Ontology-Based Model of Representation of Knowledge about Language Mappings

The paper presents a short review of some systems for program transformations performed on the basis of the internal intermediate representations of these programs. Many systems try to support several languages of representation of the source texts of programs and solve the task of their translation into the internal representation. This task is still a challenge as it is effort-consuming. To reduce the effort, different systems of translator construction, ready compilers with ready grammars of outside designers are used. Though this approach saves the effort, it has its drawbacks and constraints. The paper presents the general idea of using the mapping approach to solve the task within the framework of program transformations and overcome the disadvantages of the existing systems. The paper demonstrates a fragment of the ontology model of high-level languages mappings onto the single representation and gives the example of how the description of (a fragment) a particular mapping is represented in accordance with the ontology model.

The cells and peripheral representation of sodium taste in mice.

Salt taste in mammals can trigger two divergent behavioural responses. In general, concentrated saline solutions elicit robust behavioural aversion, whereas low concentrations of NaCl are typically attractive, particularly after sodium depletion. Notably, the attractive salt pathway is selectively responsive to sodium and inhibited by amiloride, whereas the aversive one functions as a non-selective detector for a wide range of salts. Because amiloride is a potent inhibitor of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), ENaC has been proposed to function as a component of the salt-taste-receptor system. Previously, we showed that four of the five basic taste qualities-sweet, sour, bitter and umami-are mediated by separate taste-receptor cells (TRCs) each tuned to a single taste modality, and wired to elicit stereotypical behavioural responses. Here we show that sodium sensing is also mediated by a dedicated population of TRCs. These taste cells express the epithelial sodium channel ENaC, and mediate behavioural attraction to NaCl. We genetically engineered mice lacking ENaCalpha in TRCs, and produced animals exhibiting a complete loss of salt attraction and sodium taste responses. Together, these studies substantiate independent cellular substrates for all five basic taste qualities, and validate the essential role of ENaC for sodium taste in mice.

THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF A SINGLE SESSION OF PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE ON MARKERS OF BONE TURNOVER IN BOYS AND MEN

The study objective was to compare the response of bone markers to an exercise session consisting of high mechanical loading (144 jumps) between boys (n=12, 10.2 ± 0.4 years) and men (n=18, 22.5 ± 0.7 years). Blood samples were collected at pre-, 5, 60 minutes post-, and 24 hours post-exercise) to measure bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), amino-terminal cross-linking telopeptide (NTx), osteoprotegrin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kb ligand (RANKL). Boys had higher BAP levels at all time points, with an increase 24 hours post-exercise. No such increase was observed in men. Likewise, NTx levels were higher in boys, with a greater increase over time than in men. OPG and RANKL levels were similar in boys and men at all times. In summary, even one session of exercise stimulates bone turnover, as reflected in the increase in both BAP and NTx, in boys (but not men) within 24 hours.

‘Designer Vaginas': The Representation of Female Genitals on Canadian Cosmetic Surgeons' Websites

This thesis critically examines the online marketing tactics of 10 (English language) Canadian cosmetic surgery clinics’ websites that offer Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery (FGCS), specifically, labiaplasty (labial reduction) and vaginoplasty (vaginal tightening). Drawing on a qualitative Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) and a feminist-informed social constructionist framework (Lazar, 2007), I examine how FGCS discourses reiterate and reinforce heteronormative sexual scripts for women, and impose restrictive models of femininity through the pathologization of genital diversity and the appropriation of postfeminist and neoliberal discourses of individual choice and empowerment. I explore feminist analyses of the links between FGCS and contemporary Western women’s postfeminist subjectivity, and the reconfiguration of women’s sexual agency, to better understand what these contemporary shifts may mean for women’s sexual anxiety and expression. My analysis highlights several discourses that organize the online marketing material of Canadian FGCS websites, including: the pathologization of genital diversity; restrictive models of femininity; heteronormative sexual scripts; neoliberal and post-feminist rhetorics of individual choice and empowerment; and psychological and sexual transformation. Overall, these discourses undermine acceptance of women’s genital diversity, legitimize the FGCS industry and frame FGCS as the only viable solution to alleviate women’s genital and sexual distress despite the lack of evidence regarding the long-term benefits and risks of these procedures, and the recommendations against FGCS by professional medical organizations.

