cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A survey on theoretical advances of community detection in networks

Real-world networks usually have community structure, that is, nodes are grouped into densely connected communities. Community detection is one of the most popular and best-studied research topics in network science and has attracted attention in many different fields, including computer science, statistics, social sciences, among others. Numerous approaches for community detection have been proposed in literature, from ad hoc algorithms to systematic model-based approaches. The large number of available methods leads to a fundamental question: whether a certain method can provide consistent estimates of community labels. The stochastic blockmodel (SBM) and its variants provide a convenient framework for the study of such problems. This article is a survey on the recent theoretical advances of community detection. The authors review a number of community detection methods and their theoretical properties, including graph cut methods, profile likelihoods, the pseudo-likelihood method, the variational method, belief propagation, spectral clustering, and semidefinite relaxations of the SBM. The authors also briefly discuss other research topics in community detection such as robust community detection, community detection with nodal covariates and model selection, as well as suggest a few possible directions for future research. WIREs Comput Stat 2017, 9:e1403. doi: 10.1002/wics.1403 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Uniform symbolic topologies via multinomial expansions

When does a Noetherian commutative ring $R$ have uniform symbolic topologies on primes--read, when does there exist an integer $D>0$ such that the symbolic power $P^{(Dr)} \subseteq P^r$ for all prime ideals $P \subseteq R$ and all $r >0$? Groundbreaking work of Ein-Lazarsfeld-Smith, as extended by Hochster and Huneke, and by Ma and Schwede in turn, provides a beautiful answer in the setting of finite-dimensional excellent regular rings. It is natural to then sleuth for analogues where the ring $R$ is non-regular, or where the above ideal containments can be improved using a linear function whose growth rate is slower. This manuscript falls under the overlap of these research directions. Working with a prescribed type of prime ideal $Q$ inside of tensor products of domains of finite type over an algebraically closed field $\mathbb{F}$, we present binomial- and multinomial expansion criteria for containments of type $Q^{(E r)} \subseteq Q^r$, or even better, of type $Q^{(E (r-1)+1)} \subseteq Q^r$ for all $r>0$. The final section consolidates remarks on how often we can utilize these criteria, presenting an example.
Microprocessor-based Data Acquisition and Control System

Abstract Availability of inexpensive high-performance microprocessors has revolutionized system design, data acquisition systems, and implementation of advanced control systems. As a result of this revolution, major changes have been introduced in control and measurement technologies which require introduction of new trends and materials in the engineering curriculum. This paper presents some of the restructuring and changes introduced in the instrumentation and control courses in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University.
Proxy Re-Encryption and Re-Signatures from Lattices

Proxy re-encryption (PRE) and Proxy re-signature (PRS) were introduced by Blaze, Bleumer and Strauss [Eurocrypt ’98]. Basically, PRE allows a semi-trusted proxy to transform a ciphertext encrypted under one key into an encryption of the same plaintext under another key, without revealing the underlying plaintext. Since then, many interesting applications have been explored, and constructions in various settings have been proposed. On the other hand, PRS allows a semi-trusted proxy to transform Alice’s signature on a message into Bob’s signature on the same message, but the proxy cannot produce new valid signature on new messages for either Alice or Bob.
Predicting Postoperative Urinary Incontinence Development in Women Undergoing Operation for Genitourinary Prolapse

Abstract A total of 67 female patients with pelvic relaxation (cystocele beyond the vaginal orfice) and with no urinary incontinence were clinically and urodynamically evaluated before and after a reconstructive surgical procedure. Of these, 24 patients had a significant decrease in abdominal pressure transmission to the urethra once the cystocele was reduced by vaginal pessary (abdominal pressure transmission ratio to urethra: bladder of
Extracorporeal Renal Surgery and Autotransplantation for Complicated Stone Disease

Most patients with extensive renal calculous disease can be managed satisfactorily by percutaneous or in situ surgical techniques. However, in selected patients with advanced nephrolithiasis in whom prior surgical therapy has failed, extracorporeal renal lithotomy and/or autotransplantation may provide the best method of achieving complete stone removal and unobstructed urinary drainage from the upper urinary tract. The most common indications for this approach are recurrent nephrolithiasis with stenosis of the renal pelvis or ureter, recurrent renal colic, and extensive ureteral loss following prior operative therapy. In all cases, close postoperative follow-up, with prevention of infection and treatment of metabolic disorders, is integral to successful long-term management.
Uses and Limitations of Prostate-Specific Antigen in the Laboratory Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

