Selection Of Exemplars Research Articles

Perceptual identification of high vowels in Taiwan Mandarin

Taiwan Mandarin contrasts high vowels /i/, /y/, and /u/ in the aspects of tongue backness and lip roundedness. Despite that both /y/ and /u/ are associated with the [round] feature, the postural realizations of these two vowels are not always identical, though sometimes only very subtle. The current study investigates whether native speakers can reliably identify the three high vowels from natural speech when no acoustic signal was available. The results show that the highest identification accuracy was found in /i/, followed by /u/ and then /y/. The same order was also reported in the analyses of sensitivity. On the other hand, the two rounded vowels were easily confused, as revealed by the analysis of false alarm. The results also showed that participants may pay attention to different postural cues when distinguishing /u/ and /y/, along with a slight bias towards /y/. While it is rather challenging for native speakers to identify /u/ from /y/, our results did provide a selection of postural exemplars for each vowel, which may be considered as more canonical and subject to further analyses using image processing.

Analogical inferences mediated by relational categories

The standard approach posits that analogical inferences are generated by copying unmapped base relations, substituting mapped target entities for source entities, and generating slots for base entities that have not found a correspondence in the target. In the present study we argue that this mechanism does not adequately explain the generation of inferences mediated by relational categories. Experiment 1 revealed that for analogies in which the gist of the information to be transferred is better captured by relational categories than by explicit relations, inferences are more concerned with reinstantiating the base relational category than with ensuring that the relation of the inference resembles that of the base. Experiment 2 replicated this finding with analogies between situations maintaining a higher degree of semantic and contextual distance. The following experiments addressed whether there are further restrictions that guide a more fine-grained selection of exemplars. Experiment 3 revealed that when no relevant differences exist between compared situations, the exemplars included in analogical inferences tend to match the base exemplars along salient dimensions of the relational category to which both exemplars belong. In turn, Experiment 4 replicated this finding with analogies between situations maintaining some degree of semantic and contextual distance. The study adds to a growing literature recognizing the role of categorization in analogical reasoning. The challenges posed by the present results to the traditional view of analogical inference are discussed, as well as the prospects of the categorial mechanism for explaining other types of analogies not included in the present study.

ChemChaste: Simulating spatially inhomogeneous biochemical reaction-diffusion systems for modeling cell-environment feedbacks.

BackgroundSpatial organization plays an important role in the function of many biological systems, from cell fate specification in animal development to multistep metabolic conversions in microbial communities. The study of such systems benefits from the use of spatially explicit computational models that combine a discrete description of cells with a continuum description of one or more chemicals diffusing within a surrounding bulk medium. These models allow the in silico testing and refinement of mechanistic hypotheses. However, most existing models of this type do not account for concurrent bulk and intracellular biochemical reactions and their possible coupling.ConclusionsHere, we describe ChemChaste, an extension for the open-source C++ computational biology library Chaste. ChemChaste enables the spatial simulation of both multicellular and bulk biochemistry by expanding on Chaste’s existing capabilities. In particular, ChemChaste enables (i) simulation of an arbitrary number of spatially diffusing chemicals, (ii) spatially heterogeneous chemical diffusion coefficients, and (iii) inclusion of both bulk and intracellular biochemical reactions and their coupling. ChemChaste also introduces a file-based interface that allows users to define the parameters relating to these functional features without the need to interact directly with Chaste’s core C++ code. We describe ChemChaste and demonstrate its functionality using a selection of chemical and biochemical exemplars, with a focus on demonstrating increased ability in modeling bulk chemical reactions and their coupling with intracellular reactions.Availability and implementationChemChaste version 1.0 is a free, open-source C++ library, available via GitHub at https://github.com/OSS-Lab/ChemChaste under the BSD license, on the Zenodo archive at zendodo doi, as well as on BioTools (biotools:chemchaste) and SciCrunch (RRID:SCR022208) databases.

