Domain-based user embedding for competing events on social media

Online social networks offer vast opportunities for computational social science, but effective user embedding is crucial for downstream tasks. Traditionally, researchers have used pre-defined network-based user features, such as degree, and centrality measures, and/or content-based features, such as posts and reposts. However, these measures may not capture the complex characteristics of social media users. In this study, we propose a user embedding method based on the URL domain co-occurrence network, which is simple but effective for representing social media users in competing events. We assessed the performance of this method in binary classification tasks using benchmark datasets that included Twitter users related to COVID-19 infodemic topics (QAnon, Biden, Ivermectin). Our results revealed that user embeddings generated directly from the retweet network, and those based on language, performed below expectations. In contrast, our domain-based embeddings outperformed these methods while reducing computation time. These findings suggest that the domain-based user embedding can serve as an effective tool to characterize social media users participating in competing events, such as political campaigns and public health crises.Comment: Computational social science applicatio

SSformer: A Lightweight Transformer for Semantic Segmentation

It is well believed that Transformer performs better in semantic segmentation compared to convolutional neural networks. Nevertheless, the original Vision Transformer may lack of inductive biases of local neighborhoods and possess a high time complexity. Recently, Swin Transformer sets a new record in various vision tasks by using hierarchical architecture and shifted windows while being more efficient. However, as Swin Transformer is specifically designed for image classification, it may achieve suboptimal performance on dense prediction-based segmentation task. Further, simply combing Swin Transformer with existing methods would lead to the boost of model size and parameters for the final segmentation model. In this paper, we rethink the Swin Transformer for semantic segmentation, and design a lightweight yet effective transformer model, called SSformer. In this model, considering the inherent hierarchical design of Swin Transformer, we propose a decoder to aggregate information from different layers, thus obtaining both local and global attentions. Experimental results show the proposed SSformer yields comparable mIoU performance with state-of-the-art models, while maintaining a smaller model size and lower compute

SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY/SPECTROSCOPY STUDIES OF ULTRATHIN SB FILMS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Mechanism of Action and Clinical Potential of Fingolimod for the Treatment of Stroke

Fingolimod (FTY720) is an orally bio-available immunomodulatory drug currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Currently, there is a significant interest in the potential benefits of FTY720 on stroke outcomes. FTY720 and the sphingolipid signaling pathway it modulates has a ubiquitous presence in the central nervous system and both rodent models and pilot clinical trials seem to indicate that the drug may improve overall functional recovery in different stroke subtypes. Although the precise mechanisms behind these beneficial effects are yet unclear, there is evidence that FTY720 has a role in regulating cerebrovascular responses, blood brain barrier permeability, and cell survival in the event of cerebrovascular insult. In this article, we critically review the data obtained from the latest laboratory findings and clinical trials involving both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, and attempt to form a cohesive picture of FTY720’s mechanisms of action in strok

Multiscale Modeling with Meshfree Methods

Multiscale modeling has become an important tool in material mechanics because material behavior can exhibit varied properties across different length scales. The use of multiscale modeling is essential for accurately capturing these characteristics and predicting material behavior. Mesh-free methods have also been gaining attention in recent years due to their innate ability to handle complex geometries and large deformations. These methods provide greater flexibility and efficiency in modeling complex material behavior, especially for problems involving discontinuities, such as fractures and cracks. Moreover, mesh-free methods can be easily extended to multiple lengths and time scales, making them particularly suitable for multiscale modeling. The thesis focuses on two specific problems of multiscale modeling with mesh-free methods. The first problem is the atomistically informed constitutive model for the study of high-pressure induced densification of silica glass. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are carried out to study the atomistic level responses of fused silica under different pressure and strain-rate levels, Based on the data obtained from the MD simulations, a novel continuum-based multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity model that accounts for the anomalous densification behavior is developed and then parameterized using polynomial regression and deep learning techniques. To incorporate dynamic damage evolution, a plasticity-damage variable that controls the shrinkage of the yield surface is introduced and integrated into the elasto-plasticity model. The resulting coupled elasto-plasticity-damage model is reformulated to a non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (NOSB-PD) model for the computational efficiency of impact simulations. The developed peridynamics (PD) model reproduces coarse-scale quantities of interest found in MD simulations and can simulate at a component level. Finally, the proposed atomistically-informed multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity-damage model has been validated against limited available experimental results for the simulation of hyper-velocity impact simulation of projectiles on silica glass targets. The second problem addressed in the thesis involves the upscaling approach for multi-porosity media, analyzed using the so-called MultiSPH method, which is a sequential SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) solver across multiple scales. Multi-porosity media is commonly found in natural and industrial materials, and their behavior is not easily captured with traditional numerical methods. The upscaling approach presented in the thesis is demonstrated on a porous medium consisting of three scales, it involves using SPH methods to characterize the behavior of individual pores at the microscopic scale and then using a homogenization technique to upscale to the meso and macroscopic level. The accuracy of the MultiSPH approach is confirmed by comparing the results with analytical solutions for simple microstructures, as well as detailed single-scale SPH simulations and experimental data for more complex microstructures