Self-reported Experiences of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Higher Education: A Population-based Sample

Postsecondary education functions as the gateway to a host of positive adult outcomes, including financial independence, employment opportunities, and independent living. Despite this fact, few young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) attend and remain enrolled in higher education. There is an urgent need for studies that better characterize college students with ASD using population-based samples. The current study examines the self-reported experiences of 206 college freshmen (N=103 students with self-identified ASD) who participated in a national survey at the end of their freshman year. ASD and no-ASD groups were matched on demographic characteristics and compared on domains of psychological stress, social self-confidence, connection to campus, self-regulated learning, and campus service use. Students with ASD reported significantly higher levels of psychological stress and significantly lower levels of social self-confidence compared to neurotypical peers. On all other domains, students with ASD were similar to their typically-developing counterparts. Findings have implications for the development of services and programs at higher education institutions that support all students

Numerical Integration of the Extended Variable Generalized Langevin Equation with a Positive Prony Representable Memory Kernel

Generalized Langevin dynamics (GLD) arise in the modeling of a number of systems, ranging from structured fluids that exhibit a viscoelastic mechanical response, to biological systems, and other media that exhibit anomalous diffusive phenomena. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that include GLD in conjunction with external and/or pairwise forces require the development of numerical integrators that are efficient, stable, and have known convergence properties. In this article, we derive a family of extended variable integrators for the Generalized Langevin equation (GLE) with a positive Prony series memory kernel. Using stability and error analysis, we identify a superlative choice of parameters and implement the corresponding numerical algorithm in the LAMMPS MD software package. Salient features of the algorithm include exact conservation of the first and second moments of the equilibrium velocity distribution in some important cases, stable behavior in the limit of conventional Langevin dynamics, and the use of a convolution-free formalism that obviates the need for explicit storage of the time history of particle velocities. Capability is demonstrated with respect to accuracy in numerous canonical examples, stability in certain limits, and an exemplary application in which the effect of a harmonic confining potential is mapped onto a memory kernel.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Panegiryk jako narzędzie komunikacji społecznej. Charites słowieńskie Jana Zawickiego i Łabęć żałośnie śpiewający Hiacynta Przetockiego

Udostępnienie publikacji Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego finansowane w ramach projektu „Doskonałość naukowa kluczem do doskonałości kształcenia”. Projekt realizowany jest ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego w ramach Programu Operacyjnego Wiedza Edukacja Rozwój; nr umowy: POWER.03.05.00-00-Z092/17-00

The Nature of the Interlayer Interaction in Bulk and Few-Layer Phosphorus

An outstanding challenge of theoretical electronic structure is the description of van der Waals (vdW) interactions in molecules and solids. Renewed interest in resolving this is in part motivated by the technological promise of layered systems including graphite, transition metal dichalcogenides, and more recently, black phosphorus, in which the interlayer interaction is widely believed to be dominated by these types of forces. We report a series of quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculations for bulk black phosphorus and related few-layer phosphorene, which elucidate the nature of the forces that bind these systems and provide benchmark data for the energetics of these systems. We find a significant charge redistribution due to the interaction between electrons on adjacent layers. Comparison to density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate not only wide variability even among different vdW corrected functionals, but the failure of these functionals to capture the trend of reorganization predicted by QMC. The delicate interplay of steric and dispersive forces between layers indicate that few-layer phosphorene presents an unexpected challenge for the development of vdW corrected DFT.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure