cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Student Check-In Behavior for Improved Point-of-Interest Prediction

With the availability of vast amounts of user visitation history on location-based social networks (LBSN), the problem of Point-of- Interest (POI) prediction has been extensively studied. However, much of the research has been conducted solely on voluntary check-in datasets collected from social apps such as Foursquare or Yelp. While these data contain rich information about recreational activities (e.g., restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment), information about more prosaic aspects of people's lives is sparse. is not only limits our understanding of users' daily routines, but more importantly the modeling assumptions developed based on characteristics of recreation-based data may not be suitable for richer check-in data. In this work, we present an analysis of education "check-in" data using WiFi access logs collected at Purdue University. We propose a heterogeneous graph-based method to encode the correlations between users, POIs, and activities, and then jointly learn embeddings for the vertices. We evaluate our method compared to previous state-of-the-art POI prediction methods, and show that the assumptions made by previous methods signicantly degrade performance on our data with dense(r) activity signals. We also show how our learned embeddings could be used to identify similar students (e.g., for friend suggestions).
Optimal Design of Virtual Inertia and Damping Coefficients for Virtual Synchronous Machines

Increased penetration of inverter-connected renewable energy sources (RES) in the power system has resulted in a decrease in available rotational inertia which serves as an immediate response to frequency deviation due to disturbances. The concept of virtual inertia has been proposed to combat this decrease by enabling the inverters to produce active power in response to a frequency deviation like a synchronous generator. In this paper, we present an algorithm to optimally design the inertia and damping coefficient required for an inverter-based virtual synchronous machine (VSM) to participate efficiently in the inertia response portion of primary frequency control. We design the objective function to explicitly trade-off between competing objectives such as the damping rate the the frequency nadir. Specifically, we formulate the design problem as a constrained and regularized H2 norm minimization problem, and develop an efficient gradient algorithm for this non-convex problem. This proposed algorithm is applied to a test case to demonstrate its performance against existing methods.
Surviving in Global Online Labor Markets for IT Services: A Geo-Economic Analysis

Global online labor markets (OLMs) lower the barriers to entry and enable global competition for information technology (IT) services from providers around the world. Although the prior OLM literat...
Indwelling Pleural Catheters in Hepatic Hydrothorax: A Single-Center Series of Outcomes and Complications.

Background Treatment of hepatic hydrothorax (HH) generally involves sodium restriction, diuretics, and serial thoracentesis. In more advanced cases, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and liver transplantation may be required. Previously, indwelling tube drainage has been avoided due to concerns regarding high complication rates and overall poor outcomes. Recently, indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) have been proposed as a novel treatment option for HH. Methods This study was a retrospective review of patients who had undergone IPC placement for HH over a 10-year period at a large liver transplant referral center. We tracked outcomes, including complication rates and liver transplantation, as well as biomarkers of nutritional status. Results Sixty-two patients underwent IPC placement between 2007 and 2017, with 33 IPCs (53%) placed as a bridge to liver transplantation. Complications were recorded in 22 patients (36%); empyema was the most common, diagnosed in 10 patients (16.1%). Ten patients evaluated for liver transplantation underwent successful transplantation following IPC placement. There were statistically significant decreases in both BMI and serum albumin levels following IPC placement. Conclusions IPCs represent a potential treatment for refractory HH and should be used with caution in patients eligible for liver transplantation. Ideally, IPC use for these patients would be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. IPC use may lead to small decreases in BMI and serum albumin levels in patients over time.
RuntimeDroid: Restarting-Free Runtime Change Handling for Android Apps

Portable devices, like smartphones and tablets, are often subject to runtime configuration changes, such as screen orientation changes, screen resizing, keyboard attachments, and language switching. When handled improperly, such simple changes can cause serious runtime issues, from data loss to app crashes. This work presents, to our best knowledge, the first formative study on runtime change handling with 3,567 Android apps. The study not only reveals the current landscape of runtime change handling, but also points out a common cause of various runtime change issues -- activity restarting. On one hand, the restarting facilitates the resource reloading for the new configuration. On the other hand, it may slow down the app, and more critically, it requires developers to manually preserve a set of data in order to recover the user interaction state after restarting. Based on the findings of this study, this work further introduces a re starting-free runtime change handling solution -- RuntimeDroid. RuntimeDroid can completely avoid the activity restarting, at the same time, ensure proper resource updating with user input data preserved. These are achieved with two key components: an online resource loading module, called HotR and a novel UI components migration technique. The former enables proper resources loading while the activity is still live. The latter ensures that prior user changes are carefully preserved during runtime changes. For practical use, this work proposes two implementations of RuntimeDroid: an IDE plugin and an auto-patching tool. The former allows developers to easily adopt restarting-free runtime change handling during the app developing; The latter can patch released app packages without source code. Finally, evaluation with a set of 72 apps shows that RuntimeDroid successfully fixed all the 197 reported runtime change issues, meanwhile reducing the runtime change handling delays by 9.5X on average.
A Bayesian Beta-Mixture Model for Nonparametric IRT (BBM-IRT)

