Retrieval effectiveness of proper name search methods

Searching for names, e.g. author names or company names, is still an open problem. This paper reviews known similarity measures. These measures deal with phonetic similarity, typing errors and plain string similarity. It is shown experimentally that all three approaches lead to significantly higher retrieval quality than plain identity. Further improvements are possible by combining different methods; a probabilistic interpretation of string similarity is developed that leads to better results than an ad-hoc approach.     

Human handedness in interactive situations: Negative perceptual frequency effects can be reversed!

Abstract

Left-handed performers seem to enjoy an advantage in interactive sports. Researchers suggest this is predominantly due to the relative scarcity of left-handers compared with right-handers. Such negative frequency-dependent advantages are likely to appear in inefficient game-play behaviour against left-handed opponents such as reduced ability to correctly anticipate left-handers' action intentions. We used a pre–post retention design to test whether such negative frequency-dependent perceptual effects can be reversed via effective training. In a video-based test, 30 handball novices anticipated the shot outcome of temporally occluded handball penalties thrown by right- and left-handed players. Between the pre- and post-tests, participants underwent a perceptual training programme to improve prediction accuracy, followed by an unfilled retention test one week later. Participants were divided into two hand-specific training groups (i.e. only right- or left-handed shots were presented during training) and a mixed group (i.e. both right- and left-handed shots were presented). Our results support the negative frequency-dependent advantage hypothesis, as hand-specific perceptual training led to side-specific improvement of anticipation skills. Similarly, findings provide experimental evidence to support the contention that negatively frequency-dependent selection mechanisms contributed to the maintenance of the handedness polymorphism.     

'NO OPINION'-FILTERS: A COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE

Research on the use of ‘no opinion’-filters suggeststhat respondents are the less likely to offer a substantiveresponse the more strongly the filter question is worded. Aseries of experiments is reported that demonstrates that filterquestions influence respondents' perception of their task: themore strongly the filter question is worded, the more respondentsassume that they will have to answer difficult questions, andthat they may not have the required knowledge. Accordingly,filter questions discourage respondents from offering globalopinions that they may hold. In line with this assumption, allrespondents who reported not having an opinion in response toa filter question, subsequently provided substantive responseson a global opinion question—presumably because the globalquestion asked was less demanding than expected on the basisof the filter. Analyses of these substantive responses indicatedthat respondents who initially reported not having an opiniondiffered from respondents who reported having one. Methodologicalimplications of these findings for the use of filter questionsand for research on the nature of ‘floating’ arediscussed.     

Konfigurierungskonzepte für DB-basierte technische Entwurfsanwendungen

Zusammenfassung  . Schwerpunkte einer Datenbank-Unterstützung von technischen Entwurfsanwendungen sind eine geeignete Ablaufkontrolle sowie ein geeignetes Datenmodell. Letzteres mu? Versionen komplexer Objekte verwalten k?nnen. Um aus der Gesamtmenge der in einer Datenbank enthaltenen Versionen konsistente Einheiten (Mengen ‚kompatibler’ Versionen) hervorheben zu k?nnen, werden geeignete Konfigurierungskonzepte ben?tigt. Dieses Papier gibt eine Klassifikation verschiedener DB-bezogener Konfigurierungsans?tze, bewertet diese und begründet damit die Wahl, die im Rahmen des Objekt- und Versionsdatenmodells OVM hinsichtlich des zu unterstützenden Konfigurierungskonzeptes getroffen wurde. Wir werden argumentieren, da? insbesondere die Flexibilit?t, die das gew?hlte Konzept sowohl hinsichtlich der Definition von Konfigurationstypen als auch hinsichtlich des Anlegens von Konfigurationen bietet, zu einer besseren Unterstützung von technischen Entwurfsanwendungen als in bestehenden objekt-orientierten Systemen führt. Eingegangen am 14. Oktober 1996/Angenommen am 27. Oktober 1997     

A probability ranking principle for interactive information retrieval

The classical Probability Ranking Principle (PRP) forms the theoretical basis for probabilistic Information Retrieval (IR) models, which are dominating IR theory since about 20 years. However, the assumptions underlying the PRP often do not hold, and its view is too narrow for interactive information retrieval (IIR). In this article, a new theoretical framework for interactive retrieval is proposed: The basic idea is that during IIR, a user moves between situations. In each situation, the system presents to the user a list of choices, about which s/he has to decide, and the first positive decision moves the user to a new situation. Each choice is associated with a number of cost and probability parameters. Based on these parameters, an optimum ordering of the choices can the derived—the PRP for IIR. The relationship of this rule to the classical PRP is described, and issues of further research are pointed out.

Forgeries of Fossils in “Amber”: History,Identification and Case Studies

The appeal of ancient fossilized tree resin, or amber, has made pieces with animal and plant inclusions particularly prized. Unfortunately, amber forgeries are more convincingly and routinely made than most other kinds of fossils, by embedding organisms in natural resins (e.g., copal) or synthetic resins (especially polyester) or by filling a carved niche in a natural piece of amber with resin and a modern inclusion. The confusion of organisms in copal (forged and natural) for ones in amber has a long history. Reviewed here are simple tests for discerning forgeries and natural inclusions in both substances. We discuss an old but sophisticated technique for crafting amber forgeries from authentic amber and present several new examples from old collections in two large museum collections. Also discussed is the widespread use of polyester resin forgeries in the Dominican Republic and Mexico.