Information searches on the internet: Conducting thematic searches

This paper describes a procedure for thematic searches on the Internet, including query generalization, restriction, and decomposition. Query decomposition using semantic indexation schemes is considered.     

Texture and anisotropy in the mechanical properties of titanium alloys caused by the mechanism of plastic deformation

Texture formation during sheet stamping and die forging of α titanium alloys is studied, and the effect of texture and the mechanism of plastic deformation on the strength of internal-pressure spherical vessels is considered. It is shown that, apart from texture, the anisotropy of the strength properties of the α alloys, which is estimated from the difference in the uniaxial-and biaxial-loading strengths, also depends on the chemical composition of the alloy. In the textureless state, the strength of the spherical vessels is higher than the uniaxial strengths of the VT5-1kt, PT3V, and PT3Vkt alloys by 4, 16, and 38%, respectively. This effect is found to be caused by the difference in the relative values of the critical shear stresses for operating slip and twinning systems. The high ductility of the PT3Vkt alloy is related to the fact that it has a ratio of critical shear stresses in the operating slip and twinning systems such that the material is virtually isotropic with respect to tensile loads. This specific feature minimizes the effect of the incompatibility of deformation in grains with different orientations during tension, which is the main cause of the fracture of titanium alloys. The results obtained are used to propose a quantitative criterion to estimate the technological ductility in order to design new titanium alloys.     

Structural aspects of the manufacture of semiproducts made from titanium nickelide-based alloys

The effects of the charge composition, casting method, and metal forming method on the structure and shape-memory-effect (SME) and superelasticity characteristics of titanium nickelide-based alloys are studied. The shape recovery temperatures of semiproducts are shown to depend substantially on the volume fraction of the Ti₂Ni intermetallic phase, whose formation is stimulated by the oxygen present in a charge or absorbed during casting. An increase in the volume fraction of Ti₂Ni in an alloy leads to nickel enrichment of the B2 phase and a decrease in the shape recovery temperatures. Subsequent metal forming at the stage of semiproduct manufacture only weakly affects the volume fraction of Ti₂Ni and favors the formation of its equiaxed shape and a more uniform Ti₂Ni distribution in the B2 matrix. In alloys where the B2 phase contains more than 56.5 wt % Ni, quenching from temperatures above 600°C and aging in the temperature range 400–500°C result in the dissolution and precipitation, respectively, of the nickel-rich Ti₃Ni₄ and Ti₂Ni₃ intermetallics. Therefore, the shape recovery temperatures of semiproducts and finished products can be controlled. Moreover, as the aging temperature changes, the volume fraction and size of nickel-rich intermetallic particles, the slip stresses, and the SME force characteristics change. For example, to increase the compression forces for osteosynthesis fixation devices, one has to use a titanium nickelide-based alloy with a high nickel content in the B2 phase and to perform aging at low temperatures (400–450°C).     

融合单语语言模型的藏汉机器翻译方法研究

由于藏汉平行语料匮乏,导致藏汉神经网络机器翻译效果欠佳,该文提出了一种将藏语单语语言模型融合到藏汉神经网络机器翻译的方法,首先利用神经网络实现藏语单语语言模型,然后使用Transformer实现藏汉神经网络机器翻译模型,最后将藏语单语语言模型融合到藏汉神经网络机器翻译中。实验表明,该方法能显著提升藏汉神经网络机器翻译质量。基线系统藏语到汉语的BLEU值为21.1,汉语到藏语的BLEU值为18.6,融合藏语单语语言模型后,藏语到汉语的BLEU值为24.5,汉语到藏语的BLEU值为23.3,比原有基线系统的BLEU值分别提高了3.4和4.7。     

Elastic laser light scattering by GaAs surfaces

Angle-resolved scattering (ARS) intensities were measured in the backscattering hemisphere for the (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) faces of GaAs single crystals. Three epitaxial layers were deposited onto the GaAs (1 0 0) single-crystalline wafers. The laser elastic light scattering shows the presence of a regular surface microrelief whose orientation corresponds to the crystallographic axes in the surface plane. We studied the statistical properties of this microrelief and determined the parameters that characterize the surface. We propose to use the ARS ratio for two wavelengths (in our case, 632.8 and 441.6 nm) to determine the topographical properties of scattering and to study crystal surface defects.     

Phonotactic influences on short-term memory

The impact of phonotactic probabilities on serial recall was investigated in a series of experiments. In Experiments 1A and 1B, 7 and 8 year olds were tested on their serial recall of monosyllabic words and of nonwords varying in phonotactic frequencies. A recall advantage to words over nonwords remained when stimuli were balanced for phonotactic probability, but nonword recall showed superior accuracy for high over low probability nonwords, as in Experiment 2. The nonword frequency effect appears to reflect the frequency of constituent syllables rather than biphones. Both lexicality and high phonotactic frequency led to increased proportions of full over partial recall of the memory stimuli. These findings indicate that decayed memory traces in phonological short-term memory can be reconstructed using either lexical or phonotactic knowledge.     

Activation of particulate guanylyl cyclase by Vibrio vulnificus hemolysin

Recently we reported that Vibrio vulnificus hemolysin, an exotoxin produced by V. vulnificus, dilates rat thoracic aorta via elevated cGMP levels without affecting nitric oxide synthase. We investigated the mechanism further by observing the guanylyl cyclase activities in cytosolic, membrane, unfractionated, or reconstituted preparations. Hemolysin did not activate guanylyl cyclase in the membrane or cytosolic fraction, while it activated guanylyl cyclase in unfractionated or reconstituted preparation. The increased activity was not inhibited by the HS-142-1, a microbial polysaccharide which antagonizes atrial natriuretic peptide receptor, or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor. However, it was attenuated by 6-(phenylamino)-5,8-quinolinedione (LY 83.583), which inhibits the catalytic domain of both guanylyl cyclases, and by cholesterol, which blocks hemolysin-incorporation into the membrane. Removing ATP, a cofactor of particulate guanylyl cyclase, attenuated the activation and ATPgammaS, a non-phosphorylating analog, restored it. These results suggest that V. vulnificus hemolysin activates particulate guanylyl cyclase via hemolysin incorporation into the vascular smooth muscle cell membrane in cooperation with certain unidentified cytosolic component(s).     

Recorded audio prompts. A strategy to increase independent prevocational task completion in individuals with dual diagnosis

This research was conducted to teach two adults with schizophrenia and mental retardation to respond to recorded audio prompts in order to eliminate the need for instructor assistance in completing routine prevocational tasks. Studying individuals with dual diagnosis is an important step in moving toward success in community living and vocational placement. A multiple probe design across tasks was conducted. Prior to the investigation, both individuals demonstrated low levels of independent task completion. Following the implementation of the audio prompts, both individuals' task completion performances dramatically increased. These findings suggest that audio prompts may serve as an efficient alternative to instructor promoting, which is often required by individuals with dual diagnosis in prevocational job settings.