Pac-12 Networks' Ashley Adamson speaks with former Arizona State women's basketball player Michelle Tom, who is now a doctor treating COVID-19 patients Winslow Indian Health Care Center and Little Colorado Medical Center in Eastern Arizona.

Flávio B. Gonçalves, Bárbara C. C. Dias.

Source: Brazilian Journal of Probability and Statistics, Volume 33, Number 4, 782--800.

Abstract:
Educational assessment usually considers a contextual questionnaire to extract relevant information from the applicants. This may include items related to socio-economical profile as well as items to extract other characteristics potentially related to applicant’s performance in the test. A careful analysis of the questionnaires jointly with the test’s results may evidence important relations between profiles and test performance. The most coherent way to perform this task in a statistical context is to use the information from the questionnaire to help explain the variability of the abilities in a joint model-based approach. Nevertheless, the responses to the questionnaire typically present missing values which, in some cases, may be missing not at random. This paper proposes a statistical methodology to model the abilities in dichotomous IRT models using the information of the contextual questionnaires via linear regression. The proposed methodology models the missing data jointly with the all the observed data, which allows for the estimation of the former. The missing data modelling is flexible enough to allow the specification of missing not at random structures. Furthermore, even if those structures are not assumed a priori, they can be estimated from the posterior results when assuming missing (completely) at random structures a priori. Statistical inference is performed under the Bayesian paradigm via an efficient MCMC algorithm. Simulated and real examples are presented to investigate the efficiency and applicability of the proposed methodology.

This paper studies a service system in which arriving customers are provided with information about the delay they will experience. Based on this information they decide to wait for service or to leave the system. The main objective is to estimate the customers' patience-level distribution and the corresponding potential arrival rate, using knowledge of the actual workload process only. We cast the system as a queueing model, so as to evaluate the corresponding likelihood function. Estimating the unknown parameters relying on a maximum likelihood procedure, we prove strong consistency and derive the asymptotic distribution of the estimation error. Several applications and extensions of the method are discussed. In particular, we indicate how our method generalizes to a multi-server setting. The performance of our approach is assessed through a series of numerical experiments. By fitting parameters of hyperexponential and generalized-hyperexponential distributions our method provides a robust estimation framework for any continuous patience-level distribution.

Arkaprava Roy, Subhashis Ghosal, Jeffrey Prescott, Kingshuk Roy Choudhury.

Source: The Annals of Applied Statistics, Volume 13, Number 3, 1791--1816.

Abstract:
We study possible relations between Alzheimer’s disease progression and the structure of the connectome which is white matter connecting different regions of the brain. Regression models in covariates including age, gender and disease status for the extent of white matter connecting each pair of regions of the brain are proposed. Subject inhomogeneity is also incorporated in the model through random effects with an unknown distribution. As there is a large number of pairs of regions, we also adopt a dimension reduction technique through graphon ( J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 96 (2006) 933–957) functions which reduces the functions of pairs of regions to functions of regions. The connecting graphon functions are considered unknown but the assumed smoothness allows putting priors of low complexity on these functions. We pursue a nonparametric Bayesian approach by assigning a Dirichlet process scale mixture of zero to mean normal prior on the distributions of the random effects and finite random series of tensor products of B-splines priors on the underlying graphon functions. We develop efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques for drawing samples for the posterior distributions using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC). The proposed Bayesian method overwhelmingly outperforms a competing method based on ANCOVA models in the simulation setup. The proposed Bayesian approach is applied on a dataset of 100 subjects and 83 brain regions and key regions implicated in the changing connectome are identified.

Jesús D. Arroyo Relión, Daniel Kessler, Elizaveta Levina, Stephan F. Taylor.

Source: The Annals of Applied Statistics, Volume 13, Number 3, 1648--1677.