We have studied the clinical utility of a recently developed assay for a prostate specific protein (prostate-specific antigen). Histochemical demonstration of prostate-specific antigen has a higher sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma than does prostatic acid phosphatase. Similarly, measurement of prostate-specific antigen by immunoassay in serum is a more sensitive indicator of tumor stage and recurrence after therapy than prostatic acid phosphatase. More information is needed, however, regarding the variation in this protein with different therapeutic methods.
Outpatient Embolotherapy of Varicocele

A detectable balloon technique for precise embolotherapy of varicocele has been developed. Results in 334 patients whose internal spermatic veins were occluded between 1979 and 1985 indicate satisfactory restoration of fertility with minimal morbidity and cost.
Interlaboratory Comparison of Backscatter Coefficient Estimates for Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms:

Ultrasonic backscatter is useful for characterizing tissues and several groups have reported methods for estimating backscattering properties. Previous interlaboratory comparisons have been made to test the ability to accurately estimate the backscatter coefficient (BSC) by different laboratories around the world. Results of these comparisons showed variability in BSC estimates but were acquired only for a relatively narrow frequency range, and, most importantly, lacked reference to any independent predictions from scattering theory. The goal of this study was to compare Faran-scattering-theory predictions with cooperatively-measured backscatter coefficients for low-attenuating and tissue-like attenuating phantoms containing glass sphere scatterers of different sizes for which BSCs can independently be predicted. Ultrasonic backscatter measurementswere made for frequencies from 1 to 12 MHz. Backscatter coefficients were estimated using two different planar-reflector techniques at two laboratories for two groups of phantoms. Excellent agreement was observed between BSC estimates from both laboratories. In addition, good agreement with the predictions of Faran's theory was obtained, with average fractional (bias) errors ranging from 8-14%. This interlaboratory comparison demonstrates the ability to accurately estimate parameters derived from the BSC, including an effective scatterer size and the acoustic concentration, both of which may prove useful for diagnostic applications of ultrasound tissue characterization.
ShinyGPAS: interactive genomic prediction accuracy simulator based on deterministic formulas

Deterministic formulas for the accuracy of genomic predictions highlight the relationships among prediction accuracy and potential factors influencing prediction accuracy prior to performing computationally intensive cross-validation. Visualizing such deterministic formulas in an interactive manner may lead to a better understanding of how genetic factors control prediction accuracy. The software to simulate deterministic formulas for genomic prediction accuracy was implemented in R and encapsulated as a web-based Shiny application. Shiny genomic prediction accuracy simulator (ShinyGPAS) simulates various deterministic formulas and delivers dynamic scatter plots of prediction accuracy versus genetic factors impacting prediction accuracy, while requiring only mouse navigation in a web browser. ShinyGPAS is available at: https://chikudaisei.shinyapps.io/shinygpas/ . ShinyGPAS is a shiny-based interactive genomic prediction accuracy simulator using deterministic formulas. It can be used for interactively exploring potential factors that influence prediction accuracy in genome-enabled prediction, simulating achievable prediction accuracy prior to genotyping individuals, or supporting in-class teaching. ShinyGPAS is open source software and it is hosted online as a freely available web-based resource with an intuitive graphical user interface.
A Burke-Schumann analysis of dual-flame structure supported by a burning droplet

Abstract Droplet combustion experiments carried out onboard the International Space Station, using pure fuels and fuel mixtures, have shown that quasi-steady burning can be sustained by a non-traditional flame configuration, namely a “cool flame” burning in the “partial-burning” regime where both fuel and oxygen leak through the low-temperature-controlled flame-sheet. Recent experiments involving large, bi-component fuel ( n -decane and hexanol, 50/50 by volume) droplets at elevated pressures show that the visible, hot flame becomes extremely weak while the burning rate remains relatively high, suggesting the possible simultaneous presence of “cool” and “hot” flames of roughly equal importance. The radiant output from these bi-component droplets is relatively high and cannot be accounted for only by the presence of a visible hot flame. In this analysis we explore the theoretical possibility of a dual-flame structure, where one flame lies close to the droplet surface, called the “cool flame”, and the other farther away from the droplet surface, termed the “hot flame”. A Burke-Schumann analysis of this dual structure seems to indicate that such flame structures are possible over a limited range of initial conditions. These theoretical results can be compared against available experimental data for pure and bi-component fuel droplet combustion to test how realistic the model may be.
Evidence for potential underestimation of clinical folate deficiency in resource-limited countries using blood tests

Although a low serum folate concentration is a useful biomarker of pure folate deficiency, the presence of vitamin B12 deficiency or hemolysis or both in individuals with low folate status predictably raises serum folate levels. Therefore, in resource-limited settings where dietary folate deficiency can coexist with vitamin B12 deficiency or malaria or both, the serum folate concentration can range from normal to high, leading to serious underestimation of tissue folate status. This review traces the genesis of an inappropriate overreliance on the serum folate concentration to rule out folate deficiency in vulnerable populations of women and children. Of significance, without due consideration of a chronically inadequate dietary folate intake, authors of influential studies have likely wrongly judged these populations to have an adequate folate status. Through repetition, this error has led to a dangerous entry into the contemporary medical literature that folate deficiency is rare in women and children. As a consequence, many millions of under-resourced women and children with mild to moderate tissue folate deficiency may have been deprived of folate replacement. This review uses historical documents to challenge earlier conclusions and re-emphasizes the need for contextual integration of clinical information in resource-limited settings.
A note on Mossin’s theorem for deductible insurance given random initial wealth

AbstractMossin’s theorem for deductible insurance given random initial wealth is re-examined. For a fair premium, it is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition, in the spirit of the Generalized Mossin Theorem for coinsurance, is impossible using the notion of expectation dependence. Next, it is established that for a fair premium, full insurance will be optimal for a risk-averse individual if the random loss and the random initial wealth are negative quadrant dependent, improving upon an extant result in the literature. In view of a set of examples given in this paper, such a sufficient condition cannot be obtained using the notion of expectation dependence. Finally, for an unfair premium, it is shown that partial insurance will always be optimal, irrespective of the risk preference of the individual as well as the dependence structure between the random loss and the random initial wealth.
Resolution modeling of dispersive imaging spectrometers

This paper presents best practices for modeling the resolution of dispersive imaging spectrometers. The differences between sampling, width, and resolution are discussed. It is proposed that the spectral imaging community adopt a standard definition for resolution as the full-width at half maximum of the total line spread function. Resolution should be computed for each of the spectral, cross-scan spatial, and along-scan spatial/temporal dimensions separately. A physical optics resolution model is presented that incorporates the effects of slit diffraction and partial coherence, the result of which is a narrower slit image width and reduced radiometric throughput.
NEW EXPORTER DYNAMICS

We document that new exporters initially export small amounts, grow gradually, and are most likely to exit the export market in their first few years. We find that the standard sunk-cost model cannot replicate these new exporter dynamics: New exporters grow too large too quickly and live too long. In a modified sunk-cost model that can account for these facts, the entry costs needed to match the data are three times smaller than in the sunk-cost model. Dynamic models with richer plant-level heterogeneity are needed.
Beyond the mogul: From media conglomerates to portfolio media:

The article shows that outside ownership of media moves in stages – from media properties as the mouthpiece for personal and business interests, to a second stage of conglomerates seeking economic ...
Fracking, farming, and water

Abstract Several studies note the large quantity of water used to hydraulically fracture oil and gas wells. We quantify this water use and its effects on water use for irrigating crops. For nine western states in 2017, water use in fracking represented 1.7 percent of water use in irrigation overall, but up to 55 percent in the Bakken shale of North Dakota, 28 percent in Oklahoma shale regions, and 12 percent in the Eagle Ford shale of Texas. However, in counties where the percentage of water use for fracking relative to irrigation is large, it is primarily because such counties have had minimal historical irrigation. We analyze the effect of state water policies governing the transfer of water from farming to fracking on water withdrawals for the two sectors. In North Dakota, which allowed farmers to forego irrigating and sell water to energy firms, each acre-foot of water used in fracking displaced about 1.1 acre feet from irrigation, thereby avoiding an increase in total withdrawals. Weaker evidence suggests an increase in irrigation in Oklahoma and Texas. Because of the lack of displacement in Texas and Oklahoma, concerns that fracking contributes to excess withdrawals in the present time may be warranted.
IS THE ART MARKET MORE BOURGEOIS THAN BOHEMIAN

Most research on the art market focuses on the high end, composed of auction houses and a few well-known dealers. In this paper, we use a new database to examine the industry structure and location patterns of the New York art market, which consists largely of small, independent, relatively unknown galleries. We find that Manhattan galleries are highly spatially concentrated, and that clustering reflects both agglomeration economies and preferences over location-specific amenities. New galleries are more likely to open in neighborhoods with existing gallery clusters, and proximity to other galleries increases establishment lifespan. New galleries also locate in neighborhoods with high population density and more affluent households, consistent with location models of luxury retail. The results are not consistent with the hypothesis that galleries locate in cheap, “bohemian” neighborhoods.
Dynamics of stretched flames

