We provide the first, in experimental economics, consistent estimates of a dynamic learning model with a continuous outcome. The econometric approach we propose can be used in many experimental studies including auctions, bargaining with transfers, and gift exchange experiments. We focus on affiliated private value auctions, where subjects are generally assumed to converge to the rule-of-thumb bidding, but our general approach is applicable to many other settings. Our IV estimates suggest that subjects become significantly less aggressive over time; specifically, they decrease their bids in proportion to the previous period’s signal minus bid. However, the inconsistent OLS and FE estimators imply that subjects become significantly more aggressive over time—they raise their bids in proportion to the previous period’s signal minus bid. Our instruments are randomly generated by the experiment, and pass popular weak instrument tests.

A class of strategies is defined, each member of which possesses a certain plausibility. If a subject follows any strategy in this class in a two-choice learning experiment of the type dealt with by the Estes model, the subject's long-run behavior will be the same as that predicted by the Estes model.

OpenMx is free, full-featured, open source, structural equation modeling (SEM) software. OpenMx runs within the R statistical programming environment on Windows, Mac OS–X, and Linux computers. The rationale for developing OpenMx is discussed along with the philosophy behind the user interface. The OpenMx data structures are introduced—these novel structures define the user interface framework and provide new opportunities for model specification. Two short example scripts for the specification and fitting of a confirmatory factor model are next presented. We end with an abbreviated list of modeling applications available in OpenMx 1.0 and a discussion of directions for future development.

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and antidepressant medications are both first-line interventions for adult depression, but their relative efficacy in the long term and on outcome measures other than depressive symptomatology is unknown. Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses can provide more precise effect estimates than conventional meta-analyses. This IPD meta-analysis compared the efficacy of IPT and antidepressants on various outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up (PROSPERO: CRD42020219891). A systematic literature search conducted May 1st, 2023 identified randomized trials comparing IPT and antidepressants in acute-phase treatment of adults with depression. Anonymized IPD were requested and analyzed using mixed-effects models. The prespecified primary outcome was post-treatment depression symptom severity. Secondary outcomes were all post-treatment and follow-up measures assessed in at least two studies. IPD were obtained from 9 of 15 studies identified (N = 1536/1948, 78.9%). No significant comparative treatment effects were found on post-treatment measures of depression (d = 0.088, p = 0.103, N = 1530) and social functioning (d = 0.026, p = 0.624, N = 1213). In smaller samples, antidepressants performed slightly better than IPT on post-treatment measures of general psychopathology (d = 0.276, p = 0.023, N = 307) and dysfunctional attitudes (d = 0.249, p = 0.029, N = 231), but not on any other secondary outcomes, nor at follow-up. This IPD meta-analysis is the first to examine the acute and longer-term efficacy of IPT v. antidepressants on a broad range of outcomes. Depression treatment trials should routinely include multiple outcome measures and follow-up assessments.

Physical vapor deposited (PVD) molybdenum disulfide (nominal composition MoS2) is employed as a thin film solid lubricant for extreme environments where liquid lubricants are not viable. The tribological properties of MoS2 are highly dependent on morphological attributes such as film thickness, orientation, crystallinity, film density, and stoichiometry. These structural characteristics are controlled by tuning the PVD process parameters, yet undesirable alterations in the structure often occur due to process variations between deposition runs. Nondestructive film diagnostics can enable improved yield and serve as a means of tuning a deposition process, thus enabling quality control and materials exploration. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) for MoS2 film characterization provides valuable information about film density and grain orientation (texture). However, the determination of film stoichiometry can only be indirectly inferred via GIXRD. The combination of density and microstructure via GIXRD with chemical composition via grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) enables the isolation and decoupling of film density, composition, and microstructure and their ultimate impact on film layer thickness, thereby improving coating thickness predictions via X-ray fluorescence. We have augmented an existing GIXRD instrument with an additional X-ray detector for the simultaneous measurement of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectra during the GIXRD analysis. This combined GIXRD/GIXRF analysis has proven synergetic for correlating chemical composition to the structural aspects of MoS2 films provided by GIXRD. We present the usefulness of the combined diagnostic technique via exemplar MoS2 film samples and provide a discussion regarding data extraction techniques of grazing angle series measurements.

As governments increasingly adopt algorithms and artificial intelligence (AAI), we still know comparatively little about citizens’ support for algorithmic government. In this paper, we analyze how many and what kind of reasons for government use of AAI citizens support. We use a sample of 17,000 respondents from 16 OECD countries and find that opinions on algorithmic government are divided. A narrow majority of people (55.6%) support a majority of reasons for using algorithmic government, and this is relatively consistent across countries. Results from multilevel models suggest that most of the cross-country variation is explained by individual-level characteristics, including age, education, gender, and income. Older and more educated respondents are more accepting of algorithmic government, while female and low-income respondents are less supportive. Finally, we classify the reasons for using algorithmic government into two types, “fairness” and “efficiency,” and find that support for them varies based on individuals’ political attitudes.