Abstract:
While statistical analysis of a single network has received a lot of attention in recent years, with a focus on social networks, analysis of a sample of networks presents its own challenges which require a different set of analytic tools. Here we study the problem of classification of networks with labeled nodes, motivated by applications in neuroimaging. Brain networks are constructed from imaging data to represent functional connectivity between regions of the brain, and previous work has shown the potential of such networks to distinguish between various brain disorders, giving rise to a network classification problem. Existing approaches tend to either treat all edge weights as a long vector, ignoring the network structure, or focus on graph topology as represented by summary measures while ignoring the edge weights. Our goal is to design a classification method that uses both the individual edge information and the network structure of the data in a computationally efficient way, and that can produce a parsimonious and interpretable representation of differences in brain connectivity patterns between classes. We propose a graph classification method that uses edge weights as predictors but incorporates the network nature of the data via penalties that promote sparsity in the number of nodes, in addition to the usual sparsity penalties that encourage selection of edges. We implement the method via efficient convex optimization and provide a detailed analysis of data from two fMRI studies of schizophrenia.

Susan Gruber, Mark J. van der Laan.

Source: Statistical Science, Volume 34, Number 1, 82--85.

Abstract:
Dorie and co-authors (DHSSC) are to be congratulated for initiating the ACIC Data Challenge. Their project engaged the community and accelerated research by providing a level playing field for comparing the performance of a priori specified algorithms. DHSSC identified themes concerning characteristics of the DGP, properties of the estimators, and inference. We discuss these themes in the context of targeted learning.

Irune Diaz-Aparicio
Feb 12, 2020; 40:1453-1482
Development Plasticity Repair

Erin E. Hecht
Sep 25, 2019; 39:7748-7758
BehavioralSystemsCognitive

John D. Cahoy
Jan 2, 2008; 28:264-278
Cellular

Stephanie McMains
Jan 12, 2011; 31:587-597
BehavioralSystemsCognitive

Ye Zhang
Sep 3, 2014; 34:11929-11947
Cellular

John D. Cahoy
Jan 2, 2008; 28:264-278
Cellular

Ye Zhang
Sep 3, 2014; 34:11929-11947
Cellular

French translation of Press Release about BIS General Manager Agustín Carstens giving a speech on "Money in the digital age: what role for central banks?" (6 February 2018)

French translation of the Press Release on the pre-release of two special chapters of the Annual Economic Report of the BIS, 17 June 2018. Trust is the missing link in today's cryptocurrencies - Cryptocurrencies' model of generating trust limits their potential to replace conventional money, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) writes in its Annual Economic Report (AER), a new title launched this year.

Spanish translation of the Press Release on the pre-release of two special chapters of the Annual Economic Report of the BIS, 17 June 2018. Trust is the missing link in today's cryptocurrencies - Cryptocurrencies' model of generating trust limits their potential to replace conventional money, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) writes in its Annual Economic Report (AER), a new title launched this year.

Apple's new iPhone SE delivers incredible value and performance, has a surprisingly good camera, and handles videos well. Reviewers were impressed by the phone's A13 chipset. However, criticisms include insufficient battery life, absence of night mode, and lack of 5G support. "For those of us concerned about money ... the SE provides the greatest bang for the buck," said tech analyst Rob Enderle.

Customer attrition and churn are not new problems. Anyone who has spent time in the sales world has heard statistics around the cost of acquiring a new customer. It can be five to 25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. Improving customer retention by just 5 percent can increase profits by 25-95 percent, depending on your industry and company size.

Customer service doesn't have to suffer while your company goes through a difficult transition. In fact, 78 percent of consumers said they stopped doing business with a company because of poor customer service. Now is the time to show your most valuable buyers how you'll keep them informed, updated and respected throughout this crisis by adapting your practices to the moment.