Item response models typically assume that the item characteristic (step) curves follow a logistic or normal cumulative distribution function, which are strictly monotone functions of person test ability. Such assumptions can be overly-restrictive for real item response data. We propose a simple and more flexible Bayesian nonparametric IRT model for dichotomous items, which constructs monotone item characteristic (step) curves by a finite mixture of beta distributions, which can support the entire space of monotone curves to any desired degree of accuracy. A simple adaptive random-walk Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is proposed to estimate the posterior distribution of the model parameters. The Bayesian IRT model is illustrated through the analysis of item response data from a 2015 TIMSS test of math performance.
Dietary Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Related to Impulse Control and Anterior Cingulate Function in Adolescents

Impulse control, an emergent function modulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), helps to dampen risky behaviors during adolescence. Influences on PFC maturation during this period may contribute to variations in impulse control. Availability of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential dietary nutrient integral to neuronal structure and function, may be one such influence. This study examined whether intake of energy-adjusted long-chain omega-3 fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] was related to variation in impulse control and PFC activity during performance of an inhibitory task in adolescents (n = 87; 51.7% female, mean age 13.3 ± 1.1 years) enrolled in a longitudinal neuroimaging study. Intake of DHA + EPA was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and adjusted for total energy intake. Inhibitory control was assessed using caregiver rating scale (BRIEF Inhibit subscale) and task performance (false alarm rate) on a Go/No-Go task performed during functional MRI. Reported intake of long-chain omega-3 was positively associated with caregiver ratings of adolescent ability to control impulses (p = 0.017) and there was a trend for an association between intake and task-based impulse control (p = 0.072). Furthermore, a regression of BOLD response within PFC during successful impulse control (Correct No-Go versus Incorrect No-Go) with energy-adjusted DHA + EPA intake revealed that adolescents reporting lower intakes display greater activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate, potentially suggestive of a possible lag in cortical development. The present results suggest that dietary omega-3 fatty acids are related to development of both impulse control and function of the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus in normative adolescent development. Insufficiency of dietary omega-3 fatty acids during this developmental period may be a factor which hinders development of behavioral control.
Information and Energy Transmission With Experimentally Sampled Harvesting Functions

This paper considers the problem of simultaneous information and energy transmission, where the energy harvesting function is only known experimentally at sample points, e.g., due to nonlinearities and parameter uncertainties in harvesting circuits. We investigate the performance loss due to this partial knowledge of the harvesting function in terms of transmitted energy and information. In particular, we assume that the harvesting function is a subclass of the Sobolev space and consider two cases, where the experimental samples are either taken noiselessly or in the presence of noise. Using constructive function approximation and regression methods for noiseless and noisy samples, respectively, we show that the worst loss in energy transmission vanishes asymptotically as the number of samples increase. Similarly, the loss in information rate vanishes in the interior of the energy domain; however, it does not always vanish at maximal energy. We further show that the same principle applies in multicast settings, such as medium access in the Wi-Fi protocol. We also consider the end-to-end source–channel communication problem under source distortion constraint and channel energy requirement, where both distortion and harvesting functions are known only at samples.
cAMP Stimulates SLC26A3 Activity in Human Colon by a CFTR-Dependent Mechanism That Does Not Require CFTR Activity.

Background & Aims SLC26A3 (DRA) is an electroneutral Cl-/HCO3- exchanger that is present in the apical domain of multiple intestinal segments. An area that has continued to be poorly understood is related to DRA regulation in acute adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-related diarrheas, in which DRA appears to be both inhibited as part of NaCl absorption and stimulated to contribute to increased HCO3- secretion. Different cell models expressing DRA have shown that cAMP inhibits, stimulates, or does not affect its activity. Methods This study re-evaluated cAMP regulation of DRA using new tools, including a successful knockout cell model, a specific DRA inhibitor (DRAinh-A250), specific antibodies, and a transport assay that did not rely on nonspecific inhibitors. The studies compared DRA regulation in colonoids made from normal human colon with regulation in the colon cancer cell line, Caco-2. Results DRA is an apical protein in human proximal colon, differentiated colonoid monolayers, and Caco-2 cells. It is glycosylated and appears as 2 bands. cAMP (forskolin) acutely stimulated DRA activity in human colonoids and Caco-2 cells. In these cells, DRA is the predominant apical Cl-/HCO3- exchanger and is inhibited by DRAinh-A250 with a median inhibitory concentration of 0.5 and 0.2 μmol/L, respectively. However, there was no effect of cAMP in HEK293/DRA cells that lacked a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). When CFTR was expressed in HEK293/DRA cells, cAMP also stimulated DRA activity. In all cases, cAMP stimulation of DRA was not inhibited by CFTRinh-172. Conclusions DRA is acutely stimulated by cAMP by a process that is CFTR-dependent, but appears to be one of multiple regulatory effects of CFTR that does not require CFTR activity.
MMB triazole analogs are potent NF-κB inhibitors and anti-cancer agents against both hematological and solid tumor cells

