Combining formal concept analysis and translation to assign frames and semantic role sets to French verbs

In Natural Language Processing, verb classifications have been shown to be useful both theoretically (to capture syntactic and semantic generalisations about verbs) and practically (to support factorisation and the supervised learning of shallow semantic parsers). Acquiring such classifications manually is both costly and errror prone however. In this paper, we present a novel approach for automatically acquiring verb classifications. The approach uses FCA to build a concept lattice from existing linguistic resources; and stability and separation indices to extract from this lattice those concepts that most closely capture verb classes. The approach is evaluated on an established benchmark and shown to differ from previous approaches and in particular, from clustering approaches, in two main ways. First, it supports polysemy (because a verb may belong to several classes). Second, it naturally provides a syntactic and semantic characterisation of the verb classes produced (by creating concepts which systematically associate verbs with their syntactic and semantic attributes).     

An approach for performance requirements verification and test environments generation

Requirements Engineering - Model-based testing (MBT) is a method that supports the design and execution of test cases by models that specify the intended behaviors of a system under test. While...     

Optimal design of vibrating beams with unspecified support reactions

The optimal design problem concerns vibrating beams having unspecified thicknesses and lengths as well as supports whose positions and stiffnesses are to be determined. The character of optimal solutions is discussed, and it is shown that the optimal support position may correspond to unimodal or multimodal vibrating states.An iterative design procedure is discussed and applied to generate optimal designs in simple cases. Optimal design for more complex cases can be achieved by proper scaling and connecting basic solutions.     

Stress-strength reliability models under incomplete information

A new approach to compute structural reliability is proposed. The novelty of the approach is that initial statistical information concerning the stress and strength of engineered structures is partial. Different numerous cases of state of knowledge about the stress and strength are analysed. A set of canonical analytical expressions for computing imprecise structural reliability has been obtained and a few examples are presented. The reliability models developed are generalisations of a conventional one.     

Generalised fine and Wilf's theorem for arbitrary number of periods

The well known Fine and Wilf's theorem for words states that if a word has two periods and its length is at least as long as the sum of the two periods minus their greatest common divisor, then the word also has as period the greatest common divisor. We generalise this result for an arbitrary number of periods. Our bound is strictly better in some cases than previous generalisations. Moreover, we prove it optimal. We show also that any extremal word is unique up to letter renaming and give an algorithm to compute both the bound and a corresponding extremal word.     

Elastic-plastic instability of flexibly connected non-orthogonal frames

A nonlinear elastic-plastic instability analysis of plane non-orthogonal frames, with or without elastic rotational restraints at the supports and semi-rigid connections is presented. The nonlinear flexible connections are represented by polynomial models. Both stability and strength are incorporated in the analysis. The effect of slenderness ratio, elastic rotational restraint at the supports, rise to span ratio and semi-rigid connections are fully assessed. In most cases considered, failure occurs through plastic collapse. It is found that in some cases limit point instability can occur before plastic collapse. From the geometries analyzed, it is concluded that for design application the assumption of linear (instead of nonlinear, polynomial) connection behavior is not adequate for gabled frames.     

On two generalisations of the final value theorem: scientific relevance,first applications,and physical foundations

The present work considers two published generalisations of the Laplace-transform final value theorem (FVT) and some recently appeared applications of one of these generalisations to the fields of physical stochastic processes and Internet queueing. Physical sense of the irrational time functions, involved in the other generalisation, is one of the points of concern. The work strongly extends the conceptual frame of the references and outlines some new research directions for applications of the generalised theorem.     

An automated system for simulation and parameter identification of inelastic constitutive models

This paper presents an automated system for parameter identification of inelastic constitutive models. The system can find good approximate parameters for various identification problems under a user-friendly environment. In order to identify parameters efficiently and in a robust manner, an optimisation method is first proposed. The paper then describes the generalisations applied of modelling, simulation and identification for its various identification uses. Finally, a system, which is developed in conjunction with the generalisations, is described. The performances of the proposed optimisation method and the developed system were investigated with actual material data, and their effectiveness was consequently confirmed.     