Electromagnetic Signal Classification Based on Class Exemplar Selection and Multi-Objective Linear Programming

In the increasingly complex electromagnetic environment, a variety of new signal types are appearing; however, existing electromagnetic signal classification (ESC) models cannot handle new signal types. In this context, the emergence of class-incremental learning aims to incrementally update the classification model as new categories emerge. In this paper, an electromagnetic signal classification framework based on class exemplar selection and a multi-objective linear programming classifier (CES-MOLPC) is proposed in order to continuously learn new classes in an incremental manner. Specifically, our approach involves the adaptive selection of class exemplars considering normalized mutual information and a multi-objective linear programming classifier. The former is used to maintain the classification capability of the model for previous categories by selecting key samples, while the latter is used to allow the model to adapt quickly to new categories. Meanwhile, a weighted loss function based on cross-entropy and distillation loss is presented in order to fine-tune the model. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CES-MOLPC method through extensive experiments on the public RML2016.04c data set and the large-scale real-world ACARS signal data set. The results of the comparative experiments demonstrate that our method can achieve significant improvements over state-of-the-art methods.

Soft Exemplar Highlighting for Cross-View Image-Based Geo-Localization.

The goal of ground-to-aerial image geo-localization is to determine the location of a ground query image by matching it against a reference database consisting of aerial/satellite images. This task is highly challenging due to the large appearance difference caused by extreme changes in viewpoint and orientation. In this work, we show that the training difficulty is an important cue that can be leveraged to improve metric learning on cross-view images. More specifically, we propose a new Soft Exemplar Highlighting (SEH) loss to achieve online soft selection of exemplars. Adaptive weights are generated for exemplars by measuring their associated training difficulty using distance rectified logistic regression. These weights are then constrained to remove simple exemplars from training and truncate the large weights of extremely hard exemplars to escape from the trap with a local optimal solution. We further use the proposed SEH loss to train two mainstream convolutional neural networks for ground-to-aerial image-based geo-localization. Experimental results on two benchmark cross-view image datasets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves significant improvements in feature discriminativeness and outperforms the state-of-the-art image-based geo-localization methods.

Synthesis of Pyrrolidine- and γ-Lactam-Containing Natural Products and Related Compounds from Pyrrole Scaffolds.

Polycyclic alkaloid natural products featuring pyrrolidine and pyrrolidinone motifs remain enduring targets of total synthesis endeavors. Pyrrole and its derivatives have been exploited to access many such frameworks, including alkaloids belonging to the Aspidosperma, Stemona, and batzelladine families. In this article, a selection of exemplars that highlight the utility of pyrrole-based approaches to facilitate total syntheses of pyrrolidine- and pyrrolidinone-containing alkaloids and related molecules are showcased.

Imaginary futures: Liminoid advertising and consumer identity

ABSTRACT Many advertising and marketing communication creative executions imply that the brand can act as a doorway into a new identity, and hence, a new and more satisfying life, but this type of appeal has not hitherto been adequately observed or theorised. In order to address this gap this paper draws on anthropological theory to establish a new category of advertising and brand marketing appeal, the liminoid appeal. Liminoid experiences are those in which constraints on personal and social identity are temporarily suspended and identity is opened up to transformational possibilities. Unlike the more widely noted liminal experiences, liminoid experiences are not dependent on ritual process and can be indulged in voluntarily, repeatedly, and for fun. The paper integrates a theoretical review with a selection of case exemplars to illustrate the novelty, salience and contribution of the liminoid appeal. We add the cautionary note that, while the liminoid appeal resonates powerfully with consumers because of its ostensibly liberatory and self-actualising potential, on a social level the proliferation of such appeals could contribute to rising social disharmony and psychological distress. The paper concludes with implications for practice, research and policy.

