Joris Mulder, Jean-Paul Fox.

Source: Bayesian Analysis, Volume 14, Number 2, 521--552.

Abstract:
The intraclass correlation plays a central role in modeling hierarchically structured data, such as educational data, panel data, or group-randomized trial data. It represents relevant information concerning the between-group and within-group variation. Methods for Bayesian hypothesis tests concerning the intraclass correlation are proposed to improve decision making in hierarchical data analysis and to assess the grouping effect across different group categories. Estimation and testing methods for the intraclass correlation coefficient are proposed under a marginal modeling framework where the random effects are integrated out. A class of stretched beta priors is proposed on the intraclass correlations, which is equivalent to shifted $F$ priors for the between groups variances. Through a parameter expansion it is shown that this prior is conditionally conjugate under the marginal model yielding efficient posterior computation. A special improper case results in accurate coverage rates of the credible intervals even for minimal sample size and when the true intraclass correlation equals zero. Bayes factor tests are proposed for testing multiple precise and order hypotheses on intraclass correlations. These tests can be used when prior information about the intraclass correlations is available or absent. For the noninformative case, a generalized fractional Bayes approach is developed. The method enables testing the presence and strength of grouped data structures without introducing random effects. The methodology is applied to a large-scale survey study on international mathematics achievement at fourth grade to test the heterogeneity in the clustering of students in schools across countries and assessment cycles.

Víctor Elvira, Luca Martino, David Luengo, Mónica F. Bugallo.

Source: Statistical Science, Volume 34, Number 1, 129--155.

Abstract:
Importance sampling (IS) methods are broadly used to approximate posterior distributions or their moments. In the standard IS approach, samples are drawn from a single proposal distribution and weighted adequately. However, since the performance in IS depends on the mismatch between the targeted and the proposal distributions, several proposal densities are often employed for the generation of samples. Under this multiple importance sampling (MIS) scenario, extensive literature has addressed the selection and adaptation of the proposal distributions, interpreting the sampling and weighting steps in different ways. In this paper, we establish a novel general framework with sampling and weighting procedures when more than one proposal is available. The new framework encompasses most relevant MIS schemes in the literature, and novel valid schemes appear naturally. All the MIS schemes are compared and ranked in terms of the variance of the associated estimators. Finally, we provide illustrative examples revealing that, even with a good choice of the proposal densities, a careful interpretation of the sampling and weighting procedures can make a significant difference in the performance of the method.

RJ Wenthold
Mar 15, 1996; 16:1982-1989
Articles

M Niethammer
Apr 1, 1996; 16:2157-2163
Articles

Christelle Peyron
Dec 1, 1998; 18:9996-10015
Articles

Reward has a remarkable ability to invigorate motor behavior, enabling individuals to select and execute actions with greater precision and speed. However, if reward is to be exploited in applied settings, such as rehabilitation, a thorough understanding of its underlying mechanisms is required. In a series of experiments, we first demonstrate that reward simultaneously improves the selection and execution components of a reaching movement. Specifically, reward promoted the selection of the correct action in the presence of distractors, while also improving execution through increased speed and maintenance of accuracy. These results led to a shift in the speed-accuracy functions for both selection and execution. In addition, punishment had a similar impact on action selection and execution, although it enhanced execution performance across all trials within a block, that is, its impact was noncontingent to trial value. Although the reward-driven enhancement of movement execution has been proposed to occur through enhanced feedback control, an untested possibility is that it is also driven by increased arm stiffness, an energy-consuming process that enhances limb stability. Computational analysis revealed that reward led to both an increase in feedback correction in the middle of the movement and a reduction in motor noise near the target. In line with our hypothesis, we provide novel evidence that this noise reduction is driven by a reward-dependent increase in arm stiffness. Therefore, reward drives multiple error-reduction mechanisms which enable individuals to invigorate motor performance without compromising accuracy.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT While reward is well-known for enhancing motor performance, how the nervous system generates these improvements is unclear. Despite recent work indicating that reward leads to enhanced feedback control, an untested possibility is that it also increases arm stiffness. We demonstrate that reward simultaneously improves the selection and execution components of a reaching movement. Furthermore, we show that punishment has a similar positive impact on performance. Importantly, by combining computational and biomechanical approaches, we show that reward leads to both improved feedback correction and an increase in stiffness. Therefore, reward drives multiple error-reduction mechanisms which enable individuals to invigorate performance without compromising accuracy. This work suggests that stiffness control plays a vital, and underappreciated, role in the reward-based imporvemenets in motor control.

