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Accurate product information is critical for e-commerce stores to allow customers to browse, filter, and search for products. Product data quality is affected by missing or incorrect information resulting in poor customer experience. While machine learning can be used to correct inaccurate or missing information, achieving high performance on fashion image classification tasks requires large amounts of annotated data, but it is expensive to generate due to labeling costs. One solution can be to generate synthetic data which requires no manual labeling. However, training a model with a dataset of solely synthetic images can lead to poor generalization when performing inference on real-world data because of the domain shift. We introduce a new unsupervised domain adaptation technique that converts images from the synthetic domain into the real-world domain. Our approach combines a generative neural network and a classifier that are jointly trained to produce realistic images while preserving the synthetic label information. We found that using real-world pseudo-labels during training helps the classifier to generalize in the real-world domain, reducing the synthetic bias. We successfully train a visual pattern classification model in the fashion domain without real-world annotations. Experiments show that our method outperforms other unsupervised domain adaptation algorithms.

Henkin, Monk and Tarski gave a compositional semantics for first-order predicate logic. We extend this work by including function symbols in the language and by giving the denotation of the atomic formula as a composition of the denotations of its predicate symbol and of its tuple of arguments. In addition we give the denotation of a term as a composition of the denotations of its function symbol and of its tuple of arguments., Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure

The relational data model requires a theory of relations in which tuples are not only many-sorted, but can also have indexes that are not necessarily numerical. In this paper we develop such a theory and define operations on relations that are adequate for database use. The operations are similar to those of Codd's relational algebra, but differ in being based on a mathematically adequate theory of relations. The semantics of predicate calculus, being oriented toward the concept of satisfiability, is not suitable for relational databases. We develop an alternative semantics that assigns relations as meaning to formulas with free variables. This semantics makes the classical predicate calculus suitable as a query language for relational databases., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:cs/0607039

This study examined how teachers perceived their professional development needs and how to best meet those needs in the context of systemic reform (the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990), noting plans for professional development created by teachers themselves. A stratified random sample of schools from five geographic locations in Kentucky participated. Data collection, which occurred between 1995-99, consisted of three rounds of telephone interviews and document analyses. Researchers examined school professional development plans and interviewed teachers and chairpersons of the school-based professional development committees. Results indicated that teachers contributed significantly to both the identification of professional development needs within their schools and the planning and design of professional development activities. However, they still operated under very strong policy forces that often constrained the choices available. Professional development differed in both foci and format across schools according to grade level and district size. As school levels increased, teachers were more likely to engage in innovative professional development. Small districts relied on conference attendance much more than did larger districts. Engagement in learning community activities decreased with decreasing district size. Results indicated a pattern of reliance on the traditional inservice model. (Contains 38 references.) (SM)

This study investigated how teachers and their unions reconciled the competing criteria of legitimacy to which they were held accountable (unionism and professionalism), comparatively analyzing peer review-based teacher education programs/policies and the districts and unions supporting them. Researchers examined documentary artifacts for programs nationwide and conducted site visits and interviews in four districts. Interviews involved superintendents' office representatives, union presidents, school board members, peer evaluators, and evaluated teachers. Group interviews were conducted with teachers. Results indicated that teacher peer review programs offered unions an avenue for successfully reconciling the competing criteria for legitimacy, though implementation of peer review programs did not guarantee successful reconciliation. While there were strong supporters of peer review in each district, strong critics were not as evenly distributed. The strongest opposition to peer review within teachers unions occurred at state and national levels. All four programs contributed to the betterment of overall teacher quality, though these contributions were not sufficient to meet the professional criterion for quality. To do so, unions needed to take collective responsibility for self-regulated quality control of their members. Three of the teachers' unions accepted the requisite responsibility, with varying levels of effectiveness and program quality. (Contains 45 references.) (SM)

This paper examines the development and implementation of peer-review-based teacher evaluation programs representing the vanguard of a paradigmatic shift occurring within teachers unions. It explores how teachers and their local unions reconcile competing criteria for legitimacy within the institutions of teacher unionism and professionalism by examining the phenomenon of union-sponsored teacher peer review programs. This case study involved examining documentary artifacts for such programs nationwide and conducting site visits and interviews in four districts. Interviews involved superintendents' office representatives, union presidents, school board members, peer evaluators, and evaluated teachers. Teachers completed group interviews. Teacher peer review programs offered unions an avenue for successfully reconciling the competing criteria for legitimacy, though program implementation did not guarantee successful reconciliation. There were strong supporters of peer review in each district, with strong critics less evenly distributed. All four programs contributed to the betterment of overall teacher quality, though these contributions were not sufficient to meet the professional criterion for quality. To do so, unions needed to take collective responsibility for self- regulated quality control of their members. Three of the unions accepted the requisite responsibility, with varying levels of effectiveness and program quality. Policy recommendations are included. (Contains 11 references.) (SM)

To examine how Kentucky teachers perceive their needs and how to best meet those needs in the context of systemic reform, researchers examined teachers' plans for their own professional development. Data came from case studies of 21 Kentucky schools that were part of the Professional Development in the Service of Systemic Reform project and a telephone survey of principals and professional development chairs from 77 schools. Input was also sought from the professional development staff at the Kentucky State Department of Education. Questions focused on the planning process, the decision making process, professional development decisions, character of professional development, teachers' reactions, and unintended consequences. The 1995-1996 telephone survey involved analyzing patterns of professional development planning statewide and within the schools. From both data sources, the evidence indicated that teachers were making the decisions about their professional development. Regarding format, of the 623 professional development activities reported, slightly less than half (303) fit the traditional paradigm description. Secondary schools offered more innovation than elementary schools. Half of the activities had an identifiable curriculum focus, with most in three areas (literacy, technology, and mathematics). Findings showed that while Kentucky teachers are in control of planning their own professional development, their decision-making is limited by available time, the accountability system, and prevailing views of professional development. Fifteen charts are attached. (Contains 14 references). (SM)