Proximity Forest: an effective and scalable distance-based classifier for time series

Research into the classification of time series has made enormous progress in the last decade. The UCR time series archive has played a significant role in challenging and guiding the development of new learners for time series classification. The largest dataset in the UCR archive holds 10 thousand time series only; which may explain why the primary research focus has been in creating algorithms that have high accuracy on relatively small datasets. This paper introduces Proximity Forest, an algorithm that learns accurate models from datasets with millions of time series, and classifies a time series in milliseconds. The models are ensembles of highly randomized Proximity Trees. Whereas conventional decision trees branch on attribute values (and usually perform poorly on time series), Proximity Trees branch on the proximity of time series to one exemplar time series or another; allowing us to leverage the decades of work into developing relevant measures for time series. Proximity Forest gains both efficiency and accuracy by stochastic selection of both exemplars and similarity measures. Our work is motivated by recent time series applications that provide orders of magnitude more time series than the UCR benchmarks. Our experiments demonstrate that Proximity Forest is highly competitive on the UCR archive: it ranks among the most accurate classifiers while being significantly faster. We demonstrate on a 1M time series Earth observation dataset that Proximity Forest retains this accuracy on datasets that are many orders of magnitude greater than those in the UCR repository, while learning its models at least 100,000 times faster than current state of the art models Elastic Ensemble and COTE.

SELECTION OF LEEK FOR THE MIDLAND OF RUSSIA AT CULTIVATION NO SEEDLING METHOD

Leek very ancient culture which was widely applied in cookery and as remedy still by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Now the leek is widespread in countries of Western Europe and North Africa, in the USA, Canada, Australia. On chemical composition it is one of the most valuable onions representing in fact "the alive table of Mendeleyev". In such countries as Belgium, Holland and France it is one of the main vegetable cultures, and annual production it per capita makes from 4 to 10 kg. In Russia, unfortunately, it is still rare culture though falls into to the most valuable types of an onion on biochemical structure, productivity, resistance to wreckers and diseases. Widespread introduction of a leek in production restrains a number of factors among which lack of early ripening varieties with the increased resistance to extreme environmental conditions, and in this regard – difficulty of receiving high-quality seeds of leek in a midland of Russia to the north of Rostov-on-Don. Therefore, a vital necessity is on the basis of study under various conditions of cooperation a "genotype is an environment" and selection from world collection of sources of economic-valuable signs, creation of productive sorts and hybrids with good resistance to cold, possessing in the conditions of Moscow Suburbs, along with the high productivity and quality of products, by a high adaptivity to the different terms of height winter spending. Results of long-term researches of laboratory of selection of onions cultures (VNIISSOK) on studying, assessment and selection of exemplars of grades of leek from the VIR world collection are presented in article, receiving hybrid combinations and lines, development of methods of selection and creation on this basis of grades and hybrids of leek for not seedling culture in a midland of Russia, possessing high rates of vegetable and seed efficiency, quality of production and winter hardiness.

Rapid Attentional Selection of Non-native Stimuli despite Perceptual Narrowing.

Visual experiences increase our ability to discriminate environmentally relevant stimuli (native stimuli, e.g., human faces) at the cost of a reduced sensitivity to irrelevant or infrequent stimuli (non-native stimuli, e.g., monkey/ape faces)-a developmental progression known as perceptual narrowing. One possible source of the reduced sensitivity in distinguishing non-native stimuli (e.g., one ape face vs. another ape face) could be underspecified attentional search templates (i.e., working memory representations). To determine whether perceptual narrowing stems from underspecified attentional templates for non-native exemplars, this study used ERP (the N2pc component) and behavioral measures in a visual search task, where the target was either an exemplar (e.g., a specific ape face) or a category (e.g., any ape face). The N2pc component, an ERP marker of early attentional selection emerging at 200 msec poststimulus, is typically modulated by the specificity of the target and, therefore, by the attentional template-the N2pc is larger for specific items versus categories. In two experiments using both human and ape faces (i.e., native and non-native stimuli), we found that perceptual narrowing affects later response selection (i.e., manual RT and accuracy), but not early attentional selection relying on attentional templates (i.e., the N2pc component). Our ERP results show that adults deploy exemplar level attentional templates for non-native stimuli (as well as native stimuli), despite poor downstream behavioral performance. Our findings suggest that long-term previous experience with reduced exemplar level judgments (i.e., perceptual narrowing) does not appear to eliminate early attentional selection of non-native exemplars.

Exemplar-Based Image Inpainting Using a Modified Priority Definition.

