University of Lincoln

About: University of Lincoln is a education organization based out in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2341 authors who have published 7025 publications receiving 124797 citations.

Capsule Routing via Variational Bayes

Abstract: Capsule networks are a recently proposed type of neural network shown to outperform alternatives in challenging shape recognition tasks. In capsule networks, scalar neurons are replaced with capsule vectors or matrices, whose entries represent different properties of objects. The relationships between objects and their parts are learned via trainable viewpoint-invariant transformation matrices, and the presence of a given object is decided by the level of agreement among votes from its parts. This interaction occurs between capsule layers and is a process called routing-by-agreement. In this paper, we propose a new capsule routing algorithm derived from Variational Bayes for fitting a mixture of transforming gaussians, and show it is possible transform our capsule network into a Capsule-VAE. Our Bayesian approach addresses some of the inherent weaknesses of MLE based models such as the variance-collapse by modelling uncertainty over capsule pose parameters. We outperform the state-of-the-art on smallNORB using 50% fewer capsules than previously reported, achieve competitive performances on CIFAR-10, Fashion-MNIST, SVHN, and demonstrate significant improvement in MNIST to affNIST generalisation over previous works.

Applying moral foundations theory to understanding public views of sexual offending

Abstract: Much research has examined the views held by citizens about sexual offenders and related policy responses. Although studies have extensively examined demographic correlates of such views, little attention has been paid to psychological mechanisms that underpin them. Gaining a deeper understanding of such mechanisms may ultimately prove useful for informing communication strategies around the problem of sexual violence. We propose the application of moral foundations theory as a means of exploring the roots of the current punitive consensus around sexual crime policy at the macro level, as well as individual variability in attitudes about sexual violence. Following an overview of the sexual offender policy landscape, and a description of MFT principles, we outline how this framework can help to explain both convergence and divergence in responses to sexual offending among members of the public. We also provide a series of testable hypotheses to stimulate further research in this area.

Feeding biomechanics in Acanthostega and across the fish–tetrapod transition

Abstract: Acanthostega is one of the earliest and most primitive limbed vertebrates. Its numerous fish-like features indicate a primarily aquatic lifestyle, yet cranial suture morphology suggests that its skull is more similar to those of terrestrial taxa. Here, we apply geometric morphometrics and two-dimensional finite-element analysis to the lower jaws of Acanthostega and 22 other tetrapodomorph taxa in order to quantify morphological and functional changes across the fish–tetrapod transition. The jaw of Acanthostega is similar to that of certain tetrapodomorph fish and transitional Devonian taxa both morphologically (as indicated by its proximity to those taxa in morphospace) and functionally (as indicated by the distribution of stress values and relative magnitude of bite force). Our results suggest a slow tempo of morphological and biomechanical changes in the transition from Devonian tetrapod jaws to aquatic/semi-aquatic Carboniferous tetrapod jaws. We conclude that Acanthostega retained a primitively aquatic lifestyle and did not possess cranial adaptations for terrestrial feeding.