1,218 research outputs found
Bayesian psychometric scaling
In educational and psychological studies, psychometric methods are involved in the measurement of constructs, and in constructing and validating measurement instruments. Assessment results are typically used to measure student proficiency levels and test characteristics. Recently, Bayesian item response models received considerable attention to analyze test data and to measure latent variables. Bayesian psychometric modeling allows to include prior information about the assessment in addition to information available in the observed response data. An introduction is given to Bayesian psychometric modeling, and it is shown that this approach is very flexible, provides direct estimates of student proficiencies, and depends less on asymptotic results. Various Bayesian item response models are discussed to provide insight in Bayesian psychometric scaling and the Bayesian way of making psychometric inferences. This is done according to a general multilevel modeling approach, where observations are nested in students and items, and students are nested in schools. Different examples are given to illustrate the influence of prior information, the effects of clustered response data following a PISA study, and Bayesian methods for scale construction
Advantageous use of metallic cobalt in the target for Pulsed Laser Deposition of cobalt-doped ZnO films
We investigate the magnetic properties of ZnCoO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from targets made containing metallic Co or CoO precursors instead of the usual Co3O4. We find that the films grown from metallic Co precursors in an oxygen rich environment contain negligible amounts of Co metal, and have a large magnetization at room temperature. Structural analysis by X-ray diffraction and magneto-optical measurements indicate that the enhanced magnetism is due, in part, from Zn vacancies that partially compensate the naturally occurring n-type defects. We conclude that strongly magnetic films of Zn0.95Co0.05O that do not contain metallic cobalt can be grown by PLD from Co-metal-precursor targets if the films are grown in an oxygen atmosphere
Social and gender analysis report: Barotse Floodplain, Western Province,Zambia
There is increasing awareness that integrating gender into development frameworks is critical for effective implementation of development strategies. In working to alleviate rural poverty, the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) recognizes that “business as usual” gender integration approaches will not deliver lasting and widespread improvements in agricultural productivity, poverty reduction and food security. In response, AAS operationalized a gender transformative approach. The approach is informed by conceptual frameworks that explicitly recognize the potent influence of social relations on creating and perpetuating gender inequalities. In this way, AAS aims to address the underlying causes of rural poverty and gender inequality in Zambia’s Barotse Floodplain, where people rely extensively on riverine and wetland ecosystems for food and livelihood security. A central question guiding the research program is “How do social norms and gendered power relations influence agricultural development outcomes?” The findings presented in this report provide insights that help answer this question. The report presents a review of literature relevant to livelihoods, ecosystem services, and gender and social relations in Zambia, with a specific focus on Western Province, where AAS is currently implemented. It also presents a synthesis of findings of a social and gender analysis conducted in 2013 in 10 focal communities situated in and around the Barotse Floodplain
Dynamic Bayesian Combination of Multiple Imperfect Classifiers
Classifier combination methods need to make best use of the outputs of
multiple, imperfect classifiers to enable higher accuracy classifications. In
many situations, such as when human decisions need to be combined, the base
decisions can vary enormously in reliability. A Bayesian approach to such
uncertain combination allows us to infer the differences in performance between
individuals and to incorporate any available prior knowledge about their
abilities when training data is sparse. In this paper we explore Bayesian
classifier combination, using the computationally efficient framework of
variational Bayesian inference. We apply the approach to real data from a large
citizen science project, Galaxy Zoo Supernovae, and show that our method far
outperforms other established approaches to imperfect decision combination. We
go on to analyse the putative community structure of the decision makers, based
on their inferred decision making strategies, and show that natural groupings
are formed. Finally we present a dynamic Bayesian classifier combination
approach and investigate the changes in base classifier performance over time.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figure
Parameterization of mixed layer eddies. III: Implementation and impact in global ocean climate simulations