Exemplar-based algorithms are a popular technique for image inpainting. They mainly have two important phases: deciding the filling-in order and selecting good exemplars. Traditional exemplar-based algorithms are to search suitable patches from source regions to fill in the missing parts, but they have to face a problem: improper selection of exemplars. To improve the problem, we introduce an independent strategy through investigating the process of patches propagation in this paper. We first define a new separated priority definition to propagate geometry and then synthesize image textures, aiming to well recover image geometry and textures. In addition, an automatic algorithm is designed to estimate steps for the new separated priority definition. Comparing with some competitive approaches, the new priority definition can recover image geometry and textures well.

On generating and exploring the behavior space of complex models

AbstractThis paper introduces a novel approach for (i) exploring the spectrum of behaviors system dynamics models could generate and (ii) identifying and selecting exemplar simulation runs that are representative in terms of their dynamics and their origin in the input space. Our overall approach consists of two phases: a first phase of iterative behavior‐based sampling and simulation; and a second phase of behavior‐based classification or clustering, input‐space identification and selection of representative exemplars. For this approach, we introduce new ways to characterize the dynamic complexity of simulation runs, develop a new iterative output‐oriented sampling approach, and combine classification, clustering, data visualization and machine learning techniques. Using two well‐known system dynamics models, we show how our approach enables one to generate a wide spectrum of behaviors and group runs based on their type of behavior, and identify distinct areas in the input space based on the particular type of behavior they generate. Copyright © 2016 System Dynamics Society

Metropolitan infrastructure, planning & institutions – a comparative world view

This paper develops inter-relationships between planning ‘culture’, influential institutions and on-the-ground infrastructure-related outcomes in cities. The paper begins with a discussion of general trends across planning cultures and planning rhetoric, alongside tangible drivers of change in city infrastructure. Industry cultures, and the lines of discussion they produce in various locations, are seemingly influenced by person-to-person interaction as much as actual planning documentation or empirical evidence. We then develop a series of ‘reference cities’, which are clustered and cross-analysed primarily according to population scale and growth, and transport mode shares. Further intriguing comparison begins to emerge when attributes such as rail system scale are considered. Five different categories of city are ultimately developed – based on metropolitan population scaling. The paper then re-emphasises leading influences on urban policy and infrastructure outcomes (some are well-known, but others are sometimes either hidden from discussion or treated casually). Initially this involves detailing ‘cultures’ of planning on a linguistic or super-regional basis. It then involves qualitative inquiry into the drivers and priorities of a selection of prominent institutional exemplars in order to allow us clearer reflection on how these influencers might facilitate progress, or otherwise, on issues like smart growth and sustainable infrastructure development. Findings emphasise the idea that planning and infrastructure policy formulation and research should emerge beyond the current tendency for ad hoc and incoherent sources of influence. It should increasingly come from a stronger empirical base – in order to improve the implementation of advanced land use/transport infrastructure concepts in cities facing a globalised world of policy challenges.

Lisbon Symbol Database (LSD): Subjective norms for 600 symbols.

This article presents subjective rating norms for a new set of 600 symbols, depicting various contents (e.g., transportation, technology, and leisure activities) that can be used by researchers in different fields. Symbols were evaluated for aesthetic appeal, familiarity, visual complexity, concreteness, valence, arousal, and meaningfulness. The normative data were obtained from 388 participants, and no gender differences were found. Descriptive results (means, standard deviations, and confidence intervals) for each symbol in each dimension are presented. Overall, the dimensions were highly correlated. Additionally, participants were asked to briefly describe the meaning of each symbol. The results indicate that the present symbol set is varied, allowing for the selection of exemplars with different levels on the seven examined dimensions. This set of symbols constitutes a tool with potential for research in different areas. The database with all of the symbols is available as supplemental materials.

