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AN EXPLORATION OF VIDEO TRANSFORMERS FOR FEW-SHOT ACTION RECOGNITION
No full textAction recognition is an essential task in computer vision with many applications in various fields. However, recognizing actions in videos using few examples, often referred to as Few-Shot Learning (FSL), is a challenging problem due to the high dimensionality and temporal complexity of video data. This work aims to address this problem by proposing a novel meta-learning framework that integrates Video Transformer as the feature backbone. Video Transformer can capture long-range dependencies and model temporal relationships effectively, thus enriching the global representation. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate that our approach achieves remarkable performance, surpassing baseline models and obtaining competitive results compared to state-of-the-art models. Additionally, we investigate the impact of supervised and self-supervised learning on video representation and evaluate the transferability of the learned representations in cross-domain scenarios. Our approach suggests a promising direction for exploring the combination of meta-learning with Video Transformer in the context of few-shot learning tasks, potentially contributing to the field of action recognition in various domains
БИЛЬБО БЭГГИНС VS. БИЛЬБО ТОРБИНС: THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN TRANSLATIONS OF THE HOBBIT, OR THERE AND BACK AGAIN
No full textMy capstone project is focused on the comparative analysis of Russian translations of proper nouns in Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by Rakhmanova (1976) and Matorina (1990). The research question is how the translator’s inclination towards domestication or foreignization approaches affects the use of creation and transformation in the translation of The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. My hypothesis is that Rakhmanova’s translation will be inclined to use a foreignization approach because of her willingness to create a more conservative Russian translation which will be more likely to receive approval from the Soviet Censorship. At the same time, I suppose that Matorina prefers to use a domestication approach because it is translated later and predominantly aimed to make the novel more understandable for Russian readers by adapting the proper names into Russian folklore.
The primary source on which the argument is based is a sample of 114 proper nouns collected from Rakhmanova and Matorina’s translations. This research focuses on the specific categories of proper nouns: anthroponyms (names of people), toponyms (names of places) and objects. In this Capstone project, I use Davies’s (2003) classification system to categorize the translation techniques used for proper nouns in The Hobbit.
The research makes a profound analysis of secondary sources to reveal the genre peculiarities in children’s literature. Furthermore, this project examines the historical background to explore the influence of historical background on Russian translators. This research project also analyses the previous translation studies of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in other languages like Italian researched by Mambelli (2022) and Lithuanian analyzed by Jaleniauskiene and Čičelytė (2009), and Valeišaitė (2022). Although there are previous studies with similar topics, there is a lack of research on the translation of proper nouns in Russian. Therefore, this project will contribute to the field of translation studies within the Russian language.
Overall, this research has found that most frequently both translators preserve the original version of names. For the translation of anthroponyms, transliteration is commonly used by both translators due to the absence of semantic roots. However, for the translation of toponyms and objects, Matorina is more inclined to the domestication approach and uses creative adaptations, while Rakhmanova prefers the foreignization approach and mostly preserves the original version. Thus, the hypothesis is accepted since Rakhmanova prefers to apply the foreignization approach while Matorina predominantly uses the domestication approach
STATE IDEOLOGY IN SCHOOLS: EXAMINING DIVERSITY REPRESENTATION IN AFGHANISTANI TEXTBOOKS THROUGH CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
No full textIn the postmodern era, where education via formal schooling is deemed highly significant for children’s personal growth and professional development, the content of knowledge delivered by schools is taken for granted. After the critical turn in education, the neutral view on knowledge and literacy was challenged. Since then, critical curriculum studies have examined how and why politics influence education. Using the methods of critical discourse analysis (CDA), this study critically examines and analyzes the content of school knowledge in the socially complex and dynamic context of Afghanistan by focusing on the representation of ethnic diversity in two school subjects. Confirming the assumptions of critical discourse studies, the representational patterns of the existing ethnic groups did show a strong bias. Results revealed that ethnic minority cultures and figures are either backgrounded or suppressed, while the cultures and figures of the dominant ethnic group is normalized and glorified. Moreover, textbooks used discourses of national unity, national identity, and Islamic solidarity to justify the representational patterns. The study concludes that knowledge acquired in school can have negative socialization effects by normalizing inequality and ethnic assimilation. By critiquing the problematic treatment of cultural diversity, this study advocates a multicultural approach to curriculum development. The findings can guide educational policies and curriculum developments in Afghanistan as well as other similar contexts. In Addition, it may contribute to creating critical awareness, which is the prerequisite for combating social inequalities of any form
THE REFLECTION OF VLADIMIR SOLOVIEV'S PHILOSOPHY IN ANDREI TARKOVSKII'S CINEMATIC NARRATIVES
No full textThe USSR has produced some of the most influential film directors in history who have created new genres and introduced new filming techniques. Many of these directors have also introduced Soviet cinema to international film festivals and audiences. Andrei Tarkovskii, influenced by the Thaw, was among the first to contribute to the establishment of the Soviet New Wave in the early 1960s. His cinema examines profound philosophical questions and deals with complex human metaphysics. Directing only seven feature films, his cinematography contains various links to different cultures. The cinematic oeuvre of Tarkovskii is characterized by a multifaceted approach to genre, scene and raised issue, which allows for a multitude of interpretations.
