University of Notre Dame

About: University of Notre Dame is a education organization based out in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 22238 authors who have published 55201 publications receiving 2032925 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Notre Dame du Lac & University of Notre Dame, South Bend.

Testing mediational models with longitudinal data: questions and tips in the use of structural equation modeling.

Abstract: R. M. Baron and D. A. Kenny (1986; see record 1987-13085-001) provided clarion conceptual and methodological guidelines for testing mediational models with cross-sectional data. Graduating from cross-sectional to longitudinal designs enables researchers to make more rigorous inferences about the causal relations implied by such models. In this transition, misconceptions and erroneous assumptions are the norm. First, we describe some of the questions that arise (and misconceptions that sometimes emerge) in longitudinal tests of mediational models. We also provide a collection of tips for structural equation modeling (SEM) of mediational processes. Finally, we suggest a series of 5 steps when using SEM to test mediational processes in longitudinal designs: testing the measurement model, testing for added components, testing for omitted paths, testing the stationarity assumption, and estimating the mediational effects.

Progress in invasion biology: predicting invaders

Abstract: Predicting which species are probable invaders has been a long-standing goal of ecologists, but only recently have quantitative methods been used to achieve such a goal. Although restricted to few taxa, these studies reveal clear relationships between the characteristics of releases and the species involved, and the successful establishment and spread of invaders. For example, the probability of bird establishment increases with the number of individuals released and the number of release events. Also, the probability of plant invasiveness increases if the species has a history of invasion and reproduces vegetatively. These promising quantitative approaches should be more widely applied to allow us to predict patterns of invading species more successfully.

The diameter of the world wide web

Abstract: Despite its increasing role in communication, the world wide web remains the least controlled medium: any individual or institution can create websites with unrestricted number of documents and links. While great efforts are made to map and characterize the Internet's infrastructure, little is known about the topology of the web. Here we take a first step to fill this gap: we use local connectivity measurements to construct a topological model of the world wide web, allowing us to explore and characterize its large scale properties.

When is a Liability not a Liability? Textual Analysis, Dictionaries, and 10-Ks

Abstract: Previous research uses negative word counts to measure the tone of a text. We show that word lists developed for other disciplines misclassify common words in financial text. In a large sample of 10 Ks during 1994 to 2008, almost three-fourths of the words identified as negative by the widely used Harvard Dictionary are words typically not considered negative in financial contexts. We develop an alternative negative word list, along with five other word lists, that better reflect tone in financial text. We link the word lists to 10 K filing returns, trading volume, return volatility, fraud, material weakness, and unexpected earnings.

Overview of the face recognition grand challenge

Abstract: Over the last couple of years, face recognition researchers have been developing new techniques. These developments are being fueled by advances in computer vision techniques, computer design, sensor design, and interest in fielding face recognition systems. Such advances hold the promise of reducing the error rate in face recognition systems by an order of magnitude over Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) 2002 results. The face recognition grand challenge (FRGC) is designed to achieve this performance goal by presenting to researchers a six-experiment challenge problem along with data corpus of 50,000 images. The data consists of 3D scans and high resolution still imagery taken under controlled and uncontrolled conditions. This paper describes the challenge problem, data corpus, and presents baseline performance and preliminary results on natural statistics of facial imagery.