Recent advances in the understanding of the structure, propagation, and extinction of laminar flames under the influence of stretch, as manifested by the existence of flame curvature, flow nonuniformity, and flame motion, are reviewed. The emphasis is on premixed flames because of the richness and subtlety of the phenomena involved. The review distinguishes the influences of the tangential and normal velocity gradients on the flame response, both at the hydrodynamic scale and within the flame structure, and emphasizes the importance of the preferential diffusion nature of heat and mass transport, as well as the extent to which the flame can freely adjust its location in response to stretch in order to achieve complete reaction. It is then demonstrated that stretch has only minimal effect on an adiabatic, unrestrained, diffusionally-neutral flame with complete reaction in that the temperature, propagation rate, and thickness of the flame are invariant to stretch, and that stretch alone cannot extinguish such a flame. In the presence of preferential diffusion and/or when the flame movement is restrained, the response of the flame to stretch becomes more sensitive and extinction is also possible. The concept of flame stretch is applied to interpret such practical flame phenomena as flame stabilization and flame-front instability, determination of laminar flame speeds and flammability limits, concentration and temperature modifications in flame chemistry, and modeling of turbulent flames. The properties of stretched diffusion flames are then briefly discussed. The review closes with suggestions for further research.
Violence, Insecurity, and Religiosity: A Multilevel Analysis of 71 Countries

A large social science literature demonstrates a link between personal insecurity and religiosity. When individuals are healthy, literate, and gainfully employed, they tend to be less religious. On...
Transcriptional profiling reveals extraordinary diversity among skeletal muscle tissues

About 40% of our weight is formed of skeletal muscles, the hundreds of muscles in our bodies that can be voluntarily controlled by our nervous system. At the moment, the research community largely sees all these muscles as a single group whose tissues are virtually interchangeable. Yet, skeletal muscles have highly diverse origins, shapes and roles. For example, our diaphragm is a long muscle that contracts slowly and rhythmically so we can draw breaths, while tiny muscles in our eyes generate the short and precise movements of our eyeballs. Different skeletal muscles also respond in distinct ways to injuries, drugs and diseases. This suggests that these muscles may be diverse at the genetic level. While all the cells in our body have the same genetic information, exactly which genes are turned on and off (or ‘expressed’) changes between types of cells. On top of this ‘on or off’ regulation, the level of expression of a gene – how active it is – can also differ. However, the studies that examine the differences in gene expression between tissues usually overlook skeletal muscles. Here, Terry et al. use genetic techniques to measure how genes are expressed in over 20 types of muscle in mice and rats. The results show that the expression levels of over 50% of all the animals’ genes vary between muscles. In fact, any two types of muscles express on average 13% of their genes differently from each other. The analyses yield further unexpected findings. For example, the expression levels in a muscle in the foot that helps to flex the rodents’ toes are more similar to those found in eye muscles than to the ones observed in limb muscles. These conclusions indicate that skeletal muscles are a widely diverse family of tissues. The research community will be able to use the data collected by Terry et al. to explore further the origins and the consequences of the differences between skeletal muscles. This could help researchers to understand why specific groups of muscles are more susceptible to disease, or react differently to a drug. This knowledge could also be exploited to refine approaches in tissue engineering, which aims to replace damaged muscles in the body.
The Civic Mission of MOOCs: Engagement across Political Differences in Online Forums

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) attract diverse student bodies, and course forums could potentially be an opportunity for students with different political beliefs to engage with one another. We test whether this engagement actually takes place in two politically-themed MOOCs, on education policy and American government. We collect measures of students’ political ideology, and then observe student behavior in the course discussion boards. Contrary to the common expectation that online spaces often become echo chambers or ideological silos, we find that students in these two political courses hold diverse political beliefs, participate equitably in forum discussions, directly engage (through replies and upvotes) with students holding opposing beliefs, and converge on a shared language rather than talking past one another. Research that focuses on the civic mission of MOOCs helps ensure that open online learning engages the same breadth of purposes that higher education aspires to serve.
ASSESSING THE RISK FACTORS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC ANKLE FRACTURES: CAN RIGID-LONG SEGMENT FIXATION IMPROVE OUTCOMES?

Diabetes is a poor prognostic indicator after an ankle fracture. Many surgeons avoid operating due to concerns regarding complications. We performed a retrospective analysis of complication rates for acute ankle fractures in diabetics with a control non-diabetic patient treated by all surgeons in our unit and assessed factors for success including long-segment fixation. Patient records were cross-referenced with departmental databases and a review of all ankle fractures managed in our department was conducted from 2012. All patients subjected to a retrospective-review of their follow-up for at least 6-months. Radiographs were assessed of the ankle before and at completion of treatment being reviewed independently (RA & FR). We identified the HB1Ac (diabetic-control) and systematic co-morbidities. Fractures were classified into unimalleolar, bi malleolar and trimalleolar and surgery grouped into standard or long-segment-rigid fixation. Statistical analysis was conducted using absolute/relative risk (RR); numbers needed to treat (NNT) were calculated. We compared a control-group, a diabetic group managed conservatively, and undergoing surgery; comparing the concept of rigid fixation and prolonged imobilisation in isolation or combined. Further sub-analysis conducted assessing diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy. Ethics approval was granted as per our institutional policy by our governance lead. We identified 154 diabetic ankle fractures, seventy-six had conservative-treatment; 78 had operative fixation of which 23 had rigid-long-segment-fixation. The diabetic-groups had a higher risk-relative-risk of complication − 3.2 (P Relative-risk reduction of complications occurred following surgery with prolonged immobilization (0.86) and rigid-fixation (0.65). The Number-Needed-to-Treat required to see a benefit from rigid fixation was 7. Diabetics have a higher risk for complications, however the risk is not as great as previously reported. We provide evidence of rigid-long-segment-fixation with prolonged-immobilization improving-outcomes.
Unique shared-aperture display with head or target tracking

