In this paper we present a textual dialogue system that uses word associations retrieved from the Web to create propositions. We also show experiment results for the role of modality generation. The proposed system automatically extracts sets of words related to a conversation topic set freely by a user. After the extraction process, it generates an utterance, adds a modality and verifies the semantic reliability of the proposed sentence. We evaluate word associations extracted form the Web, and the results of adding modality. Over 80% of the extracted word associations were evaluated as correct. Adding modality improved the system significantly for all evaluation criteria. We also show how our system can be used as a simple and expandable platform for almost any kind of experiment with human-computer textual conversation in Japanese. Two examples with affect analysis and humor generation are given.
Farm ponds are among the most biodiverse anthropogenic freshwater habitats because of their small size, shallow water depth, and aquatic vegetation. Land-use changes, such as converting riparian vegetation to human use or changing the management practices of farm ponds, are assumed to be major factors that change such ecosystems from a clear-water state to a turbid state, leading to deterioration of water quality and biodiversity in such ponds. Using the database of a large-scale pond survey, we evaluated the effects of surrounding land use (landscape factors and modern pond management practices), fish abundance, and other environmental variables on total phosphorus concentration and taxonomic richness patterns of six biological indicators associated with changes in the trophic state. Local-and landscape-level vegetation structure associated with land use and total fish abundance were among the factors influencing the total phosphorus concentration of farm ponds, a main driver of trophic state changes. In addition, a transition from a clear-water state to a turbid state was associated with lower taxonomic richness of aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates, and adult Odonata, and a higher taxonomic richness of phytoplankton and fish. Based on these results, we discuss potential land-use and pond management strategies for conserving and/or restoring the water quality and biodiversity of farm ponds through maintenance of a clear-water state.
Abstract. The larval and adult stages of amphibious animals are affected by both aquatic and terrestrial habitat characteristics, and each stage also affects the other. However, this link between life stages has been largely overlooked in previous studies. We examined the effect of aquatic and terrestrial habitat characteristics on the diversity of larval and adult odonates, taking into account the link between the two life stages. Species diversity of adult and larval odonates and aquatic plants, as well as patterns of land use, was investigated in 63 irrigation ponds. We created structural equation models, with paths from land use and aquatic plants characteristics to larval and adult stages of odonates, as well as between the two stages, and chose the best model based on the lowest Akaike information criterion. Adult odonates, but not larvae, were affected by aquatic and terrestrial habitat characteristics, suggesting that the former is the key stage for odonate communities. We observed a positive relationship between the diversity of aquatic plants and larval odonates, but this was in fact due to the effects of aquatic plants on adults, which carried over to the larval stage. Our study showed that a consideration of the link between life stages is crucial for a complete understanding of the relationship between habitat characteristics and amphibious animal populations.
This paper presents a novel method for automatic evaluation of conversational agents. In the method, information about users' attitudes and sentiments to conversational agents and their performance are achieved by analyzing their general emotional engagement in the conversation and specific affective states, and interpreting them using psychological reasoning of Affect-as-Information. In the evaluation experiment the users' attitudes to two Japanesespeaking conversational agents were checked simultaneously in a survey and using a system constructed on the proposed method. The results returned by the system revealed similar tendencies as the survey. Therefore the method is applicable as a mean of evaluation for Japanese-speaking conversational agents.
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