Abstract Triazole derivatives of melampomagnolide B (MMB) have been synthesized via click chemistry methodologies and screened against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. Several derivatives showed promising anti-cancer activity, affording growth inhibition (GI50) values in the nanomolar range (GI50 = 0.02–0.99 μM). Lead compound 7h exhibited EC50 values of 400 nM and 700 nM, respectively, against two AML clinical specimens. Compound 7h was significantly more potent than parthenolide as an inhibitor of p65 phosphorylation in both hematological and solid tumor cell lines, indicating its ability to inhibit the NF-κB pathway. In TMD-231 breast cancer cells, treatment with 7h reduced DNA binding activity of NF-κB through inhibition of IKK-β mediated p65 phosphorylation and caused elevation of basal IκBα levels through inhibition of constitutive IκBα turnover and NF-κB activation. Molecular docking and dynamic modeling studies indicated that 7h interacts with the kinase domain of the monomeric IKKβ subunit, leading to inhibition of IKKβ activation, and compromising phosphorylation of downstream targets of the NF-κB pathway; dynamic modeling studies show that this interaction also causes unwinding of the α-helix of the NEMO binding site on IKKβ. Molecular docking studies with 10, a water-soluble analog of 7h, demonstrate that this analog interacts with the dimerization/oligomerization domain of monomeric IKKβ and may inhibit oligomer formation and subsequent autophosphorylation. Sesquiterpene lactones 7h and 10 are considered ideal candidates for potential clinical development.
Perceptions of newsworthiness are contaminated by a political usefulness bias

Are people's perceptions of the newsworthiness of events biased by a tendency to rate as more important any news story that seems likely to lead others to share their own political attitudes? To assess this, we created six pairs of hypothetical news stories, each describing an event that seemed likely to encourage people to adopt attitudes on the opposite side of a particular controversial issue (e.g. affirmative action and gay marriage). In total, 569 subjects were asked to evaluate the importance of these stories 'to the readership of a general-circulation newspaper', disregarding how interesting they happened to find the event. Subjects later indicated their own personal attitudes to the underlying political issues. Predicted crossover interactions were confirmed for all six issues. All the interactions took the form of subjects rating stories offering 'ammunition' for their own side of the controversial issue as possessing greater intrinsic news importance.
ARQ with Cumulative Feedback to Compensate for Burst Errors

We propose a cumulative feedback-based ARQ (CF ARQ) protocol for a sliding window of size 2 over packet erasure channels with unreliable feedback. We exploit a matrix signal-flow graph approach to analyze probability-generating functions of transmission and delay times. Contrasting its performance with that of the uncoded baseline scheme for ARQ, developed by Ausavapattanakun and Nosratinia, we demonstrate that CF ARQ can provide significantly less average delay under bursty feedback, and gains up to about 20% in terms of throughput. We also outline the benefits of CF ARQ under burst errors and asymmetric channel conditions. The protocol is more predictable across statistics, hence is more stable. This can help design robust systems when feedback is unreliable. This feature may be preferable for meeting the strict end-to-end latency and reliability requirements of future use cases of ultra-reliable low-latency communications in 5G, such as mission-critical communications and industrial control for critical control messaging.
Deep multiscale convolutional feature learning for weakly supervised localization of chest pathologies in X-ray images

Localization of chest pathologies in chest X-ray images is a challenging task because of their varying sizes and appearances. We propose a novel weakly supervised method to localize chest pathologies using class aware deep multiscale feature learning. Our method leverages intermediate feature maps from CNN layers at different stages of a deep network during the training of a classification model using image level annotations of pathologies. During the training phase, a set of layer relevance weights are learned for each pathology class and the CNN is optimized to perform pathology classification by convex combination of feature maps from both shallow and deep layers using the learned weights. During the test phase, to localize the predicted pathology, the multiscale attention map is obtained by convex combination of class activation maps from each stage using the layer relevance weights learned during the training phase. We have validated our method using 112000 X-ray images and compared with the state-of-the-art localization methods. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed weakly supervised method can improve the localization performance of small pathologies such as nodule and mass while giving comparable performance for bigger pathologies e.g., Cardiomegaly.
Urinary Tract Infections in Young Infants

