure, and that it helped them conduct the procedure in SPSS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I want to express my sincere gratitude to my graduate committee chair, Dr. Paul Merrill. His kindness and passion for helping me complete this project I shall never forget. I would also like to give my thanks to Dr. Steven Yanchar and Dr. Russell T. Osguthorpe. Even with their busy schedule, they were always willing to help and provide their expert knowledge that truly enhanced the quality of the final product. A special thanks should also be given to all the IP&T students who participated in the evaluation. The final product was significantly improved through their feedback. Finally, I would like to give thanks to my family and wife for their indispensable prayer and encouragement.
Head First Ajax

Ajax is no longer an experimental approach to website development, but the key to building browser-based applications that form the cornerstone of Web 2.0. Head First Ajax gives you an up-to-date perspective that lets you see exactly what you can do -- and has been done -- with Ajax. With it, you get a highly practical, in-depth, and mature view of what is now a mature development approach. Using the unique and highly effective visual format that has turned Head First titles into runaway bestsellers, this book offers a big picture overview to introduce Ajax, and then explores the use of individual Ajax components -- including the JavaScript event model, DOM, XML, JSON, and more -- as it progresses. You'll find plenty of sample applications that illustrate the concepts, along with exercises, quizzes, and other interactive features to help you retain what you've learned. Head First Ajax covers: The JavaScript event model Making Ajax requests with XMLHTTPREQUEST objects The asynchronous application model The Document Object Model (DOM) Manipulating the DOM in JavaScript Controlling the browser with the Browser Object Model XHTML Forms POST Requests XML Syntax and the XML DOM tree XML Requests & Responses JSON -- an alternative to XML Ajax architecture & patterns The Prototype LibraryThe book also discusses the server-side implications of building Ajax applications, and uses a "black box" approach to server-side components. Head First Ajax is the ideal guide for experienced web developers comfortable with scripting -- particularly those who have completed the exercises in Head First JavaScript -- and for experienced programmers in Java, PHP, and C# who want to learn client-side programming.
Automatic Enactment of Workflow Processes using Active Databases

A workflow management system is a software system to assist designing processes, controlling and managing the execution of the designed processes. One emerging trend in many recent information systems is the provision of process management functions. In this paper, we propose a method of designing processes for automatic process execution directly from process modeling. First of all, the concept of block is presented which is to define a nested process model. A block is the minimum unit that can specify the relationships of process components, i.e., tasks. A general process can be defined by a combination of the blocks defined in this paper. An algorithm is developed to transform a general flat process model into a nested model. We identify basic types of blocks and build ECA (Event-Condition-Action) rules for each of the basic types. This allows us to automate the execution of the process model by using the active features of active databases.
Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results

Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Chapter 1 What It Means to Put Analytics to Work Part 1 The Analytical DELTA Chapter 2 Data Chapter 3 Enterprise Chapter 4 Leadership Chapter 5 Targets Chapter 6 Analysts Part 2 Staying Analytical Chapter 7 Embedding Analytics in Business Processes Chapter 8 Build an Analytical Culture Chapter 9 Review Comprehensively Chapter 10 The Analytical Journey: Meeting Challenges Along the Way Chapter 11 Toward More Analytical Decisions and Better Results Appendix The DELTA Journey
Italian Cities 1300-1800. A quantitative approach

Il tema dell'urbanizzazione italiana e stato oggetto di analisi da parte di De Vries e Bairoch in due opere sulle citta europee pubblicate nel 1984 e nel 1988. L'evoluzione urbana dell'Italia richiede, comunque, un approfondimento, specialmente per l'eta tardo-medievale. Questo saggio propone una ricostruzione d'insieme dell'urbanizzazione italiana sulla base delle ricerche recenti dedicate alla demografia delle citta. Viene adottata una suddivisione territoriale per aree geografiche diversa da quelle degli studi precedenti. Essa consente di precisare meglio le differenze fra Nord e Sud e di mettere a fuoco in modo piu soddisfacente il movimento complessivo delle popolazioni cittadine. In Appendice vengono presentati i dati relativi all'andamento demografico dei centri italiani con piu di 5.000 abitanti nei secoli fra il 1300 e il 1800.