A rule-free workflow for the automated generation of databases from scientific literature

In recent times, transformer networks have achieved state-of-the-art performance in a wide range of natural language processing tasks. Here we present a workflow based on the fine-tuning of BERT models for different downstream tasks, which results in the automated extraction of structured information from unstructured natural language in scientific literature. Contrary to existing methods for the automated extraction of structured compound-property relations from similar sources, our workflow does not rely on the definition of intricate grammar rules. Hence, it can be adapted to a new task without requiring extensive implementation efforts and knowledge. We test our data-extraction workflow by automatically generating a database for Curie temperatures and one for band gaps. These are then compared with manually-curated datasets and with those obtained with a state-of-the-art rule-based method. Furthermore, in order to showcase the practical utility of the automatically extracted data in a material-design workflow, we employ them to construct machine-learning models to predict Curie temperatures and band gaps. In general we find that, although more noisy, automatically extracted datasets can grow fast in volume and that such volume partially compensates for the inaccuracy in downstream tasks.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figure

Supporting the education and wellbeing of children looked-after: what is the role of the virtual school?

The Children and Families Act (2014) placed a statutory responsibility on local authorities in the United Kingdom to establish a Virtual School Headteacher with the role of championing the education of all children looked-after within that authority. The current research was designed to illuminate how Virtual Schools are currently supporting educational outcomes for children looked-after, not only through educational interventions, but also through supporting broader psychological factors that might impact on attainment such as attachment, relationships and mental health. Virtual School Head Teachers from 29 local authorities completed an online survey about the services they provided to three target groups – children looked-after, foster carers and schools – with a particular focus on the transition years from primary to secondary school, which have been identified as being a difficult time for children looked-after. Using inductive thematic analysis four overarching themes to service provision were identified: Enhanced learning opportunities; Specific Transition Support; Wellbeing and Relationships, and Raising Awareness. Direct work, interprofessional working and the development of supportive environments, particularly guided by attachment theory, were identified as important areas of practice. Practice is discussed in relation to resilience and ecological systems theory and suggestions for future research are identified

Economics at the FTC: Cases and Research, with a Focus on Petroleum

Economics at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) covers both the antitrust and consumer protection missions. In this year’s essay, we focus mainly on the competition-side of the agency. Drawing on a wealth of recent research, we provide descriptive and analytical information about the petroleum industry. Mergers, as always, were a major preoccupation of the FTC, and we discuss a few oil industry mergers as well as one leading litigated case – Arch Coal’s acquisition of Triton Coal. Finally, we review the empirical literature on the effects of vertical restraints, noting that the literature supporting an animus toward such restraints is surprisingly weak. Copyright Springer 2005antitrust, consumer protection, FTC, mergers, petroleum, vertical restraints,

Learning styles: a critique

The concept of `learning style' is virtually taken for granted in management development, in spite of considerable doubts about its validity from within cognitive psychology and education. The first part of this paper summarizes research that is critical of `learning styles', particularly in the form which predominates within management development and introduces the alternative concept of learning strategy, which is rarely encountered in this field. The second part of the paper develops a critique of learning style theory from a critical education perspective, raising even more significant concerns that in decontextualizing learning the concept of style may provide a discriminatory basis for dealing with difference in gender or race