Representation of model error in a convective-scale ensemble prediction system

In this paper ensembles of forecasts (of up to six hours) are studied from a convection-permitting model with a representation of model error due to unresolved processes. The ensemble prediction system (EPS) used is an experimental convection-permitting version of the UK Met Office’s 24- member Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System (MOGREPS). The method of representing model error variability, which perturbs parameters within the model’s parameterisation schemes, has been modified and we investigate the impact of applying this scheme in different ways. These are: a control ensemble where all ensemble members have the same parameter values; an ensemble where the parameters are different between members, but fixed in time; and ensembles where the parameters are updated randomly every 30 or 60 min. The choice of parameters and their ranges of variability have been determined from expert opinion and parameter sensitivity tests. A case of frontal rain over the southern UK has been chosen, which has a multi-banded rainfall structure. The consequences of including model error variability in the case studied are mixed and are summarised as follows. The multiple banding, evident in the radar, is not captured for any single member. However, the single band is positioned in some members where a secondary band is present in the radar. This is found for all ensembles studied. Adding model error variability with fixed parameters in time does increase the ensemble spread for near-surface variables like wind and temperature, but can actually decrease the spread of the rainfall. Perturbing the parameters periodically throughout the forecast does not further increase the spread and exhibits “jumpiness” in the spread at times when the parameters are perturbed. Adding model error variability gives an improvement in forecast skill after the first 2–3 h of the forecast for near-surface temperature and relative humidity. For precipitation skill scores, adding model error variability has the effect of improving the skill in the first 1–2 h of the forecast, but then of reducing the skill after that. Complementary experiments were performed where the only difference between members was the set of parameter values (i.e. no initial condition variability). The resulting spread was found to be significantly less than the spread from initial condition variability alone.

Thermal evaporation: Representation of rise in boiling point of grapefruit juice

The rise in boiling point of grapefruit juice was experimentally measured at soluble solids concentrations in the range of 9.3-60.6 °Brix and pressures between °6.0 × 103 and 9.0 × 104 Pa. Different approaches to represent experimental data, including the Dhring's rule, the Antoine equation and empirical models proposed in the literature were tested. In the range of 9.3-29.0 °Brix, the rise in boiling point was nearly independent of pressure, varying only with juice concentration. Considerable deviations of this behavior began to occur at concentrations higher than 29.0 °Brix. Experimental data could be best predicted by adjusting an empirical model, which consisted of a single equation that takes into account the dependence of rise in boiling point on pressure and concentration. © SAGE Publications 2007.

Representation of transmission lines: comparison of models and parameters distributed discrete parameters

A transmission line is characterized by the fact that its parameters are distributed along its length. This fact makes the voltages and currents along the line to behave like waves and these are described by differential equations. In general, the differential equations mentioned are difficult to solve in the time domain, due to the convolution integral, but in the frequency domain these equations become simpler and their solutions are known. The transmission line can be represented by a cascade of π circuits. This model has the advantage of being developed directly in the time domain, but there is a need to apply numerical integration methods. In this work a comparison of the model that considers the fact that the parameters are distributed (Universal Line Model) and the fact that the parameters considered concentrated along the line (π circuit model) using the trapezoidal integration method, and Simpson's rule Runge-Kutta in a single-phase transmission line length of 100 km subjected to an operation power. © 2003-2012 IEEE.

Representation of the Weddell Sea deep water masses in the ocean component of the NCAR-CCSM model

We examine Weddell Sea deep water mass distributions with respect to the results from three different model runs using the oceanic component of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate System Model (NCAR-CCSM). One run is inter-annually forced by corrected NCAR/NCEP fluxes, while the other two are forced with the annual cycle obtained from the same climatology. One of the latter runs includes an interactive sea-ice model. Optimum Multiparameter analysis is applied to separate the deep water masses in the Greenwich Meridian section (into the Weddell Sea only) to measure the degree of realism obtained in the simulations. First, we describe the distribution of the simulated deep water masses using observed water type indices. Since the observed indices do not provide an acceptable representation of the Weddell Sea deep water masses as expected, they are specifically adjusted for each simulation. Differences among the water masses` representations in the three simulations are quantified through their root-mean-square differences. Results point out the need for better representation (and inclusion) of ice-related processes in order to improve the oceanic characteristics and variability of dense Southern Ocean water masses in the outputs of the NCAR-CCSM model, and probably in other ocean and climate models.