This study concerns another prominent Russian philosopher, who is regarded as one of the most significant figures in Russian philosophy. Vladimir Soloviev is credited with establishing key concepts that have come to define Russian philosophy since the 19th century–he is the first Russian philosopher to devise a comprehensive system of thought. In the literature devoted to the works of Soloviev, it is frequently asserted that it is from his works that the concepts of All-Unity [Vseedinstvo] become the property of philosophical thought. This study employs the concepts of All-Unity [Vseedinstvo] and Theanthropism [Bogochelovechestvo] as interpretative lenses to examine the complex cinema of Andrei Tarkovskii. The purpose of this research thesis is to address the questions of Russian religious and nature symbolism expressed throughout Andrei Tarkovskii’s The Passion According to Andrei [Strasti po Andreju] (1966) and Stalker (1979). This paper focuses on the metaphors of nature and those representing the components of Vladimir Soloviev’s philosophy.
A critical examination of scholarly works that examine the motives behind Tarkovskii’s cinematic narrations reveals that some scholars tend to analyze his films through the lens of his emigration, with Nostalghia [Nostal’gija] (1983) serving as a particularly illustrative example. This interpretation suggests that there is an impression of the persecuted Soviet director, whose works were released under considerable pressure. This particular research, however, will not address the issues related to Tarkovskii’s emigration and political evaluation of his works. The research will instead focus on the interpretations of profound and difficult cinematic narrations through the prism of Solovievian philosophical concepts. At some point, the research will juxtapose The Passion According to Andrei [Strasti po Andreju] and Stalker to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of both Tarkovskii and Soloviev
THE APPLICATION OF PROJECTION PURSUIT MULTIVARIATE TRANSFORMATION (PPMT) TECHNIQUE IN COPPER MULTI-ELEMENT DEPOSITS
No full textThe contemporary mining sector extensively incorporates digital technologies all over the mining
operations. These digital mine operations could be considered as more productive due to their
ability to be used as an additional data during strategic mine planning activities. Geostatistics and
mine planning are crucial processes for mining projects, including a range of valuable tools.
Traditional methods of mine planning sometimes include oversimplifications and fail to take into
account many sources of information that may aid in risk management and the development of
more optimum designs. In the field of mine planning, deterministic approaches that often rely on
a singular mineral resource model as an input, being replaced by a stochastic approaches that
involve the integration of many realizations that are equally probable, so that risk management
based on worst case scenario concept could be done. In addition, such bottleneck of typical
deterministic approaches (kriging) as the underestimation of low values and the overestimation of
high values for the underlying grade as well as smoothing effect are being avoided. In the context
of multi-element deposits, the use of multivariate geostatistics is recommended in order to more
accurately replicate the multivariate correlation between the variables. The latter aspect is
particularly critical since standard geostatistical approaches are unable to account for such specific
trait as spatial continuity of the deposit, resulting in a significant reduction in the accuracy of the
final resource model used for mine planning. This study proposes the comparison of stochastic
methodologies such as independent simulations, co-simulations and Projection Pursuit
Multivariate Transformation (PPMT), so that the most productive methodology could be suggested
as the most accurate one in terms of reproducing the intrinsic correlation coefficient between two
of the most correlated variables in this deposit that are copper and molybdenum. In addition, the
suggestion of the method was done based on the reproduction of the main statistical parameters
such as mean, variance, linear (Pearson’s correlation coefficient) and non-linear correlation
coefficient (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient) coefficients and the comparison of them with
the data measured by drillholes
DEEP EUTECTIC SOLVENT SUPPORTED POLYMER-BASED HIGH PERFORMANCE ANION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FOR ALKALINE FUEL CELLS
No full textDeep eutectic solvent (DES)-supported polymer-based anion-exchange membrane (AEM) was prepared by a new approach, where a crosslinked poly(vinyl) alcohol (PVA)-based nanofiber mat was impregnated with DES by soaking method. A PVA-based nanofibers were obtained using electrospinning method and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) in concentrations ranging from 4 wt.% to 8 wt.%. DES was synthesized by mixing choline chloride (ChCl) and ethylene glycol (EG) at a molar ratio of 1:3, respectively. Electrochemical characterization of AEM modified with DES (DES3@PVA4) revealed a conductivity of 0.66 and 1.05 mS/cm at room temperature and 60 oC, respectively. Moreover, the absence of swelling and a significant improvement in elongation at break were identified from 0.24 to 1.08 %. Thus, the DES-supported PVA-based composite membrane demonstrated high hydroxide conductivity, flexibility, and mechanical stability in a fully hydrated state, showing potential to be utilized as an AEM for alkaline fuel cell (AFC) applications
DEVELOPMENT OF A WEIGHTING PROCEDURE FOR GEOMECHANICAL PARAMETERS INVOLVED IN CO2 STORAGE