The clinical and laboratory features of urinary tract infections in 100 infants aged 5 days to 8 months are presented. Of the patients in the first three months of life 75% were boys, and of infants aged 3 to 8 months only 11% were boys; 95% of the infants were uncircumcised. Sepsis was documented in 31% of neonates, 21% of infants aged 1 to 2 months, 14% of those aged 2 to 3 months, and 5.5% of infants greater than 3 months of age. Roentgenographic abnormalities of the urinary system were found in 45% of female and 7% of male infants. All infants responded promptly to antimicrobial therapy. The possible factors related to the predominance of male infants with urinary tract infections in the first three months of life are discussed.
A proximal culture method to study paracrine signaling between cells

Intercellular interactions play an important role in many biological processes, including tumor progression, immune responses, angiogenesis, and development. Paracrine or juxtacrine signaling mediates such interactions. The use of a conditioned medium and coculture studies are the most common methods to discriminate between these two types of interactions. However, the effect of localized high concentrations of secreted factors in the microenvironment during the paracrine interactions is not accurately recapitulated by conditioned medium and, thus, may lead to imprecise conclusions. To overcome this problem, we have devised a proximal culture method to study paracrine signaling. The two cell types are grown on either surface of a 10 µm-thick polycarbonate membrane with 0.4 µm pores. The pores allow the exchange of secreted factors and, at the same time, inhibit juxtacrine signaling. The cells can be collected and lysed at the endpoint to determine the effects of the paracrine signaling. In addition to allowing for localized concentration gradients of secreted factors, this method is amenable to experiments involving prolonged periods of culture, as well as the use of inhibitors. While we use this method to study the interactions between ovarian cancer cells and the mesothelial cells they encounter at the site of metastasis, it can be adapted to any two adherent cell types for researchers to study paracrine signaling in various fields, including tumor microenvironment, immunology, and development.
First-price auctions with general information structures: a short introduction

We explore the impact of private information in sealed-bid first-price auctions. For a given symmetric and arbitrarily correlated prior distribution over values, we characterize the impact that the structure of private information has on bidding behavior, and the sharing of surplus between the seller and the bidder. Our results provide lower bounds and upper bounds for bids and revenues across all information structures. Our work has implications for the identification of value distributions from data on winning bids and for the informationally robust comparison of alternative bidding mechanisms.
Learning about Competitors: Evidence from SME Lending

We study how small and medium enterprise (SME) lenders react to information about their competitors’ contracting decisions. To isolate this learning from lenders’ joint reaction to unobserved common shocks to fundamentals, we exploit the staggered entry of lenders into an information sharing platform. Upon joining the platform, lenders adjust their contract terms toward what others are offering. This effect is mediated by market structure: lenders with higher market share or operating in concentrated markets react less to competitors’ information. Contract terms and outcomes are thus shaped by the availability of competitor information and not just by borrower or lender fundamentals.
Towards Value-Sensitive Learning Analytics Design

To support ethical considerations and system integrity in learning analytics, this paper introduces two cases of applying the Value Sensitive Design methodology to learning analytics design. The first study applied two methods of Value Sensitive Design, namely stakeholder analysis and value analysis, to a conceptual investigation of an existing learning analytics tool. This investigation uncovered a number of values and value tensions, leading to design trade-offs to be considered in future tool refinements. The second study holistically applied Value Sensitive Design to the design of a recommendation system for the Wikipedia WikiProjects. To proactively consider values among stakeholders, we derived a multi-stage design process that included literature analysis, empirical investigations, prototype development, community engagement, iterative testing and refinement, and continuous evaluation. By reporting on these two cases, this paper responds to a need of practical means to support ethical considerations and human values in learning analytics systems. These two cases demonstrate that Value Sensitive Design could be a viable approach for balancing a wide range of human values, which tend to encompass and surpass ethical issues, in learning analytics design.
Probabilistic assessment of Tunguska-scale asteroid impacts