The extreme environment of a military cockpit requires a novel display technology, introduced as the virtual retinal display (VRD). A head-worn VRD generates an image by optical scanning light directly to the viewer's eye. This novel display allows the direct coupling of the display to an infrared optical head tracking system, resulting in an interactive VRD. With only minor adjustments, the interactive VRD can be used in many non-military AR and VR line-of-sight target tracking applications, such as image plane manipulations. Since the unique tracking technology shares the same aperture or scanned optical beam with the visual display, the tracking produces high accuracy and computational efficiency without the motion artifacts from video frame rate tracking. The apparatus and performance of static and dynamic 3D target tracking in 2D projection overlay are demonstrated.
A multi-factor model of heterogeneous traders in a dynamic stock market

This study develops an agent-based computational stock market model in which each trader’s buying and selling decisions are endogenously determined by multiple factors: namely, firm profitability, ...
Predicting Floor-Level for 911 Calls with Neural Networks and Smartphone Sensor Data.

In cities with tall buildings, emergency responders need an accurate floor level location to find 911 callers quickly. We introduce a system to estimate a victim's floor level via their mobile device's sensor data in a two-step process. First, we train a neural network to determine when a smartphone enters or exits a building via GPS signal changes. Second, we use a barometer equipped smartphone to measure the change in barometric pressure from the entrance of the building to the victim's indoor location. Unlike impractical previous approaches, our system is the first that does not require the use of beacons, prior knowledge of the building infrastructure, or knowledge of user behavior. We demonstrate real-world feasibility through 63 experiments across five different tall buildings throughout New York City where our system predicted the correct floor level with 100% accuracy.
Contralateral Supracerebellar-Infratentorial Approach for Resection of Thalamic Cavernous Malformations.

BACKGROUND Surgical resection of cavernous malformations (CM) in the posterior thalamus, pineal region, and midbrain tectum is technically challenging owing to the presence of adjacent eloquent cortex and critical neurovascular structures. Various supracerebellar infratentorial (SCIT) approaches have been used in the surgical armamentarium targeting lesions in this region, including the median, paramedian, and extreme lateral variants. Surgical view of a posterior thalamic CM from the traditional ipsilateral vantage point may be obscured by occipital lobe and tentorium. OBJECTIVE To describe a novel surgical approach via a contralateral SCIT (cSCIT) trajectory for resecting posterior thalamic CMs. METHODS From 1997 to 2017, 75 patients underwent the SCIT approach for cerebrovascular/oncologic pathology by the senior author. Of these, 30 patients underwent the SCIT approach for CM resection, and 3 patients underwent the cSCIT approach. Historical patient data, radiographic features, surgical technique, and postoperative neurological outcomes were evaluated in each patient. RESULTS All 3 patients presented with symptomatic CMs within the right posterior thalamus with radiographic evidence of hemorrhage. All surgeries were performed in the sitting position. There were no intraoperative complications. Neuroimaging demonstrated complete CM resection in all cases. There were no new or worsening neurological deficits or evidence of rebleeding/recurrence noted postoperatively. CONCLUSION This study establishes the surgical feasibility of a contralateral SCIT approach in resection of symptomatic thalamic CMs It demonstrates the application for this procedure in extending the surgical trajectory superiorly and laterally and maximizing safe resectability of these deep CMs with gravity-assisted brain retraction.
Shocklets, SLAMS, and field‐aligned ion beams in the terrestrial foreshock

We present Wind spacecraft observations of ion distributions showing field- aligned beams (FABs) and large-amplitude magnetic fluctuations composed of a series of shocklets and short large-amplitude magnetic structures (SLAMS). The FABs are found to have T(sub k) approx 80-850 eV, V(sub b)/V(sub sw) approx 1.3-2.4, T(sub perpendicular,b)/T(sub paralell,b) approx 1-8, and n(sub b)/n(sub o) approx 0.2-11%. Saturation amplitudes for ion/ion resonant and non-resonant instabilities are too small to explain the observed SLAMS amplitudes. We show two examples where groups of SLAMS can act like a local quasi-perpendicular shock reflecting ions to produce the FABs, a scenario distinct from the more-common production at the quasi-perpendicular bow shock. The SLAMS exhibit a foot-like magnetic enhancement with a leading magnetosonic whistler train, consistent with previous observations. Strong ion and electron heating are observed within the series of shocklets and SLAMS with temperatures increasing by factors approx > 5 and approx >3, respectively. Both the core and halo electron components show strong perpendicular heating inside the feature.
Impossibility of Order-Revealing Encryption in Idealized Models.