No full textThis study focuses on methodical study of fault activation mechanisms associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) storage, with a focus on determining the underlying geomechanical properties of the caprock. The study uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to prioritize these parameters to improve the process for selecting critical geomechanical design data that underpins the analysis of potential CO2 storage sites. By integrating expert knowledge through a structured questionnaire, the study extends the methodology and provides realistic parameters for advanced numerical simulations. The study highlights the importance of injection pressure as the primary factor, emphasizing its dominant influence, followed by permeability and porosity, which are fundamental to estimating reservoir capacity and fluid dynamics within the reservoir. Conversely, the fault friction angle, although considered the least influential, requires attention due to its conditional influence on fault stability. The new application of AHP in this context represents a significant advance in the field of CO2 storage, offering a systematic approach to geomechanical risk assessment that is essential for storage planning and operational safety. Additionally, the study advances our understanding of key geomechanical parameters, facilitating the development of customized CO2 injection and containment strategies aimed at reducing risk and enhancing site integrity. Such strategic foresight is essential to the progress of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, a critical component of climate change mitigation efforts. In support of these findings, numerical simulations show a direct correlation between injection pressure and total displacement, as well as an inverse relationship with stress ratio, highlighting the importance of optimized injection strategies. The performance of RS2 software in 2D numerical simulations is also confirmed, demonstrating its usefulness in CO2 storage projects, and allowing the influence of additional parameters such as fault friction angle and rock mass fracturing to be explored
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTITUDES TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL AGING IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN KAZAKHSTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
No full textBackground: Successful aging is the concept which refers to the ability of an individual to retain a high degree of physical, mental, and social well-being as one ages preferably without the presence of chronic illnesses or other age-related challenges. Attitudes towards aging are a comprehensive personal view of the experience of aging throughout the lifetime, which can be influenced by various factors, such as the levels of health, self-sufficiency, social, physical, psychological and demographic factors. The aim of our study was to identify the factors associated with attitudes towards successful aging among middle-aged and older adults in Kazakhstan by determination of the attitudes towards successful aging and identification of the socio-demographic and health-related factors associated with attitudes towards successful aging among middle-aged and older adults in Kazakhstan. Methods: This study was a quantitative cross-sectional study which involved an online survey targeting middle-aged adults (from 40 to 64) and older seniors (from 65 to 79) with a sample size of 70. The questionnaire was built in Qualtrics survey platform, and the link was disseminated through purposive and convenience sampling methods via social media networks (WhatsApp, Telegram, VK, Instagram). The survey covered socio-demographic information, a 12-item short form of attitudes towards aging questionnaire and health and leisure-time activities questions. The results of the study were obtained through the univariate and bivariate analyses on STATA 18 statistical software. Results: It was found that 27.14% of participants were in the category of 40-49 years, 32.86% in the age group of 50-59 years, 31.43% were the ones who were in 60-69 age category, while only 8.58% of participants belonged to the 70-79 age category. Most of the participants were females (67.14%) and the majority of participants identified themselves as representatives of Kazakh (69.57%) nationality. The average AAQ-SF score was 47.2 (SD ± 4.9) with the high internal consistency of 0.7728 in accordance with Cronbach's alpha score. The average scores of the AAQ-SF scale for the positive dimensions such as physical change and psychological growth were 15.5 (SD ± 2.4) and 16.5 (SD ± 1.6), respectively. While the score for the negative dimension, psychosocial loss, was 14.7 (SD ± 2.9), slightly lower than the other two positive dimensions. The results showed that gender, financial satisfaction, chronic diseases, physical health and mental health were found to be statistically significantly associated with the Attitudes to aging score. Conclusion: Study findings showed that the possible factors positively associated with attitudes towards successful aging were male gender, satisfactory financial status, absence of chronic diseases, good physical and mental health. Findings of this study may serve as one of the potential effective tools to develop public health strategies and health promotion programs aimed to support older adults in maintaining physical health, mental well-being, social connections, and overall quality of life. Keywords: Successful aging, Attitudes to successful aging, Factors influencing attitudes to aging, Middle-aged adults, Older adults, Cross-sectional stud
DIALOGUE GENERATIVE MODEL FOR MENTAL THERAPY
No full textThe increasing demand for accessible mental health re- sources has inspired the development of intelligent systems capable of offering immediate support. In this study, we present a mental health chatbot designed to provide empathetic and contextually relevant assistance to users. We initiated our approach by employing foundational NLP techniques, related to open-domain question answering methods, to establish a baseline understanding of conversational dynamics. Subse- quently, we explored the application of generative models to capture the nuanced and sensitive nature of mental health queries. Our methodology started with the full fine-tuning of smaller models, which provided initial insights into the training process of LLMs. Building upon this foundation, we leveraged the Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) [1] technique to fine-tune larger, more complex models, thus harnessing their superior generative capabilities without the computational expense of training from scratch. The success of our models can be attributed to the properly formatted and curated dataset, which was crucial in training the chatbot to understand and respond to a diverse range of mental health queries. The final chatbot demonstrates promising capabilities in delivering instant, reliable, and empathetic interaction, marking a signifi- cant step forward in digital mental health assistance. Our work not only showcases the potential of hybrid NLP applications in mental health scenarios but also paves the way for further innovations in therapeutic conversational agents