Abstract The Tunguska meteor airburst has been extensively studied and modeled in attempts to deduce its size, properties, and impact characteristics. However, most of the existing modeling and simulation studies have investigated a small subset of cases based on assumptions of representative densities, velocities, or other properties. In this study, we use a probabilistic asteroid impact risk model to assess the entry, burst, and ground damage from 50 million Tunguska-scale asteroid impacts, covering a full range of potential impactor properties. The impact cases are sampled from probabilistic distributions representing our current knowledge of asteroid properties, entry trajectories, and size frequencies. The results provide a broader characterization of the range and relative likelihood of asteroid properties that could yield Tunguska-scale impacts. Results show that Tunguska-like events can be produced by a broad range of impact scenarios, and prevailing size and energy estimates of 50–80 m or 10–20 Mt remain within the relatively likely property ranges. However, our results suggest that objects with slightly larger initial energies of 20–30 Mt and diameters 70–80 m are more likely to cause Tunguska-scale damage areas than objects on the smaller end of the potential size range. Even when relative size frequencies are accounted for, the greater damage potential of larger objects outweighs their rarity, while the low damage potential of small objects counteracts their frequency.
FBG-Based Position Estimation of Highly Deformable Continuum Manipulators: Model-Dependent vs. Data-Driven Approaches

Conventional shape sensing techniques using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) involve finding the curvature at discrete FBG active areas and integrating curvature over the length of the continuum dexterous manipulator (CDM) for tip position estimation (TPE). However, due to limited number of sensing locations and many geometrical assumptions, these methods are prone to large error propagation especially when the CDM undergoes large deflections. In this paper, we study the complications of using the conventional TPE methods that are dependent on sensor model and propose a new data-driven method that overcomes these challenges. The proposed method consists of a regression model that takes FBG wavelength raw data as input and directly estimates the CDM’s tip position. This model is pre-operatively (off-line) trained on position information from optical trackers/cameras (as the ground truth) and it intra-operatively (on-line) estimates CDM tip position using only the FBG wavelength data. The method’s performance is evaluated on a CDM developed for orthopedic applications, and the results are compared to conventional model-dependent methods during large deflection bendings. Mean absolute TPE error (and standard deviation) of 1.52 (0.67) mm and 0.11 (0.1) mm with maximum absolute errors of 3.63 mm and 0.62 mm for the conventional and the proposed data-driven techniques were obtained, respectively. These results demonstrate a significant out-performance of the proposed data-driven approach versus the conventional estimation technique.
Has the college wage premium continued to rise? Evidence from multiple U.S. surveys

Abstract This paper examines trends in the college wage premium (CWP) by birth cohort across the five major household surveys in the United States: the Census/ACS, CPS, NLSY, PSID, and SIPP. We document a general flattening in the CWP for birth cohorts 1970 and onward in each survey and even a decline for birth cohorts 1980–1984 in the NLSY. We discuss potential reasons for this finding and show that the empirical discrepancy is not a function of differences in composition across surveys. Our results provide crucial context for the vast economic literatures that use these surveys to answer important policy questions about intertemporal changes in the returns to skill.
Auditor Sensitivity to Real Earnings Management: The Importance of Ambiguity and Earnings Context

Although real earnings management (REM) is increasingly common, limited research examines how auditors react when they know or suspect that their clients are using REM. In addition, prior research on whether auditors react to REM is not conclusive, nor does it provide strong insights into why auditors would react to REM, given that REM does not violate GAAP. We conduct a 2x3 between-subjects experiment (client Beat or Missed the analysts’ consensus forecast, with three levels of REM: Explicit REM, Potential REM, and No REM) with highly experienced auditors as participants to examine the conditions in which auditors are sensitive to REM. Informed by Correspondent Inference Theory, we predict and find evidence that, when a client beats an EPS target, auditors observing Explicit REM perceive the weakest management tone and assess the highest levels of risk, followed by those observing Potential REM, and then those observing no REM. However, we predict that, when a client misses an EPS target, auditors are less likely to view Potential REM as actual REM. Thus, we find that, when a client misses an EPS target, auditors observing Explicit REM perceive weaker management tone and assess higher levels of risk relative to when they observe Potential REM or when REM is absent. Further, when clients miss the EPS target, we find that auditor responses to Potential REM do not differ from when REM is absent. Finally, we find that auditors’ perceptions of management tone mediate the relation between REM and risk assessments. Overall, the results are consistent with Correspondent Inference Theory and demonstrate how and why auditors respond to REM.
CeMIn5 (M=Co, Ir, Rh) HEAVY FERMION SUPERCONDUCTORS AND THE UTILITY OF HIGH MAGNETIC FIELDS

We review the properties of the recently discovered CeMIn5(M=Co, Ir, Rh) heavy fermion superconductors and discuss the present state of our understanding of these materials. A particular focus is the role that magnetic fields have played in elucidating the properties of these materials. Specifically, we discuss quantum oscillation measurements on CeMIn, the influence of applied field on the linear coefficient of specific heat, γ, and the nature of the HT phase diagrams in both the normal and superconducting states of these materials.
YeasTSS: an integrative web database of yeast transcription start sites