Representation of sound localization cues in the auditory thalamus of the barn owl

Barn owls can localize a sound source using either the map of auditory space contained in the optic tectum or the auditory forebrain. The auditory thalamus, nucleus ovoidalis (N.Ov), is situated between these two auditory areas, and its inactivation precludes the use of the auditory forebrain for sound localization. We examined the sources of inputs to the N.Ov as well as their patterns of termination within the nucleus. We also examined the response of single neurons within the N.Ov to tonal stimuli and sound localization cues. Afferents to the N.Ov originated with a diffuse population of neurons located bilaterally within the lateral shell, core, and medial shell subdivisions of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Additional afferent input originated from the ipsilateral ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. No afferent input was provided to the N.Ov from the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus or the optic tectum. The N.Ov was tonotopically organized with high frequencies represented dorsally and low frequencies ventrally. Although neurons in the N.Ov responded to localization cues, there was no apparent topographic mapping of these cues within the nucleus, in contrast to the tectal pathway. However, nearly all possible types of binaural response to sound localization cues were represented. These findings suggest that in the thalamo-telencephalic auditory pathway, sound localization is subserved by a nontopographic representation of auditory space.

The spatial and temporal representation of a tone on the guinea pig basilar membrane

In the mammalian cochlea, the basilar membrane's (BM) mechanical responses are amplified, and frequency tuning is sharpened through active feedback from the electromotile outer hair cells (OHCs). To be effective, OHC feedback must be delivered to the correct region of the BM and introduced at the appropriate time in each cycle of BM displacement. To investigate when OHCs contribute to cochlear amplification, a laser-diode interferometer was used to measure tone-evoked BM displacements in the basal turn of the guinea pig cochlea. Measurements were made at multiple sites across the width of the BM, which are tuned to the same characteristic frequency (CF). In response to CF tones, the largest displacements occur in the OHC region and phase lead those measured beneath the outer pillar cells and adjacent to the spiral ligament by about 90°. Postmortem, responses beneath the OHCs are reduced by up to 65 dB, and all regions across the width of the BM move in unison. We suggest that OHCs amplify BM responses to CF tones when the BM is moving at maximum velocity. In regions of the BM where OHCs contribute to its motion, the responses are compressive and nonlinear. We measured the distribution of nonlinear compressive vibrations along the length of the BM in response to a single frequency tone and estimated that OHC amplification is restricted to a 1.25- to 1.40-mm length of BM centered on the CF place.

Quantitative long-term imaging of the functional representation of a whisker in rat barrel cortex.

In this study, we implement chronic optical imaging of intrinsic signals in rat barrel cortex and repeatedly quantify the functional representation of a single whisker over time. The success of chronic imaging for more than 1 month enabled an evaluation of the normal dynamic range of this sensory representation. In individual animals for a period of several weeks, we found that: (i) the average spatial extent of the quantified functional representation of whisker C2 is surprisingly large--1.71 mm2 (area at half-height); (ii) the location of the functional representation is consistent; and (iii) there are ongoing but nonsystematic changes in spatiotemporal characteristics such as the size, shape, and response amplitude of the functional representation. These results support a modified description of the functional organization of barrel cortex, where although a precisely located module corresponds to a specific whisker, this module is dynamic, large, and overlaps considerably with the modules of many other whiskers.

Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the representation of GM surfaces (using the NRTL model) and curves, including tie-lines and Hessian matrix

A single and very easy to use Graphical User Interface (GUI- MATLAB) based on the topological information contained in the Gibbs energy of mixing function has been developed as a friendly tool to check the coherence of NRTL parameters obtained in a correlation data procedure. Thus, the analysis of the GM/RT surface, the GM/RT for the binaries and the GM/RT in planes containing the tie lines should be necessary to validate the obtained parameters for the different models for correlating phase equlibrium data.