An OM worker from Latin America uses his carpentry skills to disciple young men in their faith and give them better employment opportunities for the future.

OM teams in five countries along the Mekong River in South East Asia are focusing on discipling local believers to see them equipped to share about Jesus with those who have never heard His name.

BCBS Press release "Basel Committee issues progress report on banks' implementation of the 'Principles for effective risk data aggregation and reporting'", 29 April 2020

The San Francisco 49ers acquired one Pro Bowl left tackle and said goodbye to another as they traded for LT Trent Williams.

This report outlines the progress made by banks in implementing the Basel Committee's Principles for effective risk data aggregation and risk reporting ("the Principles" or "BCBS 239")1 based on supervisors' assessments conducted in 2019.

A number of popular iOS apps, including TikTok, Pinterest and Spotify, began to crash on Wednesday after an update to Facebook's SDK rolled out, software that many developers rely on to streamline the user login process.

The Discipleship course in Malawi challenges students to own their faith and apply it in their daily lives.

During the OM's Ride 2 Transform 2017 cycle tour, 17 cyclists biked 550 kilometres around southern Malawi, distributing AudioBibles and praying.

Sport creates a platform for evangelism and discipleship in Ukraine.

Joblessness now stands at the most since the Great Depression era of the 1930s after the coronavirus pandemic brought the US economy to a standstill.

OM intentionally disciples Cambodian staff so that they, in turn, can disciple others.

YouthTruth asked 104,000 school staff, students, and their families how they perceive the fairness of discipline at their schools. The results can help start conversations about discipline policy and leading by listening.

But the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was not unanimous in its support of the findings that students of color were not more likely to commit discipline-worthy offenses.

Race—but not whether a student is enrolled in special education—appears to be a driver of disproportionate suspension rates, finds a new study in the Journal of School Psychology.

Being suspended or expelled from school is more likely to lead students to use drugs later as adolescents or young adults than being arrested, according to a new longitudinal study in the journal Justice Quarterly.

As black-white achievement gaps widen in schools, so, too, do disparities in discipline rates between black and white students, according to a study published Wednesday of 2,000 schools.

Discrimination based on race and disability demands our attention—and action, writes Catherine E. Lhamon, the chair of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

American adults favor supportive student-discipline solutions, like school climate efforts and training for teachers, over stricter practices like detentions or suspensions, a new survey finds.

In schools that use corporal punishment, students with disabilities and black students are disproportionately more likely to be hit than their peers, finds a new report by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Student misbehavior and discipline is a major source of friction between principals and teachers. Veteran educators share how they build consensus around discipline in their schools.

The 2020 school counselor of the year draws on her previous experience as a counselor for gang members in a prison to reform discipline in her school in an Atlanta suburb. She shares her insights in this Q&A with Education Week.

The newly formed group, which plans to challenge the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation for market share, wants feedback from the public on its proposed standards and processes.

Micronutrients are essential for brain development during gestation and infancy. Few randomized trials of maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy and postpartum have examined child outcomes beyond the neonatal period or tested which cognitive domains show long-term effects.

Children of undernourished mothers given multiple micronutrients performed as well as children of well-nourished mothers in motor and visual attention/spatial ability at age 42 months; children of undernourished mothers given iron/folic acid showed 4- to 5-month delays in these abilities. (Read the full article)

Studies on the risk of mortality and morbidities of extremely preterm infants of multiple gestation births have shown inconsistent results. Perinatal antecedents, admission status and severity of illness after birth can adversely affect outcomes of the extremely premature infants.