The transcription initiation landscape of eukaryotic genes is complex and highly dynamic. In eukaryotes, genes can generate multiple transcript variants that differ in 5' boundaries due to usages of alternative transcription start sites (TSSs), and the abundance of transcript isoforms are highly variable. Due to a large number and complexity of the TSSs, it is not feasible to depict details of transcript initiation landscape of all genes using text-format genome annotation files. Therefore, it is necessary to provide data visualization of TSSs to represent quantitative TSS maps and the core promoters (CPs). In addition, the selection and activity of TSSs are influenced by various factors, such as transcription factors, chromatin remodeling and histone modifications. Thus, integration and visualization of functional genomic data related to these features could provide a better understanding of the gene promoter architecture and regulatory mechanism of transcription initiation. Yeast species play important roles for the research and human society, yet no database provides visualization and integration of functional genomic data in yeast. Here, we generated quantitative TSS maps for 12 important yeast species, inferred their CPs and built a public database, YeasTSS (www.yeastss.org). YeasTSS was designed as a central portal for visualization and integration of the TSS maps, CPs and functional genomic data related to transcription initiation in yeast. YeasTSS is expected to benefit the research community and public education for improving genome annotation, studies of promoter structure, regulated control of transcription initiation and inferring gene regulatory network.
Nonvolatile voltage controlled molecular spin state switching

Voltage-controlled room temperature isothermal reversible spin crossover switching of [Fe{H2B(pz)2}2(bipy)] thin films is demonstrated. This isothermal switching is evident in thin film bilayer structures where the molecular spin crossover film is adjacent to a molecular ferroelectric. The adjacent molecular ferroelectric, either polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene or croconic acid (C5H2O5), appears to lock the spin crossover [Fe{H2B(pz)2}2(bipy)] molecular complex largely in the low or high spin state depending on the direction of ferroelectric polarization. In both a planar two terminal diode structure and a transistor structure, the voltage controlled isothermal reversible spin crossover switching of [Fe{H2B(pz)2}2(bipy)] is accompanied by a resistance change and is seen to be nonvolatile, i.e., retained in the absence of an applied electric field. The result appears general, as the voltage controlled nonvolatile switching can be made to work with two different molecular ferroelectrics: croconic acid and polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene.
A high-entropy silicide: (Mo0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2W0.2)Si2

Abstract A high-entropy metal disilicide, (Mo0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2W0.2)Si2, has been successfully synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) collectively show the formation of a single high-entropy silicide phase. This high-entropy (Mo0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2W0.2)Si2 possesses a hexagonal C40 crystal structure with ABC stacking sequence and a space group of P6222. This discovery expands the known families of high-entropy materials from metals, oxides, borides, carbides, and nitrides to a silicide, for the first time to our knowledge, as well as demonstrating that a new, non-cubic, crystal structure (with lower symmetry) can be made into high-entropy phase. This (Mo0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2W0.2)Si2 exhibits high nanohardness of 16.7 ± 1.9 GPa and Vickers hardness of 11.6 ± 0.5 GPa. Moreover, it has a low thermal conductivity of 6.9 ± 1.1 W m−1 K−1, which is approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of the widely-used tetragonal MoSi2 and ∼1/3 of those reported values for the hexagonal NbSi2 and TaSi2 with the same crystal structure.
Learning vocabulary on screen: A content analysis of pedagogical supports in educational media programs for dual-language learners

ABSTRACTEducational media is ubiquitous in the lives of young children, promising high-quality programming to equip them with vocabulary knowledge and school readiness. To meet the needs of preschool-aged dual-language learners (DLLs), many educational programs are marketed to promote vocabulary learning in two languages. In this study, we use a content analysis to examine (1) the extent to which these programs focus on vocabulary in two languages, (2) dual-language instructional supports used in media; and (3) the quality of words taught on screen. We analyzed 50 episodes from five leading dual-language educational programs. Using a flow chart and an iteratively-developed codebook, we identified vocabulary clips and screen-based pedagogical supports used in these programs. Results indicate there were strikingly few vocabulary clips in the videos analyzed. Moreover, most of the clips were of simple vocabulary words taught primarily in English rather than Spanish or Mandarin. The most prevalent screen-base...
Deep Knowledge Tracing and Engagement with MOOCs

MOOCs and online courses have notoriously high attrition [1]. One challenge is that it can be difficult to tell if students fail to complete because of disinterest or because of course difficulty. Utilizing a Deep Knowledge Tracing framework, we account for student engagement by including course interaction covariates. With these, we find that we can predict a student's next item response with over 88% accuracy. Using these predictions, targeted interventions can be offered to students and targeted improvements can be made to courses. In particular, this approach would allow for gating of content until a student has reasonable likelihood of succeeding.
Disseminating Information on Evidence-Based Practices for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: AFIRM