An Order-Revealing Encryption (ORE) scheme gives a public procedure by which two ciphertexts can be compared to reveal the order of their underlying plaintexts. The ideal security notion for ORE is that only the order is revealed—anything else, such as the distance between plaintexts, is hidden. The only known constructions of ORE achieving such ideal security are based on cryptographic multilinear maps and are currently too impractical for real-world applications.
Financial reporting quality and corporate innovation

This paper examines the relationship of financial reporting to corporate innovation. Given the importance of a high‐quality information system and coordination to innovation, I predict a positive association between financial reporting quality and future innovation. My empirical evidence is consistent with this prediction. I also find some evidence that the positive association between financial reporting quality and innovation is more pronounced for firms with intensive internal research and development activities and for firms in competitive industries. The main findings are robust to using an instrumental variable approach as well as controlling for alternative explanations. I find that firms with high‐quality financial reporting transform investment inputs into greater innovation outcomes and firm value. This study provides additional insight into the role of financial reporting quality and its relation to the real economy.
Representation of multiple objects in macaque category-selective areas

Object recognition in the natural world usually occurs in the presence of multiple surrounding objects, but responses of neurons in inferotemporal (IT) cortex, the large brain area responsible for object recognition, have mostly been studied only to isolated objects. We study rules governing responses to multiple objects by cells in two category-selective regions of macaque IT cortex, the middle lateral face patch (ML) and the middle body patch (MB). We find that responses of single ML and MB cells to pairs of objects can be explained by the widely accepted framework of normalization, with one added ingredient: homogeneous category selectivity of neighboring neurons forming the normalization pool. This rule leads to winner-take-all, contralateral-take-all, or weighted averaging behavior in single cells, depending on the category, spatial configuration, and relative contrast of the two objects. The winner-take-all behavior suggests a potential mechanism for clutter-invariant representation of face and bodies under certain conditions.
Explaining Controversy on Social Media via Stance Summarization

In an era in which new controversies rapidly emerge and evolve on social media, navigating social media platforms to learn about a new controversy can be an overwhelming task. In this light, there has been significant work that studies how to identify and measure controversy online. However, we currently lack a tool for effectively understanding controversy in social media. For example, users have to manually examine postings to find the arguments of conflicting stances that make up the controversy. In this paper, we study methods to generate a stance-aware summary that explains a given controversy by collecting arguments of two conflicting stances. We focus on Twitter and treat the stance summarization as a ranking problem of finding the top k tweets that best summarize the two conflicting stances of a controversial topic. We formalize the characteristics of a good stance summary and propose a ranking model accordingly. We first evaluate our methods on five controversial topics on Twitter. Our user study shows that our methods consistently outperform other baseline techniques in generating a summary that explains the given controversy.
Computational prediction of CTCF/cohesin-based intra-TAD loops that insulate chromatin contacts and gene expression in mouse liver.

The human genome contains the complete set of DNA instructions – including all genes – needed to build and maintain an organism. To fit all of this genetic information in the cell’s nucleus, the DNA is neatly wrapped around so-called histone proteins, which help to package the genetic material into chromatin, which forms thread-like structures, the chromosomes. Chromatin is further folded into large DNA loops held together by an anchor protein, CTCF, and by a second protein, cohesin, whose ring-shaped structure ties each loop at its base. DNA segments that are within the same loop may interact frequently, whereas those outside the loop rarely do. Many of these large DNA loops are further pinched off into sub-loops. These sub-loops may help a cell fine-tune whether a gene needs to be turned on or off by limiting the contact between genes and the DNA regions that regulate the activity of genes. Knowing where these DNA sub-loop are located is very important for understanding how each gene is controlled. However, this can be very costly to determine, and therefore, is only known for a few cell types. Now, Matthews and Waxman tackle this issue by creating a computer model that can correctly predict many of these sub-loops. The method used experimental data obtained from mouse liver cells to identify the locations of CTCF and cohesin. The results showed that DNA sub-loops in the liver cells can shield genes from regulatory DNA segments outside the looped area. For example, a small sub-loop that contains a single gene related to obesity is highly active, even though the large DNA loop containing the sub-loop is an otherwise inactive gene region. Similarly, certain genes critical for liver function are positioned within sub-loops containing DNA regions that greatly enhance the gene activity in liver cells. This allows the selected genes to be highly active – unlike other genes that are close by but outside the sub-loop. This new approach will make it easier and cheaper to discover DNA loops and sub-loops across the genome. A better knowledge of where these loops form may also allow us to better understand how genes are turned on and off in different types of cells, and in response to biological stimuli or environmental stresses. This may also help understand and treat conditions that arise from mutations that disrupt the boundaries of DNA loops or sub-loops, which can allow certain DNA segments to activate the wrong genes and can lead to developmental defects and diseases such as cancer.
The Case Study Method and the Establishment of Standards of Efficiency

