Abstract: A computer-implemented method for extracting semantic relations is disclosed. In the method, a plurality of hierarchal structures that originates from a corpus of documents is obtained. Each hierarchal structure includes a plurality of elements having respective recitations included in a corresponding document. In the method, for each predetermined relationship between ancestor and descendant elements in the hierarchal structures, a first keyword list is extracted from the ancestor element and a second keyword list is extracted from the descendant element. A statistical index is calculated for each pair of first and second keywords using the first keyword lists and the second keyword lists. The index indicates a strength of association between the first and second keywords. In the method, a candidate list of keyword pairs having semantic relationships is output using the statistical index calculated for each pair.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide polyurethane foam excellent in air permeability and laundry durability, an apparel material, a brassiere pad, a brassiere cup, and a method for producing polyurethane foam. [Solution] In polyurethane foam of a reaction/foaming product of a polyisocyanate component containing an aliphatic polyisocyanate derivative and a polyol component, the derivative has an isocyanate group concentration of 25 mass % or less, the derivative contains an isocyanurate derivative of aliphatic polyisocyanate and an allophanate derivative of aliphatic polyisocyanate, the allophanate derivative is a reaction product of aliphatic polyisocyanate and monohydric alcohol, the allophanate group content relative to a total amount of the polyisocyanate component is 10 mol % to 80 mol %, and the uretdione group content relative to a total amount of the polyisocyanate component is less than 10 mol %.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and system are provided for providing a recommendation. The method includes receiving, by a conversation system, a query from a user. The method also includes inputting the query into an intent-entity model to obtain a first output. The method further includes inputting the query into a question-answering system to obtain a second output. The method additionally includes analyzing the first output from the intent-entity model to calculate a value of degree of ambiguity of the first output to the query. The method also includes analyzing the query and the second output from the question-answering system to calculate a value of extent of satisfaction to which the second output satisfies the query. The method further includes determining one or more recommendations using the degree of ambiguity and the extent of satisfaction. The method additionally includes outputting the one or more recommendations to the user.

Abstract: A method, a computer system, and a computer program product are provided for calculating a degree of similarity of users. Each user may be a preparer and an answerer of one or more quizzes. The method includes collecting one or more quizzes from one or more users as preparers and providing the collected quizzes to one or more user as answerers. The method further includes collecting one or more answering activities of one or more answerers to the provided quizzes from the one or more answerers, wherein a pair includes a preparer and an answerer. The method additionally includes calculating, for each pair, a degree of similarity of knowledge background, based on the one or more answering activities of the one or more answerers.

Abstract: A buffer material including a skinned polyurethane foam including a foam layer and a skin layer formed on the surface of the foam layer, wherein the skinned polyurethane foam essentially contains no silicone compound, the foam layer is polyurethane foam, the skin layer is a polyurethane resin layer produced by reaction of a skin-isocyanate component containing an aliphatic and/or an alicyclic polyisocyanate with a skin-active hydrogen group-containing component, the skin layer has a storage modulus at 23° C. (E?coat) of 1×107 Pa or more and 3×108 Pa or less, the foam layer has a storage modulus at 23° C. (E?foam) of 1×105 Pa or more and 5×106 Pa or less, and the ratio (E?coat/E?foam) of the storage modulus at 23° C. (E?coat) of the skin layer relative to the storage modulus at 23° C. (E?foam) of the foam layer is 10 or more and 500 or less.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for learning a policy for selection of an associative topic, which can be used in a dialog system, is described. The method includes obtaining a policy base that indicates a topic transition from a source topic to a destination topic and a short-term reward for the topic transition, by analyzing data from a corpus. The short-term reward may be defined as probability of associating a positive response. The method also includes calculating an expected long-term reward for the topic transition using the short-term reward for the topic transition with taking into account a discounted reward for a subsequent topic transition. The method further includes generating a policy using the policy base and the expected long-term reward for the topic transition. The policy indicates selection of the destination topic for the source topic as an associative topic for a current topic.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for learning a policy for selection of an associative topic, which can be used in a dialog system, is described. The method includes obtaining a policy base that indicates a topic transition from a source topic to a destination topic and a short-term reward for the topic transition, by analyzing data from a corpus. The short-term reward may be defined as probability of associating a positive response. The method also includes calculating an expected long-term reward for the topic transition using the short-term reward for the topic transition with taking into account a discounted reward for a subsequent topic transition. The method further includes generating a policy using the policy base and the expected long-term reward for the topic transition. The policy indicates selection of the destination topic for the source topic as an associative topic for a current topic.

Abstract: A rigid polyurethane resin composition contains a polyisocyanate component containing polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate and alicyclic polyisocyanate, and a polyol component. In the polyisocyanate component, the ratio of an isocyanate group derived from the alicyclic polyisocyanate with respect to the total amount of an isocyanate group derived from the polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate and the isocyanate group derived from the alicyclic polyisocyanate is 10 to 70 mol %.

Abstract: A method of question answering from multilingual information sources is disclosed. The present invention discloses a method, a computer system and a program product for selecting an information source language of an information source, the method comprising; receiving a question; analyzing the question to obtain a category information of at least one word included in the question; obtaining a word included in the category information as estimated topic or region related to the question; determining a candidate for an information source language using the estimated topic or region; and selecting the information source language and corresponding information sources for retrieving documents to generate an answer of the question.