Comprehensive reviews of the research literature have identified that focused intervention practices for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder have evidence of producing positive developmental and learning outcomes. The Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM) project has translated evidence-based practices identified by Wong et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 45(7):1951-1966, 2015) into online learning modules. The purpose of this paper is to describe (1) the process for translating the research literature into practical information that practitioners can use, (2) its dissemination through a freely accessible website, (3) the use of the modules by over 64,500 users located in the United States and abroad, (4) knowledge gained as a result of completing the modules, and (5) consumers' evaluations of modules usefulness and relevance.
Designing Dynamic Contests

Firms and institutions increasingly employ contests as a way to innovate. Participants learn from one another’s successes and failures while competing for the contest’s awards. In “Designing Dynami...
Polynomials and high-dimensional spheres

Abstract We show that a natural class of orthogonal polynomials on large spheres in N dimensions tend to Hermite polynomials in the large-N limit. We determine the behavior of the spherical Laplacian as well as zonal harmonic polynomials in the large-N limit.
K-theory of endomorphisms via noncommutative motives

In this article we study the K-theory of endomorphisms using noncommutative motives. We start by extending the K-theory of endomorphisms functor from ordinary rings to (stable) infinity categories. We then prove that this extended functor KEnd(-) not only descends to the category of noncommutative motives but moreover becomes co-represented by the noncommutative motive associated to the tensor algebra S[t] of the sphere spectrum S. Using this co-representability result, we then classify all the natural transformations of KEnd(-) in terms of an integer plus a fraction between polynomials with constant term 1; this solves a problem raised by Almkvist in the seventies. Finally, making use of the multiplicative co-algebra structure of S[t], we explain how the (rational) Witt vectors can also be recovered from the symmetric monoidal category of noncommutative motives. Along the way we show that the K_0-theory of endomorphisms of a connective ring spectrum R equals the K_0-theory of endomorphisms of the underlying ordinary ring \pi_0(R).
Sublimation of terrestrial permafrost and the implications for ice-loss processes on Mars.

Sublimation of ice is rate-controlled by vapor transport away from its outer surface and may have generated landforms on Mars. In ice-cemented ground (permafrost), the lag of soil particles remaining after ice loss decreases subsequent sublimation. Varying soil-ice ratios lead to differential lag development. Here we report 52 years of sublimation measurements from a permafrost tunnel near Fairbanks, Alaska, and constrain models of sublimation, diffusion through porous soil, and lag formation. We derive the first long-term in situ effective diffusion coefficient of ice-free loess, a Mars analog soil, of 9.05 × 10−6 m2 s−1, ~5× larger than past theoretical studies. Exposed ice-wedge sublimation proceeds ~4× faster than predicted from analogy to heat loss by buoyant convection, a theory frequently employed in Mars studies. Our results can be used to map near-surface ice-content differences, identify surface processes controlling landform formation and morphology, and identify target landing sites for human exploration of Mars. Sublimation of ice is believed to have generated a variety of landforms on Mars and other planetary bodies. Here the authors show the first long-term in situ effective diffusion coefficient of terrestrial ice-free loess (Mars analog soil), scaled to Mars average pressure, temperature and CO2 atmosphere.
Using n-Level Structural Equation Models for Causal Modeling in Fully Nested, Partially Nested, and Cross-Classified Randomized Controlled Trials.

Complex data structures are ubiquitous in psychological research, especially in educational settings. In the context of randomized controlled trials, students are nested in classrooms but may be cr...
HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer: a review on burden of the disease and opportunities for prevention and early detection.

The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) related to infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is rising, making it now the most common HPV-related malignancy in the United States. These tumors p...
Patterns of Social Engagement Among Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Objectives Promoting engagement in social activities may be an intervention that prevents or delays cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, little is known about social engagement among people with mild cognitive impairment. We aim to examine patterns of social engagement among people with mild cognitive impairment and to assess whether factors under four domains of the WHO's ICF model (personal factors, environmental factors, body functions and structure, and health condition) associate with different patterns of social engagement. Method Data were drawn from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study. The final sample comprised 1,227 people with Cognitive Impairment No Dementia (CIND). Latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression were utilized. Results Three patterns of social engagement were identified: informal social engagement only, formal and informal social engagement, and low social engagement. Factors in each of the four ICF model domains were associated with the probability of class membership. Discussion Our findings suggest that social engagement is heterogeneous among people with CIND and that some groups of people with CIND have possibilities of engaging in more social activities, especially in formal social activities. Results also indicate that providing informal social resources may be essential for social programs designed specifically for people with CIND to promote their formal social engagement. Future study is needed to examine possible differences in outcomes across groups with similar patterns of social engagement.
Spin-Selective AC Stark Shifts in a Charged Quantum Dot

We demonstrate a spin-selective modification to the energy structure of a charged quantum dot using the AC Stark effect. This mechanism offers a potentially rapid, reversible, and coherent control of the energy structure. © 2019 The Author(s)
Miscarriage history association with euploid embryo transfer outcomes.