The Visual Representation of a Systematic Metaphor in a UK Media Text

Much has been written on the organizational power of metaphor in discourse, eg on metaphor ‘chains’ and ‘clusters’ of linguistic metaphor in discourse (Koller 2003, Cameron & Stelma 2004, Semino 2008) and the role of extended and systematic metaphor in organizing long stretches of language, even whole texts (Cameron et al 2009, Cameron & Maslen 2010, Deignan et al 2013, Semino et al 2013). However, at times, this work belies the intricacies of how a single metaphoric idea can impact on a text. The focus of this paper is a UK media article derived from a HM Treasury press release on alleviating poverty. The language of the article draws heavily on orientational (spatial) metaphors, particularly metaphors of movement around GOOD IS UP. Although GOOD IS UP can be considered a single metaphoric idea, the picture the reader builds up as they move line by line through this text is complex and multifaceted. I take the idea of “building up a picture” literally in order to investigate the schema of motion relating to GOOD IS UP. To do this, fifteen informants (Masters students at a London university), tutored in Cognitive Metaphor Theory, were asked to read the article and underline words and expressions they felt related to GOOD IS UP. The text was then read back to the informant with emphasis given to the words they had underlined, while they drew a pictorial representation of the article based on the meanings of these words, integrating their drawings into a single picture as they went along. I present examples of the drawings the informants produced. I propose that using Metaphor-led Discourse Analysis to produce visual material in this way offers useful insights into how metaphor contributes to meaning making at text level. It shows how a metaphoric idea, such as GOOD IS UP, provides the text producer with a rich and versatile meaning-making resource for constructing text; and gives a ‘mind-map’ of how certain aspects of a media text are decoded by the text receiver. It also offers a partial representation of the elusive, intermediate ‘deverbalized’ stage of translation (Lederer 1987), where the sense of the source text is held in the mind before it is transferred to the target language. References Cameron, L., R. Maslen, Z. Todd, J. Maule, P. Stratton & N. Stanley. 2009. ‘The discourse dynamic approach to metaphor and metaphor-led analysis’. Metaphor and Symbol, 24(2), 63-89. Cameron, L. & R. Maslen (eds). 2010. Metaphor Analysis: Research Practice in Applied Linguistics, Social Sciences and Humanities. London: Equinox. Cameron, L. & J. Stelma. 2004. ‘Metaphor Clusters in Discourse’. Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1(2), 107-136. Deignan, A., J. Littlemore & E. Semino. 2013. Figurative Language, Genre and Register. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Koller, V. 2003. ‘Metaphor Clusters, Metaphor Chains: Analyzing the Multifunctionality of Metaphor in Text’. metaphorik.de, 5, 115-134. Lederer, M. 1987. ‘La théorie interprétative de la traduction’ in Retour à La Traduction. Le Francais dans Le Monde. Semino, E. 2008. Metaphor in Discourse. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Semino, E., A. Deignan & J. Littlemore. 2013. ‘Metaphor, Genre, and Recontextualization’. Metaphor and Symbol. 28(1), 41-59.

Advanced representation of the ocean/sea ice dynamics at high latitudes

Sea ice is a fundamental element of global climate system, with numerous impacts on the polar environment. The ongoing drastic changes in the Earth’s sea ice cover highlight the necessity of monitoring the polar regions and systematically evaluating the quality of different numerical products. The main objective of this thesis is to improve our knowledge of the representation of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice using comprehensive global ocean reanalyses and coupled climate models. The dissertation will explore (i) the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) and pack ice area in the ensemble mean of four global ocean reanalyses called GREP; (ii) historical representation of the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice state in HighResMIP models; (iii) the future evolution of Arctic sea ice in HighResMIP models. Global ocean reanalyses and GREP are found to adequately capture interannual and seasonal variability in both pack ice and MIZ areas at hemispheric and regional scales. The advantage of the ensemble-mean approach is proved as GREP smooths the strengths and weaknesses of single systems and provides the most consistent and reliable estimates. This work is intended to encourage the use of GREP in a wide range of applications. The analysis of sea ice representation in the coupled climate models shows no systematic impact of the increased horizontal resolution. We argue that a few minor improvements in sea ice representation with the enhanced horizontal resolution are presumably not worth the major effort of costly computations. The thesis highlights the critical importance to distinguish the MIZ from consolidated pack ice both for investigating changes in sea ice distribution and evaluating the product’s performance. Considering that the MIZ is predicted to dominate the Arctic sea ice cover, the model physics parameterizations and sea ice rheology might require modifications. The results of the work can be useful for modelling community.