CBRDI:一种基于范例推理的数据集成方法

设计并实现了基于范例推理的数据集成系统CBRDI,能够通过积累的领域知识即范例进行有效的数据集成操作。CBRDI采用框架网络表示范例,并通过聚类方法对源范例进行组织和索引,提高了范例搜索的效率。CBRDI系统实现简单,并具有较强的自学习的能力,推理效率高。     

Bridging Work Practice and System Design: Integrating Systemic Analysis, Appreciative Intervention and Practitioner Participation

This article discusses the integration of work practice and system design. By scrutinising the unfolding discourse of workshop participants the co-construction of work practice issues as relevant design considerations is described. Through a mutual exploration of ethnography and participatory design the contributing constituents to the co-construction process are identified and put forward as elements in the integration of `systemic analysis' and `appreciative intervention'. The systemic analysis proposes collaboratively grounding the emergent understandings on an inductive and iterative analysis of actual technologically mediated work practice. The appreciative intervention, in turn, calls for envisioning images of future system and context through a recognition of presence and change intertwined in the existing ways of working. The identified elements are joined into three dimensions of interplay, namely the analytic distance, the horizon of work practice transformations and the situated generalisations, which reformulate new conceptualisations of what the integration of work practice and participatory system design is all about. It is suggested that these dimensions together with practitioner participation call into question some of the taken-for-granted assumptions and commonly forwarded intractable disciplinary dichotomies and contribute more generally to bridging work practice and participatory design.     

Playful gender swapping: user attitudes toward gender in MMORPG avatar customisation

Avatar gender is a basic element of an MMORPG user's identity. Gender customisation in a virtual space is an expansion of identity, an attempt to express oneself in more diverse ways. A survey showed that numerous users manage gender-swapped avatars, and men in particular prefer using female avatars. This study analysed user attitudes toward gender using a Q methodology. In the process, it confirmed the generalisations and motivating factors of gender swapping. The advanced graphic technology and high degree of freedom available in recent MMORPGs has led to an increased demand for avatar physical qualities, and the motives that underlie gender selection have become more diverse and complex. In particular, the notion of experimental and playful creation through customisation has been illuminated and treated as the core consideration of game design.     

Towards Effective Parsing with Neural Networks: Inherent Generalisations and Bounded Resource Effects

This article explores how the effectiveness of learning to parse with neural networks can be improved by including two architectural features relevant to language: generalisations across syntactic constituents and bounded resource effects. A number of neural network parsers have recently been proposed, each with a different approach to the representational problem of outputting parse trees. In addition, some of the parsers have explicitly attempted to capture an important regularity within language, which is to generalise information across syntactic constituents. A further property of language is that natural bounds exist for the number of constituents which a parser need retain for later processing. Both the generalisations and the resource bounds may be captured in architectural features which enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of learning to parse with neural networks. We describe a number of different types of neural network parser, and compare them with respect to these two features. These features are both explicitly present in the Simple Synchrony Network parser, and we explore and illustrate their impact on the process of learning to parse in some experiments with a recursive grammar.     

Stochastic dominance with imprecise information

Stochastic dominance, which is based on the comparison of distribution functions, is one of the most popular preference measures. However, its use is limited to the case where the goal is to compare pairs of distribution functions, whereas in many cases it is interesting to compare sets of distribution functions: this may be the case for instance when the available information does not allow to fully elicitate the probability distributions of the random variables. To deal with these situations, a number of generalisations of the notion of stochastic dominance are proposed; their connection with an equivalent p-box representation of the sets of distribution functions is studied; a number of particular cases, such as sets of distributions associated to possibility measures, are investigated; and an application to the comparison of the Lorenz curves of countries within the same region is presented.     