Abstract: A method of question answering from multilingual information sources is disclosed. The present invention discloses a method, a computer system and a program product for selecting an information source language of an information source, the method includes: receiving a question; analyzing the question to obtain a category information of a word included in the question; obtaining a word included in the category information as estimated topic or region related to the question; determining a candidate for an information source language using the estimated topic or region; and selecting the information source language and corresponding information sources for retrieving documents to generate an answer of the question.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, program product, and system, for extracting pieces of text from a plurality of pieces of text. The method includes: primarily evaluating a measure of positive expressions and a measure of negative expressions included in each of pieces of text; secondarily evaluating each of the pieces of text on the basis of a plurality of evaluation functions, where certain evaluation functions among the plurality of evaluation functions include, as variables, the measure of positive expressions and the measure of negative expressions; and extracting a piece of text having an evaluation result with a higher rating in preference to a piece of text having an evaluation result with a lower rating, where the individual evaluation results are based on the same evaluation function among the plurality of evaluation functions.

Abstract: A method, a computer system, and a computer program product are provided for calculating a degree of similarity of users. Each user may be a preparer and an answerer of one or more quizzes. The method includes collecting one or more quizzes from one or more users as preparers and providing the collected quizzes to one or more user as answerers. The method further includes collecting one or more answering activities of one or more answerers to the provided quizzes from the one or more answerers, wherein a pair includes a preparer and an answerer. The method additionally includes calculating, for each pair, a degree of similarity of knowledge background, based on the one or more answering activities of the one or more answerers.

Abstract: A method of question answering from multilingual information sources is disclosed. The present invention discloses a method, a computer system and a program product for selecting an information source language of an information source, the method comprising; receiving a question; analyzing the question to obtain a category information of at least one word included in the question; obtaining a word included in the category information as estimated topic or region related to the question; determining a candidate for an information source language using the estimated topic or region; and selecting the information source language and corresponding information sources for retrieving documents to generate an answer of the question.

Abstract: A method, device, and computer program product for detecting negative opinions in social media, computer program product, and computer. Negative opinions in social media can be precisely detected at an early stage. A method for processing, with a computer, a plurality of messages sent by a plurality of users over time includes the following steps: obtaining a plurality of messages, each including a specific proper noun; determining a politeness level of each of the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun; and calculating a proportion of messages having a politeness level lower than a certain threshold with respect to the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun.

Abstract: Provided are two types of translation engines. One of the translation engines translates a text written in a source language X into an intermediate language C, and the other translates the intermediate language C into a target language Y. The X-C translation engine translates an original text written in the source language X into a text in a predetermined intermediate language C as well as acquires and adds annotations obtained by this translation to the translated text written in the intermediate language C. The C-Y translation engine references annotations, which are obtained by the X-C translation engine and added to the text in the intermediate language C, and translates the text in the intermediate language into a text in the target language Y sentence.

Abstract: A data transfer device that transfers data to a memory according to an instruction from a processor via a bus through which a response indicating completion of data writing in the memory is not sent back, comprises an inter-memory data transfer control unit including an operation start trigger receiving unit, a parameter acquiring unit, a read unit, and a write unit. When the write unit detects switching of a write destination memory, the write unit confirms write completion as to the memory by a procedure different from writing. When a data transfer instructed by the processor is completed, the write unit confirms write completion as to the write destination memory at the end of the data transfer by the procedure different from writing. The inter-memory data transfer control unit notifies the processor of completion of an inter-memory data transfer based on the confirmation of the write completion.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, program product, and system, for extracting pieces of text from a plurality of pieces of text. The method includes: primarily evaluating a measure of positive expressions and a measure of negative expressions included in each of pieces of text; secondarily evaluating each of the pieces of text on the basis of a plurality of evaluation functions, where certain evaluation functions among the plurality of evaluation functions include, as variables, the measure of positive expressions and the measure of negative expressions; and extracting a piece of text having an evaluation result with a higher rating in preference to a piece of text having an evaluation result with a lower rating, where the individual evaluation results are based on the same evaluation function among the plurality of evaluation functions.

Abstract: A data transfer device that confirms completion of writing into a memory on transferring data to the memory via a bus through which a response indicating completion of data writing in the memory is not sent back includes an inter-memory data transfer control unit performing data transfer between the memories. When the inter-memory data transfer control unit detects switching of a write destination memory from a first memory to a second memory, in order to confirm that writing into the first memory is completed, the inter-memory data transfer control unit performs confirmation of write completion as to the first memory by a procedure different from writing into the memory.

Abstract: A method, device, and computer program product for detecting negative opinions in social media, computer program product, and computer. Negative opinions in social media can be precisely detected at an early stage. A method for processing, with a computer, a plurality of messages sent by a plurality of users over time includes the following steps: obtaining a plurality of messages, each including a specific proper noun; determining a politeness level of each of the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun; and calculating a proportion of messages having a politeness level lower than a certain threshold with respect to the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun.

Abstract: A storage controller of the present invention narrows down the target for data comparison by comparing hash codes beforehand and rapidly detects duplicated data. A hash value setting unit sets a hash code in data received from a host. Hash code-attached data is stored in a logical volume. A microprocessor unit compares the hash codes for each comparison-targeted data. When hash codes match with one another, a data comparator compares the target data, and determines whether or not the data is duplicated data. When duplicated data is detected, the microprocessor unit removes the duplicated data.