Focuses on the case study method and the establishment of standards of efficiency of a company under consideration. Diagnosis of the level of efficiency of the company; Application of management pr...
pMSE Mechanism: Differentially Private Synthetic Data with Maximal Distributional Similarity

We propose a method for the release of differentially private synthetic datasets. In many contexts, data contain sensitive values which cannot be released in their original form in order to protect individuals’ privacy. Synthetic data is a protection method that releases alternative values in place of the original ones, and differential privacy (DP) is a formal guarantee for quantifying the privacy loss. We propose a method that maximizes the distributional similarity of the synthetic data relative to the original data using a measure known as the pMSE, while guaranteeing \(\epsilon \)-DP. We relax common DP assumptions concerning the distribution and boundedness of the original data. We prove theoretical results for the privacy guarantee and provide simulations for the empirical failure rate of the theoretical results under typical computational limitations. We give simulations for the accuracy of linear regression coefficients generated from the synthetic data compared with the accuracy of non-DP synthetic data and other DP methods. Additionally, our theoretical results extend a prior result for the sensitivity of the Gini Index to include continuous predictors.
The spread of low-credibility content by social bots

The massive spread of digital misinformation has been identified as a major threat to democracies. Communication, cognitive, social, and computer scientists are studying the complex causes for the viral diffusion of misinformation, while online platforms are beginning to deploy countermeasures. Little systematic, data-based evidence has been published to guide these efforts. Here we analyze 14 million messages spreading 400 thousand articles on Twitter during ten months in 2016 and 2017. We find evidence that social bots played a disproportionate role in spreading articles from low-credibility sources. Bots amplify such content in the early spreading moments, before an article goes viral. They also target users with many followers through replies and mentions. Humans are vulnerable to this manipulation, resharing content posted by bots. Successful low-credibility sources are heavily supported by social bots. These results suggest that curbing social bots may be an effective strategy for mitigating the spread of online misinformation.
Breaking the circuit-size barrier in secret sharing

We study secret sharing schemes for general (non-threshold) access structures. A general secret sharing scheme for n parties is associated to a monotone function F:{0,1}n→{0,1}. In such a scheme, a dealer distributes shares of a secret s among n parties. Any subset of parties T ⊆ [n] should be able to put together their shares and reconstruct the secret s if F(T)=1, and should have no information about s if F(T)=0. One of the major long-standing questions in information-theoretic cryptography is to minimize the (total) size of the shares in a secret-sharing scheme for arbitrary monotone functions F. There is a large gap between lower and upper bounds for secret sharing. The best known scheme for general F has shares of size 2n−o(n), but the best lower bound is Ω(n2/logn). Indeed, the exponential share size is a direct result of the fact that in all known secret-sharing schemes, the share size grows with the size of a circuit (or formula, or monotone span program) for F. Indeed, several researchers have suggested the existence of a representation size barrier which implies that the right answer is closer to the upper bound, namely, 2n−o(n). In this work, we overcome this barrier by constructing a secret sharing scheme for any access structure with shares of size 20.994n and a linear secret sharing scheme for any access structure with shares of size 20.999n. As a contribution of independent interest, we also construct a secret sharing scheme with shares of size 2O(√n) for 2n n/2 monotone access structures, out of a total of 2n n/2· (1+O(logn/n)) of them. Our construction builds on recent works that construct better protocols for the conditional disclosure of secrets (CDS) problem.
Simple and efficient pseudorandom generators from gaussian processes