Despite their opposing actions on food intake, POMC and NPY/AgRP neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) are derived from the same progenitors that give rise to ARH neurons. However, the mechanism whereby common neuronal precursors subsequently adopt either the anorexigenic (POMC) or the orexigenic (NPY/AgRP) identity remains elusive. We hypothesize that POMC and NPY/AgRP cell fates are specified and maintained by distinct intrinsic factors. In search of them, we profiled the transcriptomes of developing POMC and NPY/AgRP neurons in mice. Moreover, cell-type-specific transcriptomic analyses revealed transcription regulators that are selectively enriched in either population, but whose developmental functions are unknown in these neurons. Among them, we found the expression of the PR domain-containing factor 12 (Prdm12) was enriched in POMC neurons but absent in NPY/AgRP neurons. To study the role of Prdm12 in vivo, we developed and characterized a floxed Prdm12 allele. Selective ablation of Prdm12 in embryonic POMC neurons led to significantly reduced Pomc expression as well as early-onset obesity in mice of either sex that recapitulates symptoms of human POMC deficiency. Interestingly, however, specific deletion of Prdm12 in adult POMC neurons showed that it is no longer required for Pomc expression or energy balance. Collectively, these findings establish a critical role for Prdm12 in the anorexigenic neuron identity and suggest that it acts developmentally to program body weight homeostasis. Finally, the combination of cell-type-specific genomic and genetic analyses provides a means to dissect cellular and functional diversity in the hypothalamus whose neurodevelopment remains poorly studied.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT POMC and NPY/AgRP neurons are derived from the same hypothalamic progenitors but have opposing effects on food intake. We profiled the transcriptomes of genetically labeled POMC and NPY/AgRP neurons in the developing mouse hypothalamus to decipher the transcriptional codes behind the versus orexigenic neuron identity. Our analyses revealed 29 transcription regulators that are selectively enriched in one of the two populations. We generated new mouse genetic models to selective ablate one of POMC-neuron enriched transcription factors Prdm12 in developing and adult POMC neurons. Our studies establish a previously unrecognized role for Prdm12 in the anorexigenic neuron identity and suggest that it acts developmentally to program body weight homeostasis.

Two sites preserve around 50 footprints, a discovery that highlights the richness of prehistoric life on the island

Over his five-decade-plus career, the "Strega Nona" author contributed to more than 270 books

Research linking air pollution to elevated death rates remains preliminary but scientists hope the pandemic spurs tighter air quality regulations

Airing on the aquarium's Twitch channel at 4 p.m. EST today, the two-hour session will focus on the video game's diverse insect population

Mar del Plata, Argentina :: Crew work alongside a pastor who has plans to improve children's futures.

The Canada-wide chain will introduce a mandatory mask policy on May 11, claiming customers and employees want a policy more in line with how Asian countries have handled the COVID-19 crisis.

Saskatchewan's unemployment rate soared in April due to the COVID-19 economic shutdown but an economist says it's not likely to get much worse.

Mayor Jane Castor has issued a letter of apology after Tampa didn't exactly give the best of welcomes to one of its newest and most famous residents when NFL superstar Tom Brady was ejected from a downtown park while working out.

Interior Health officials are asking people who went to the Save-On-Foods pharmacy in Columbia Place Shopping Centre in Kamloops, March 10, 13 and 14 along with March 16 to 21 to self-isolate following a positive case of COVID-19 at the store.

Flurries or rain showers are in the forecast for Hamilton on Friday, Environment Canada says.

The general field of quantitative biology has advanced significantly on the back of recent improvements in both sequencing technology and proteomics methods. The development of high-throughput, short-read sequencing has revolutionized RNA-based expression studies, while improvements in proteomics methods have enabled quantitative studies to attain better resolution. Here we introduce methods to undertake global analyses of gene expression through RNA and protein quantification in Xenopus embryos and tissues.

The post 3DEXPERIENCE World – Building tomorrow today with our Education Community appeared first on SOLIDWORKS Education Blog.

Bank of Italy Working Papers by Concetta Rondinelli and Roberta Zizza

Apple's latest iOS 13.5 beta release includes a new Health app feature that allows iPhone and Apple Watch users to automatically send Medical ID information to first responders.

Wink customers will soon have to pay a monthly subscription fee to access any of the smart home hardware that they have purchased.

Being able to have an overview of changes to designs since initial release is an important aspect to time-efficient engineering. Making use of an automatically updated revision table helps with that.  What version are we using? Who has made these

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