服务接口测试自动化工具的研究

在面向服务的架构中,软件功能通常被封装为服务,并以开放可编程接口的方式提供应用.因此,服务接口的正确性和可靠性对于服务理解、重用和集成至关重要.随着软件即服务的思想被广为认可,互联网上越来越多的软件应用以服务接口方式提供开放式访问.面对众多的服务接口,如何进行高效且有效的测试是一个亟待解决的问题.为此,提出了一种基于模型驱动的自动化测试方法,首先采用接口语义契约模型对被测服务接口建模,然后基于接口模型和测试覆盖率需求为单个服务和组合服务生成测试数据和测试用例.在此基础上,设计并实现了AutoTest自动化测试工具,该工具采用多种算法用于优化测试用例生成,且支持图形化测试计划编排和跨语言测试代码生成.实验结果表明,AutoTest能够有效支持大批量测试用例的设计和生成,根据OED(正交实验设计)算法生成的测试用例与IPO组合算法得到的用例相比,具有更为理想的测试覆盖率.     

Relating Individual Differences to the Dimensions of Human Tasks

Abstract

The need for systems of classifying tasks which would lead to improved generalisations and predictions of human performance is stressed. A learning and performance theory which ascribes task dimensions a central role is considered critical. Some issues and alternatives in developing and evaluating taxonomies of human task performance are discussed. Recent work with the ‘ability requirements’ and ‘task characteristics’ approaches are reviewed and empirical work with them are evaluated. Particular attention is given to their utility in describing human task performance, predicting learning, standardised task batteries, estimating job task requirements, and organising findings in the performance literature. A research paradigm and a number of recent applications are described for linking the abilities and task characteristic approaches. A taxonomic system which combines these approaches appears to have promise for enhancing predictions and generalisations about human performance.     

支持多工具协同的流程管理系统的设计与实现

软件开发流程中越来越依赖各种计算机辅助软件（CAS）。在使用多种工具的情况下,会遇到开发流程不可定制、流程数据不一致和流程管理效率低等问题。针对这些问题提出了一个支持多工具协同工作的软件开发过程管理系统。通过分析软件开发过程,研究支持快速迭代、偏向流程管理的软件工程开发模式,结合工作流思想设计分层架构的软件开发过程管理系统。该系统经过严格的测试用例检测,在设计的576个测试用例下通过率达到85%,能够完成工具协同的大部分需求,包括流程可定义、保持数据一致和开发流程管理。该系统在7个软件开发组,共约200人的规模下推广试用。根据管理组、开发组和测试组的反馈结果,该系统比传统方式节省了每周例会的时间,方便了开发任务的管理,从而提高了开发效率。     

Invariant cones for non-smooth dynamical systems

In this paper we study the dynamics of piecewise linear systems with regard to generalisations of the familiar notion of Hopf bifurcation for smooth systems. It is shown that the concept of invariant planes with a change from a stable focus to an unstable focus through a center should be replaced in the case of non-smooth systems by an invariant cone with similar dynamical behaviour. In that way results for planar systems are extended into higher dimensions. To determine the invariant cone and its stability properties various extended systems are derived.     

Interactive visual supports for children with autism

Interventions to support children with autism often include the use of visual supports, which are cognitive tools to enable learning and the production of language. Although visual supports are effective in helping to diminish many of the challenges of autism, they are difficult and time-consuming to create, distribute, and use. In this paper, we present the results of a qualitative study focused on uncovering design guidelines for interactive visual supports that would address the many challenges inherent to current tools and practices. We present three prototype systems that address these design challenges with the use of large group displays, mobile personal devices, and personal recording technologies. We also describe the interventions associated with these prototypes along with the results from two focus group discussions around the interventions. We present further design guidance for visual supports and discuss tensions inherent to their design.     

Towards a Formal Account of Reasoning about Evidence: Argumentation Schemes and Generalisations

This paper studies the modelling of legal reasoning about evidence within general theories of defeasible reasoning and argumentation. In particular, Wigmore's method for charting evidence and its use by modern legal evidence scholars is studied in order to give a formal underpinning in terms of logics for defeasible argumentation. Two notions turn out to be crucial, viz. argumentation schemes and empirical generalisations.