We show that a very simple pseudorandom generator fools intersections of k linear threshold functions (LTFs) and arbitrary functions of k LTFs over n-dimensional Gaussian space. The two analyses of our PRG (for intersections versus arbitrary functions of LTFs) are quite different from each other and from previous analyses of PRGs for functions of halfspaces. Our analysis for arbitrary functions of LTFs establishes bounds on the Wasserstein distance between Gaussian random vectors with similar covariance matrices, and combines these bounds with a conversion from Wasserstein distance to "union-of-orthants" distance from [5]. Our analysis for intersections of LTFs uses extensions of the classical Sudakov-Fernique type inequalities, which give bounds on the difference between the expectations of the maxima of two Gaussian random vectors with similar covariance matrices.For all values of k, our generator has seed length O(log n) + poly(k) for arbitrary functions of k LTFs and O(log n) + poly(log k) for intersections of k LTFs. The best previous result, due to [14], only gave such PRGs for arbitrary functions of k LTFs when k = O(log log n) and for intersections of k LTFs when k = O[EQUATION]. Thus our PRG achieves an O(log n) seed length for values of k that are exponentially larger than previous work could achieve.By combining our PRG over Gaussian space with an invariance principle for arbitrary functions of LTFs and with a regularity lemma, we obtain a deterministic algorithm that approximately counts satisfying assignments of arbitrary functions of k general LTFs over {0, 1}n in time poly(n) · 2poly(k, 1/e) for all values of k. This algorithm has a poly(n) runtime for k = (log n)c for some absolute constant c > 0, while the previous best poly(n)-time algorithms could only handle k = O(log log n). For intersections of LTFs, by combining these tools with a recent PRG due to [28], we obtain a deterministic algorithm that can approximately count satisfying assignments of intersections of k general LTFs over {0, 1}n in time poly(n) · 2poly(log k,1/e). This algorithm has a poly(n) runtime for k = 2(log n)c for some absolute constant c > 0, while the previous best poly(n)-time algorithms for intersections of k LTFs, due to [14], could only handle k = O[EQUATION].
Escape from Europe: a calculus of consent model of the origins of liberal institutions in the North American colonies

The migration out of Europe and the establishment of North American colonies presents us with a great puzzle: why did the colonists establish democratic forms of governance? Considering that early democratic colonies appeared even before philosophical works such as those of Locke and Montesquieu were written, it is difficult to make the case that ideology was the driving factor. We show that the calculus of consent model proposed by Buchanan and Tullock (The calculus of consent, Liberty Fund, Indianapolis, 1962) offers a simple but subtle solution this puzzle. Because migrants formed much more homogeneous communities, and because, thanks to the large geographical expanse, the inter-jurisdictional externalities were small, the efficient level of consensus within each colony was much greater than in Europe, and the scope of efficient centralized decision-making was much smaller. Hence, a structure of decentralized democratic communities emerged as the efficient outcome.
The Chicago School Readiness Project: Examining the long-term impacts of an early childhood intervention.

The current paper reports long-term treatment impact estimates for a randomized evaluation of an early childhood intervention designed to promote children's developmental outcomes and improve the quality of Head Start centers serving high-violence and high-crime areas in inner-city Chicago. Initial evaluations of end-of-preschool data reported that the program led to reductions in child behavioral problems and gains in measures of executive function and academic achievement. For this report, we analyzed adolescent follow-up data taken 10 to 11 years after program completion. We found evidence that the program had positive long-term effects on students’ executive function and grades, though effects were somewhat imprecise and dependent on the inclusion of baseline covariates. Results also indicated that treated children had heightened sensitivity to emotional stimuli, and we found no evidence of long-run effects on measures of behavioral problems. These findings raise the possibility that developing programs that improve on the Head Start model could carry long-run benefits for affected children.
Spatial noise filtering through error correction for quantum sensing

Quantum systems can be used to measure various quantities in their environment with high precision. Often, however, their sensitivity is limited by the decohering effects of this same environment. Dynamical decoupling schemes are widely used to filter environmental noise from signals, but their performance is limited by the spectral properties of the signal and noise at hand. Quantum error correction schemes have therefore emerged as a complementary technique without the same limitations. To date, however, they have failed to correct the dominant noise type in many quantum sensors, which couples to each qubit in a sensor in the same way as the signal. Here we show how quantum error correction can correct for such noise, which dynamical decoupling can only partially address. Whereas dynamical decoupling exploits temporal noise correlations in signal and noise, our scheme exploits spatial correlations. We give explicit examples in small quantum devices and demonstrate a method by which error-correcting codes can be tailored to their noise. Noise that couples to quantum sensors in the same way as the signal can be suppressed by exploiting spatial correlations. Adapting quantum error correction schemes into quantum sensing protocols can remove the effects of noise if the noise and the signal affect the sensor qubit differently. However, in most cases the dominant noise sources do not meet this condition. Paola Cappellaro and David Layden from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown how to overcome this using qubits at different positions to construct an error corrected device. The noise correlations between the qubit sites provide additional structure that allows a successful error correction scheme. The achievable gain depends strongly on the nature of the noise and implementation, but earlier experimental results have found evidence for the necessary strong correlations in several experimental platforms.