A parameterization for the restratification by finite-amplitude, submesoscale, mixed layer eddies, formulated as an overturning streamfunction, has been recently proposed to approximate eddy fluxes of density and other tracers. Here, the technicalities of implementing the parameterization in the coarse-resolution ocean component of global climate models are made explicit, and the primary impacts on model solutions of implementing the parameterization are discussed. Three global ocean general circulation models including this parameterization are contrasted with control simulations lacking the parameterization. The MLE parameterization behaves as expected and fairly consistently in models differing in discretization, boundary layer mixing, resolution, and other parameterizations. The primary impact of the parameterization is a shoaling of the mixed layer, with the largest effect in polar winter regions. Secondary impacts include strengthening the Atlantic meridional overturning while reducing its variability, reducing CFC and tracer ventilation, modest changes to sea surface temperature and air–sea fluxes, and an apparent reduction of sea ice basal melting.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant OCE-0612143)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant OCE-0612059)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant OCE-0825376)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant DMS-0855010)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant OCE-0934737
A high stability semiconductor laser system for a Sr-based optical lattice clock
We describe a frequency stabilized diode laser at 698 nm used for high
resolution spectroscopy of the 1S0-3P0 strontium clock transition. For the
laser stabilization we use state-of-the-art symmetrically suspended optical
cavities optimized for very low thermal noise at room temperature. Two-stage
frequency stabilization to high finesse optical cavities results in measured
laser frequency noise about a factor of three above the cavity thermal noise
between 2 Hz and 11 Hz. With this system, we demonstrate high resolution remote
spectroscopy on the 88Sr clock transition by transferring the laser output over
a phase-noise-compensated 200 m-long fiber link between two separated
laboratories. Our dedicated fiber link ensures a transfer of the optical
carrier with frequency stability of 7 \cdot 10^{-18} after 100 s integration
time, which could enable the observation of the strontium clock transition with
an atomic Q of 10^{14}. Furthermore, with an eye towards the development of
transportable optical clocks, we investigate how the complete laser system
(laser+optics+cavity) can be influenced by environmental disturbances in terms
of both short- and long-term frequency stability.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Appl. Phys.
Dynamics of FitzHugh-Nagumo excitable systems with delayed coupling
Small lattices of nearest neighbor coupled excitable FitzHugh-Nagumo
systems, with time-delayed coupling are studied, and compared with systems of
FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators with the same delayed coupling. Bifurcations of
equilibria in N=2 case are studied analytically, and it is then numerically
confirmed that the same bifurcations are relevant for the dynamics in the case
. Bifurcations found include inverse and direct Hopf and fold limit cycle
bifurcations. Typical dynamics for different small time-lags and coupling
intensities could be excitable with a single globally stable equilibrium,
asymptotic oscillatory with symmetric limit cycle, bi-stable with stable
equilibrium and a symmetric limit cycle, and again coherent oscillatory but
non-symmetric and phase-shifted. For an intermediate range of time-lags inverse
sub-critical Hopf and fold limit cycle bifurcations lead to the phenomenon of
oscillator death. The phenomenon does not occur in the case of FitzHugh-Nagumo
oscillators with the same type of coupling.Comment: accepted by Phys.Rev.
R-parity preserving super-WIMP decays
We point out that when the decay of one electroweak scale super-WIMP state to
another occurs at second order in a super-weak coupling constant, this can
naturally lead to decay lifetimes that are much larger than the age of the
Universe, and create observable consequences for the indirect detection of dark
matter. We demonstrate this in a supersymmetric model with Dirac neutrinos,
where the right-handed scalar neutrinos are the lightest and next-to-lightest
supersymmetric partners. We show that this model produces a super-WIMP decay
rate scaling as m_nu^4/(weak scale)^3, and may significantly enhance the
fraction of energetic electrons and positrons over anti-protons in the decay
products. Such a signature is consistent with the observations recently
reported by the PAMELA experiment.Comment: 14 pages, v3 JHEP versio
Relevance of the preparation of the target for PLD on the magnetic properties of films of iron-doped indium oxide
This paper concerns the importance of the preparation of the targets that may be used for pulsed laser deposition of iron-doped indium oxide films. Targets with a fixed concentration of iron are fabricated from indium oxide and iron metal or one of the oxides of iron, FeO, Fe3O4 and Fe2O3. Films from each target were ablated onto sapphire substrates at the same temperature under different oxygen pressures such that the thickness of the films was kept approximately constant. The films were studied using X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption (both XANES and EXAFS), optical absorption and magnetic circular dichroism. The magnetic properties were measured with a SQUID magnetometer. At the lowest oxygen pressure, there was evidence that some of the iron ions in the films were in the state Fe2+, rather than Fe3+, and there was also a little metallic iron; these properties were accompanied by a substantial magnetisation. As the amount of the oxygen was increased, the number of defect phases and the saturation magnetisation was reduced and the band gap increased. In each case, we found that the amount of the oxygen that had been included in the target from the precursor added to the effect of adding oxygen in the deposition chamber. It was concluded that the amount of oxygen in the target due to the precursor was an important consideration but not a defining factor in the quality of the films
Etanercept and Adalimumab Treatment Patterns in Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Enrolled in a Commercial Health Plan
- …