Abstract Research question Is a history of miscarriage (including recurrent pregnancy loss) associated with euploid cryopreserved embryo transfer outcomes? Design Retrospective cohort study from 2014 to 2018 of patients at an academic medical centre, undergoing their first cycle of IVF with 24-chromosome Day 5/6 preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (IVF-PGT-A). Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between history of miscarriage and euploid single cryopreserved embryo transfer outcomes (ongoing pregnancy, miscarriage), adjusting for an extensive list of patient and cycle confounders. Results In the study cohort of 283 patients, the overall unadjusted positive beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (bHCG) rate was 70.0%, ongoing pregnancy rate was 52.3%, and the total pregnancy loss (biochemical and clinical pregnancy loss) rate per positive bHCG cycle was 24.7%. While 35.3% of patients had a history of at least one previous miscarriage, 14.5% of patients had a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). For patients with a history of miscarriage, it was found that the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for positive bHCG were 1.30 (0.51–3.27), for ongoing pregnancy were 0.88 (0.38–2.03) and for total pregnancy loss were 1.41 (0.49–4.05), when compared with patients without a history of miscarriage. For RPL patients, OR for positive bHCG, ongoing pregnancy and total pregnancy loss also did not significantly differ when compared with patients with no history of miscarriage. Conclusions In this cohort, there was no significant association between miscarriage history and euploid cryopreserved embryo transfer outcomes (ongoing pregnancy, total pregnancy loss) after adjustment for potential confounders. Further study in larger data sets is warranted.
Relating microstructure to defect behavior in AA6061 using a combined computational and multiscale electron microscopy approach

Abstract In this study, a multiscale electron microscopy-based approach is applied to understanding how different aspects of the microstructure in a notched AA6061-T6, including grain boundaries, triple junctions, and intermetallic particles, promote localized dislocation accumulation as a function of applied tensile strain and depth from the sample surface. Experimental measurements and crystal plasticity simulations of dislocation distributions as a function of distance from specified microstructural features both showed preferential dislocation accumulation near intermetallic particles relative to grain boundaries and triple junctions. High resolution electron backscatter diffraction and site-specific transmission electron microscopy characterization showed that high levels of dislocation accumulation near intermetallic particles led to the development of an ultrafine sub-grain microstructure, indicative of a much higher level of local plasticity than predicted from the coarser measurements and simulations. In addition, high resolution measurements in front of a crack tip suggested a compounding influence of intermetallic particles and grain boundaries in dictating crack propagation pathways.
Specialization and Business Cycle Co-Movement in the Euro Area

This paper explores whether similarities in production structures have been an important determinant of business cycle co-movement in the Euro Area. We constructed an index of cross-country differences in industry composition using value added data from 62 sectors. Then we tested whether this specialization index can explain several measures of cross-country output and employment co-movement within the European Monetary Union between 1999 and 2016. The results indicate that changes in real gross domestic product exhibit a stronger correlation between countries producing similar goods and services. However, the composition of output cannot explain co-movement in employment or unemployment. We checked the robustness of the results by dividing the sample period and by adding several control variables, including bilateral trade intensity and differences in country risk spreads.
Safety Impacts of Converting Two-Way Left-Turn Lanes to Raised Medians and Associated Design Concerns

Raised medians and two-way left-turn lanes (TWLTLs) are the two most common types of median treatments on arterial streets. This paper aims to conduct a detailed study on the safety impacts of conversion from TWLTLs to raised medians on state roads in Florida. In addition, the study also investigated several potential safety concerns related to raised medians on state roads, including crashes at median openings, vehicles directly hitting the median curb, and median crossover crashes. Based on data availability, 17.51 miles of urban arterial sections in Florida that were converted from TWLTLs to raised medians were analyzed. Police reports of all the crashes before and after median conversion were reviewed to correct miscoded crash types and obtain additional detailed crash information. Overall, a 28.5% reduction in total crash rate was observed after the 10 study locations were converted from TWLTLs to raised medians. The reductions in the proportions of left-turn and right-turn crashes were statistically significant, while the changes in the proportions of other crash types were not statistically significant. Furthermore, the crash data did not show evidence that raised medians are an additional hazard compared with TWLTLs.