Preterm multiple gestation infants have increased risk of mortality but similar risk of major morbidities compared with singletons. Outcomes improved over time and all adverse outcomes, including mortality, were comparable between multiples and singletons in the most recent 5-year epoch. (Read the full article)

A studio course for architecture and landscape architecture students in the Stuckeman School prepares students for the collaborative design process they will take part in once they begin careers in their respective fields by blurring the boundaries between the disciplines in the college setting.

Der Abbau seltener Mineralien ist ein Grund für die Gewalt im Kongo. Die EU könnte hier eine wirkungsvolle Regelung durchsetzen.

QPX7728 is an ultra-broad-spectrum boronic acid beta-lactamase inhibitor with potent inhibition of key serine and metallo beta-lactamases observed in biochemical assays. Microbiological studies using characterized strains were used to provide a comprehensive characterization of the spectrum of beta-lactamase inhibition by QPX7728. The MIC of multiple IV only (ceftazidime, piperacillin, cefepime, ceftolozane and meropenem) and orally bioavailable (ceftibuten, cefpodoxime, tebipenem) antibiotics alone and in combination with QPX7728 (4 μg/ml), as well as comparator agents, were determined against the panels of laboratory strains of P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae expressing over 55 diverse serine and metallo beta-lactamases. QPX7728 significantly enhanced the potency of antibiotics against the strains expressing Class A extended spectrum beta-lactamases (CTX-M, SHV, TEM, VEB, PER) and carbapenemases (KPC, SME, NMC-A, BKC-1), consistent with beta-lactamase inhibition demonstrated in biochemical assays. It also inhibits both plasmidic (CMY, FOX, MIR, DHA) and chromosomally encoded (P99, PDC, ADC) Class C beta-lactamases and Class D enzymes including carbapenemases such as OXA-48 from Enterobacteriaceae and OXA enzymes from Acinetobacter baumannii (OXA-23/24/72/58). QPX7728 is also a potent inhibitor of many class B metallo beta-lactamases (NDM, VIM, CcrA1, IMP, GIM but not SPM or L1). Addition of QPX7728 (4 μg/ml) reduced the MICs in a majority of strains to the level observed for the vector alone control, indicative of complete beta-lactamase inhibition. The ultra-broad-spectrum beta-lactamase inhibition profile makes QPX7728 a viable candidate for further development.

With speed and ingenuity, more than 100 researchers across Penn State are shifting their research programs to address the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to funding from a seed grant initiative led by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. In total, the initiative awarded $2.25 million to 47 teams of researchers from three campuses, 10 colleges and more than 25 departments.

MASC has successfully designed and delivered critical equipment and supplies needed to protect health care workers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

030 - Venues for finals of UEFA 2015 club competitions chosen

More people are buying smart speakers—and one of the reasons the numbers have risen so high recently is that many owners have purchased more than one device.

Source: www.youtube.com - Monday, April 20, 2020

One man's encounter with an OM team leads to his son’s discovery of his talent as a tailor and desire to know God.

God uses OMers to show His love to local believers, who then spread that love to their own communities.

As black-white achievement gaps widen in schools, so, too, do disparities in discipline rates between black and white students, according to a study published Wednesday of 2,000 schools.

Umar Akmal was banned from all forms of cricket for three years by the PCB after pleading guilty to failing to report corrupt approaches.

अंतिम फेरीत केन विल्यमसनची आश्वासक फलंदाजी

हा गोंधळ सोशल मीडियावर क्रिकेटप्रेमींच्या चर्चेचा विषय बनला होता.

शेन वॉटसनने शतकी खेळी करून सर्वांचे लक्ष वेधले. मात्र याच सामन्यात चेन्नईचा कर्णधार महेंद्र सिंग धोनी यानेही एक विक्रम केला.

चेन्नईला आयपीएलमधला अनुभवी संघ म्हणून ओळखलं जातं.

चेन्नई आणि हैदराबाद या दोन्ही संघांमध्ये खेळल्या गेलेल्या आयपीएल २०१८ च्या अंतिम सामन्यात बऱ्याच गोष्टी चर्चेचा विषय ठरल्या.

सचिन हा सामना आपली पत्नी अंजली हिच्यासोबत एका विशेष व्यक्तीच्या घरी पाहत होता.