Statistical learning for OCR error correction

Modern OCR engines incorporate some form of error correction, typically based on dictionaries. However, there are still residual errors that decrease performance of natural language processing algorithms applied to OCR text. In this paper, we present a statistical learning model for post-processing OCR errors, either in a fully automatic manner or followed by minimal user interaction to further reduce error rate. Our model employs web-scale corpora and integrates a rich set of linguistic features. Through an interdependent learning pipeline, our model produces and continuously refines the error detection and suggestion of candidate corrections. Evaluated on a historical biology book with complex error patterns, our model outperforms various baseline methods in the automatic mode and shows an even greater advantage when involving minimal user interaction. Quantitative analysis of each computational step further suggests that our proposed model is well-suited for handling volatile and complex OCR error patterns, which are beyond the capabilities of error correction incorporated in OCR engines.     

Exploring the theory-practice gap in initial teacher education: moving beyond questions of relevance to issues of power and authority

The ‘theory-practice divide’ in teacher education can be viewed not simply as an acceptance of a body of knowledge but instead an acceptance of the teacher educator’s authority to determine what is relevant educational theory. This research aimed to explore student teachers’ views of ‘educational theory’ and how it was discursively positioned relative to their practice in an attempt to examine whether their acceptance or rejection of it was also related to accepting the authority of the teacher educator. Using one-to-one interviews with 23 student teachers and employing a discourse analysis, four categories of students emerged. The paper describes these four categories and discusses the implications of these findings for initial teacher education and our understanding of the ‘theory-practice’ gap.     

Serious leisure: the sport of target shooting and leisure satisfaction

This study is designed to identify the underlying satisfaction dimensions gained through engagement in target shooting as a serious leisure pastime. The instrument design was based on the Leisure Satisfaction Scale. A total of 5502 useable surveys were collected through the Internet and a website related to target shooting and gun ownership. The results revealed eight dimensions: self-actualization, social interaction, location aesthetic, respite, physical benefit, connection and hedonic pleasure, which supplied the primary satisfiers of engaging in target shooting as a serious leisure activity. The demographic profile and dimensions of satisfaction may serve to dispel commonly held stereotypes of shooting hobbyists and those involved in gun ownership. The findings have important implications for leisure researchers and practitioners, to industry, both leisure and firearm related, and the target shooting community at large. This study adds to the literature of both target shooting and serious leisure.     

Evaluation of soccer players under the Moneyball concept

ABSTRACT

The recruitment of athletes with limited resources is a global problem in professional sports. In US Major League Baseball, the experience of the Oakland Athletics’ general manager in the last decade turned his “Moneyball” model into a synonym of quantitative analysis in the transfer market of baseball players. His strategy focused on hiring players with outstanding technical skills but relatively low market value. This study adapted this model to the framework of a multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA), by selecting undervalued players who have complementary abilities. The novelty here refers to the joint use of four algorithms explored by the composition of probabilistic preferences (CPP) (i.e., ranking, classification, dynamic evaluation and regularity analysis) and their application to soccer player performance evaluation. The new model analysed the recent transfer of a left-back soccer player to Europe. The results indicated 12 opportunities for better investment, among 32 left and right-back players considered. Two years later, the value of the same player was considerably lower. He played only five matches in the 2018–2019 season, without scoring or providing any assists. On the other hand, the players better classified by the CPP-MB model presented higher performances and market values.     

中国体育科学发展现状与展望

采用文献资料调研和调查访问等方法 ,对中国体育科学研究的特点与存在的问题进行了探讨 ,并对中国体育科学发展进行了展望。研究表明 :中国体育科学表现出科学研究取得高水平成果、研究手段多样化、初步形成了中国特色的体育科学研究体系、开始步入国际体育科学舞台等 4个方面的特点。但是 ,中国体育科学研究存在着创新性研究成果 (假说 )不多、研究方法中存在的缺陷、体育科学研究发展不平衡、在国际体育科学研究领域地位不高等问题。另外 ,中国体育科学应当在理论研究突出重点 ;应用研究突出实用特征、新技术与新方法的应用 ;加强中国特色的体育科学研究 ;建立中国体育科学数据平台 ;不断提高在国际体育科学研究中地位等方面进行加强。     

Asymptotic behavior of solutions of some semilinear functional differential and integro-differential equations with infinite delay in Banach spaces

We prove in this paper the existence and uniqueness of mild solutions to some functional differential and functional integro-differential equations with infinite delay in Banach spaces which approach almost automorphic functions at infinity. We also discuss the existence of S-asymptotically $\omega \text{-}\mathrm{periodic}$ mild solutions. The results are new.     

我国联合型SKL自主创新的SWOT分析

作为我国基础研究"国家队"的重要组成部分,联合型SKL已经成为我国开展高水平基础研究的重要基地,但其原始创新和集成创新能力有限,且不同类型的联合型SKL自主创新绩效差异显著。首次运用SWOT法对我国联合型SKL自主创新进行了比较全面系统的分析。研究表明,我国联合型SKL在自主创新方面具有各自的优势和劣势,面临不同的威胁和发展的机遇。因此,发挥多种策略的协同功能,就成为提升我国联合型SKL自主创新能力的应对之策。