The use of natural language processing in computer-assisted language instruction

This article describes the natural language processing techniques used in two computer-assisted language instruction programs: VERBCON and PARSER. VERBCON is a template-type program which teaches students how to use English verb forms in written texts. In the exercises verbs have been put into the infinitive, and students are required to supply appropriate verb forms. PARSER is intended to help students learn English sentence structure. Using a lexicon and production rules, it generates sentences and asks students to identify their grammatical parts. The article contends that only by incorporating natural language processing techniques can these programs offer a substantial number of exercises and at the same time provide students with informative feedback. Alan Bailin is director of the Effective Writing Program at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Philip Thomson is a programmer in the Faculty of Medecine, University of Western Ontario.     

On the persistence of disparlure in the human body

Response of male gypsy moths from a sparse infestation in Italy to an observer apparently contaminated with disparlure at least two years previously is reported. Other examples of pheromone contamination of people or things are also recorded.Authorized for publication as paper No. 5946 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.The observations in Italy were made while the author was a Gastdozent at the Entomologisches Institute, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Zürich, Switzerland.     

Facial muscle patterning and lateralization during elation and depression imagery.

26 18–30 yr old female Ss read a standard set of self-referent statements and imagined scenes with elated, depressed, and neutral content. The dependent measures were subjective mood ratings (Self-Rating Depression Scale) and left and right zygomatic- and corrugator-muscle activity. The self-statements elicited feelings of elation and depression in approximately 70% of Ss. Among these Ss, elation was accompanied by immediate increases in zygomatic activity, especially on the right side of the face in pure right-handed Ss. Depression was accompanied by bilateral increases in corrugator activity that grew over time. In the remaining 30% of Ss who reported experiencing little or no subjective differences between the elation and depression self-statements, similar though smaller facial patterns of zygomatic and corrugator activity were found that reliably differentiated the affective conditions. Data support the hypothesis that facial EMG patterning is a sensitive psychophysiological indicator of mood. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Electroantennogram responses ofScolytus multistriatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to its pheromone components and to associated compounds

Electroantennograms were recorded fromScolytus multistriatus in response to 4-methyl-3-heptanol, the four geometric isomers of multistriatin, and cubeb oil. Charateristic dose-response curves for response amplitude and the time required for the voltage trace to return to 1/2 baseline (recovery rate) were established. Recovery rates were significantly more rapid following stimulation with 4-methyl-3-heptanol or cubeb oil than with the multistriatin isomers. At most intensities, -multistriatin, the isomer that evokes behavioral response, gave significantly larger EAGs with significantly longer recovery rates than the other isomers. Results of differential adaptation experiments suggested that 4-methyl-3-heptanol interacted with the processes involving multistriatin and cubeb oil activity. However, cross-activity of acceptors for these compounds seems unlikely; single sensillum recordings are needed to ascertain the response spectra for individual receptor neurons.From a thesis submitted as partial fulfillment of the Masters of Science degree, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York 13210.     

Consistency in networks of relations

Artificial intelligence tasks which can be formulated as constraint satisfaction problems, with which this paper is for the most part concerned, are usually by solved backtracking the examining the thrashing behavior that nearly always accompanies backtracking, identifying three of its causes and proposing remedies for them we are led to a class of algorithms whoch can profitably be used to eliminate local (node, arc and path) inconsistencies before any attempt is made to construct a complete solution. A more general paradigm for attacking these tasks is the altenation of constraint manipulation and case analysis producing an OR problem graph which may be searched in any of the usual ways.Many authors, particularly Montanari and Waltz, have contributed to the development of these ideas; a secondary aim of this paper is to trace that history. The primary aim is to provide an accessible, unified framework, within which to present the algorithms including a new path consistency algorithm, to discuss their relationships and the may applications, both realized and potential of network consistency algorithms.     

Behavioral control of exercise in sedentary adults: Studies 1 through 6.

Conducted 6 experiments with 143 healthy sedentary adults who had been unsuccessful in starting or maintaining an exercise regimen to identify behavioral and cognitive procedures that would enhance Ss' adherence to a 3 day/wk exercise (walking/jogging) program. Procedures evaluated included feedback and praise during exercise, various goal-setting strategies, lottery reinforcement, cognitive strategies during the exercise, and relapse-prevention training. Class attendance, exercise program adherence, and fitness data were collected, and self-reported 3-mo follow-up data were also obtained. Results suggest the importance of social support, feedback, and praise during exercise; flexibility in exercise-goal setting; and distraction-based cognitive strategies. Findings are integrated and discussed in terms of the importance and difficulties of shaping and maintaining exercise behaviors. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Water absorption and its effect on polyarylate

Water absorption and its effect on the tensile and impact properties of polyarylate was studied by immersing polyarylate specimens in water baths, between 23 and 98°C. The diffusivity was calculated to be 11 × 10^?9 cm²/s at 23°C with an activation energy of 9.8 kcal/mole. The aromatic ester in polyarylate is hydrolyzed by water, which was found to cause a decrease in molecular weight and in mechanical properties. In the early stage, the reaction is zero-order and the activation energy of the hydrolytic embrittlement is 22 kcal/mole.     

The CIE 1976 Color-Difference Formulae

The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) has recommended the use of two approximately uniform color spaces and associated color-difference formulae chosen from among several of similar merit to promote uniformity of practice. In this paper, the various features of the two formulae are discussed and compared. It is shown that the two are approximately equal in their degree of agreement with visual judgements of color difference. Choice of which formula to use in a particular situation will often depend not so much on scientific merit as on other factors such as familiarity and conformance to common practice in a particular industry or group.     

Ignition of droplets of liquid fuels solvent extracted from coal

A single suspended-droplet technique has been used to study droplet combustion of a range of solvent-refined coal extracts in a furnace at 850 °C. The small particles of extract are solid at room temperature but they rapidly liquefy on exposure to the hot furnace environment, permitting the size and mass-time combustion histories to be measured. Their combustion behaviour is discussed in terms of their high aromaticity and comparison with the single droplet combustion of fuel oils of different asphaltene content was used to highlight potential solids emissions problems which may arise when firing in large systems.