One-aminonaphthalene is sorbed onto the Na-saturated smectite clays, montmorillonite and hectorite, by cation exchange. In the presence of Fe3+, either in the clay structure or on the clay surface, sorption is followed by the formation of a blue-colored complex, with the continuous disappearance of aminonaphthalene from solution and the clay surface. The rate of aminonaphthalene disappearance decreases as pH increases. With time, four major products that appear to be structural isomers of N(4-aminonaphthyl)-l-naphthylamine are produced. A simplified model of this transformation is suggested to be the oxidation by Fe3+ of sorbed aminonaphthalene forming a radical cation-clay complex. A subsequent reaction between the radical-cation and a neutral aminonaphthalene molecule takes place, with the products being strongly sorbed to the clay surface.

Adsorption of uranyl to SWy-1 montmorillonite was evaluated experimentally and results were modeled to identify likely surface complexation reactions responsible for removal of uranyl from solution. Uranyl was contacted with SWy-1 montmorillonite in a NaCIO4 electrolyte solution at three ionic strengths (I = 0.001, 0.01, 0.1), at pH 4 to 8.5, in a N2(g) atmosphere. At low ionic strength, adsorption decreased from 95% at pH 4 to 75% at pH 6.8. At higher ionic strength, adsorption increased with pH from initial values less than 75%; adsorption edges for all ionic strengths coalesced above a pH of 7. A site-binding model was applied that treated SWy-1 as an aggregate of fixed-charge sites and edge sites analogous to gibbsite and silica. The concentration of fixed-charge sites was estimated as the cation exchange capacity, and non-preference exchange was assumed in calculating the contribution of fixed-charge sites to total uranyl adsorption. The concentration of edge sites was estimated by image analysis of transmission electron photomicrographs. Adsorption constants for uranyl binding to gibbsite and silica were determined by fitting to experimental data, and these adsorption constants were then used to simulate SWy-1 adsorption results. The best simulations were obtained with an ionization model in which AlOH2+ was the dominant aluminol surface species throughout the experimental range in pH. The pH-dependent aqueous speciation of uranyl was an important factor determining the magnitude of uranyl adsorption. At low ionic strength and low pH, adsorption by fixed-charge sites was predominant. The decrease in adsorption with increasing pH was caused by the formation of monovalent aqueous uranyl species, which were weakly bound to fixed-charge sites. At higher ionic strengths, competition with Na+ decreased the adsorption of UO22+ to fixed-charge sites. At higher pH, the most significant adsorption reactions were the binding of UO22+ to AlOH and of (UO2)3(OH)5+ to SiOH edge sites. Near-saturation of AlOH sites by UO22+ allowed significant contributions of SiOH sites to uranyl adsorption.

The proposed memory architecture by Barzykowski and Moulin is compelling, and could be improved by incorporating a rational analysis of the functional roles of involuntary autobiographical memory and déjà vu. Additionally, modeling these phenomena computationally would remove ambiguities from the proposal. We provide examples of past work that illustrate how the phenomena may be described more precisely.

Background: Existing training for resident bathing in nursing homes (NHs) is brief and limited, likely because bathing is assumed to be intuitive. However, residents have complex skin issues, devices, dressings, and limited ability for self-care. We sought to assess bathing quality and to identify barriers to proper bathing techniques. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of bathing in 8 NHs in Orange County, California, involving a convenience sample of observed bed baths and showers conducted for quality improvement. NH staff were told that observation was occurring, and no feedback was given during or after bathing. Survey elements included cleansing of 6 specific body sites and adherence to bathing procedures (11 for bed baths and 17 for showers). Surveys also included queries to staff to further assess knowledge and perceived barriers. Observed lapses were documented, along with observer-determined reasons for noncompliance (ie, training issue, time pressure, facility issue (insufficient water temperature), resident refusal/behavior). Frequency of noncompliance with each element was tabulated for bed-baths and showers separately. Reasons for failure were displayed graphically. Results: In total, 50 bed baths (NH range, 5–8) and 50 showers (NH range, 4–7) were observed across 8 NHs. Lapses in bathing quality and process were extremely common for both bed baths and showers (Fig.). Inadequate body cleansing occurred for all observed body sites (88%–100% failure for bed baths, 58%–100% failure for showers). Most body areas were either skipped or sprayed with water without soaping. Procedural failures were high for both bed baths and showers (insufficient lather: 100% for bed bath and 40% for shower) lack of firm massage for cleaning (94% for bed bath and 90% for shower), failure to change wipes or cloths when dirty (100% for bed bath and 96% for shower), failure to follow clean-to-dirty sequence (100% for bed bath and 96% shower). In addition, failing to wrap or unwrap devices (73%) and failing to towel dry (94%) were common after showering. Reasons for failure were largely based on training or facility shortcomings (eg, insufficient hot water, inflexible showerhead attachment). Also, 86% of residents complained of being cold. Timing constraints and resident combativeness or refusal were rare. Staff-to-staff bathing advice most commonly involved competing for the “better shower” and “bathing early to get hot water.” Conclusions: Knowing how to appropriately bathe NH residents is not intuitive, and current training is brief and insufficient for high-quality resident care. Unacceptably high failures in proper bathing techniques in NHs necessitate re-evaluation of formal training and standardized practices to better cleanse residents. Moreover, common failures in facility processes for ensuring adequate water temperature and showerhead mobility for bathing or showering should be addressed.

Disclosures: None