Keeping it Intimate: A Meditation on the Power of Horror

The paper is a reading of Julia Kristeva, The Severed Head. It first interprets a dual historical element in Kristeva's text on "capital visions," her selection of exemplars of the artistic representation of severed heads. On the one hand, there are the aesthetic trajectories themselves, from skull art to artistic modernism. On the other hand, there is an implicit history of "horror" in psychoanalysis in this text, going from Freud through Lacan to Kristeva. The paper then indicates the tone of possibility and invitation that inhabits Kristeva’s treatment of horror in capital visions, which suggests that she does not divide aesthetics off from ethics. Finally, I underline the note of humor that enters into the psychoanalytic and aesthetic treatment of horror, once Kristeva has linked it to the feminine.

From text to corpus – A genre-based approach to academic literacy instruction

Abstract Widening participation in Higher Education and a dramatic increase in the recruitment of overseas students has led to an urgent need for academic institutions to recognise the literacy demands they make of their students, and to respond to these students' learning needs. In this paper we report on the first phase of a discipline-specific academic writing project at King's College London. The instructional approach takes as its starting point the assessed academic genres which students have to write. Working within the tradition of genre based approaches to academic writing instruction, we have used the KCL Apprentice Writing Corpus to provide a databank of exemplars. These texts, along with grading and feedback information from academic departments, and input from disciplinary specialists, have provided the basis for discipline-specific writing courses which focus on strategically important assessed disciplinary genres (Critical Assignments in Applied Linguistics, and Laboratory Reports in Pharmacy). In this paper we discuss issues in corpus compilation, the selection of exemplars, and the rationale which has informed the development of the teaching resources. We also provide examples from the workshops offered as part of the courses. The paper concludes with a brief account of the evaluation of the courses, and a discussion of how corpus informed materials are being developed to extend the project in its second phase.

Memos From the Besieged City: Lifelines for Cultural Sustainability

Memos From the Besieged City: Lifelines for Cultural Sustainability

Clustering by data competition

Clustering analysis is an unsupervised method to find out hidden structures in datasets. Most partitional clustering algorithms are sensitive to the selection of initial exemplars, the outliers and noise. In this paper, a novel technique called data competition algorithm is proposed to solve the problems. First the concept of aggregation field model is defined to describe the partitional clustering problem. Next, the exemplars are identified according to the data competition. Then, the members will be assigned to the suitable clusters. Data competition algorithm is able to avoid poor solutions caused by unlucky initializations, outliers and noise, and can be used to detect the coexpression gene, cluster the image, diagnose the disease, distinguish the variety, etc. The provided experimental results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed schemes and show that the proposed approach of data competition algorithm is simple, stable and efficient. The experimental results also show that the proposed approach of data competition clustering outperforms three of the most well known clustering algorithms K-means clustering, affinity propagation clustering, hierarchical clustering.

Selecting Concepts for a Concept-Based Curriculum: Application of a Benchmark Approach

In response to a transformational movement in nursing education, faculty across the country are considering changes to curricula and approaches to teaching. As a result, an emerging trend in many nursing programs is the adoption of a concept-based curriculum. As part of the curriculum development process, the selection of concepts, competencies, and exemplars on which to build courses and base content is needed. This article presents a benchmark approach used to validate and finalize concept selection among educators developing a concept-based curriculum for a statewide nursing consortium. These findings are intended to inform other nurse educators who are currently involved with or are considering this curriculum approach.

Holotypes in the taxonomy of planktonic foraminiferal morphospecies

The claim that holotypes serve as exemplars of morphology is examined in the context of planktonic foraminiferal taxonomy. A review of some species described over the past 90 years suggests that holotypes are selected subjectively, presumably guided by authors' conceptions of diagnostic characters. Evidence of their representative status is never provided. Seldom is the amount of material examined given. That holotypes serve as name-bearers and have no intrinsic status as exemplars is discounted. Although the holotype is rarely described, there is a typological bias in planktonic foraminiferal taxonomy because of the focus on nomenclatural types in accompanying imagery, and on the use of simply applied qualitative definitions. Commonly, type specimens are among the earliest recognized in a taxon and are selected prior to an understanding of its biogeography. Because taxa are distributed in niches within and among water masses in the global ocean, and are quite variable, holotypes are unlikely to be suitable as taxon-wide exemplars. Yet that is their present role. Population variation is under-reported in the literature. Selection of exemplars should be based on species-wide morphometric surveys of populations.