Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system determines a current incoming queries per second (QPS) to one or more components for processing queries of a graph database, wherein the graph database is replicated across multiple clusters and distributed among a set of storage nodes in each of the clusters. Next, the system uses the current incoming QPS to estimate, for the one or more components, an expected QPS associated with fanning out of the queries to the clusters. The system then selects a number of clusters in the multiple clusters for fanning out of a query based on the expected QPS and one or more throughput limits for the one or more components. Finally, the system transmits the query to one or more of the storage nodes in the selected number of clusters.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing queries of a graph database. During operation, the system executes a set of processes for accessing a lock-free hash table stored in memory on a computer system, wherein the processes include a write process and multiple read processes. Next, the system uses the processes and the lock-free hash table to index a graph database storing a graph. The system then uses the processes to access a compressed edge store containing a compact representation of the set of edges at a virtual time in the graph and a series of updates to the edges after the virtual time. During use of the processes and the lock-free hash table to index the graph database, the system references the set of edges in the compact representation from a set of entries in the lock-free hash table.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for updating an index structure of a graph database storing a graph. During operation, the system includes, in the index structure, a first compressed edge store containing a first compact representation of edges in the graph at a first virtual time and a first series of updates to the edges after the first virtual time. At a second virtual time, the system creates a second compact representation of the edges from the first compact representation and the first series of updates. The system then appends, to the second compact representation, a second series of updates to the edges after the second virtual time to produce a second compressed edge store. Finally, the system updates the index structure by atomically replacing, in the index structure, a reference to the first compressed edge store with a reference to the second compressed edge store.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a first set of metrics generated during loading of a single-page application (SPA) in a web browser, wherein the first set of metrics includes a page load event and a render completion time. Next, the system uses the first set of metrics to calculate an initial page load time for the SPA. The system also obtains a second set of metrics generated during loading of a subsequent view in the SPA, wherein the second set of metrics includes a transition time and the render completion time. The system then uses the second set of metrics to calculate a subsequent page load time for the SPA. Finally, the system outputs the first and second sets of metrics, the initial page load time, and the subsequent page load time for use in analyzing a performance of the SPA.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a method, apparatus, and system for obtaining user ratings and/or feedback for a software application. During operation, for each of a plurality of jobs executed by a computing system component, wherein each job includes an execution of a corresponding job definition: the system retrieves metadata about the job from the computing system component and calculates an inefficiency metric for the job based on the metadata, wherein a higher inefficiency metric corresponds to a more inefficient job. Next, the system ranks the plurality of jobs based on each job's inefficiency metric and selects one or more top-ranked jobs from the ranking. The system then selects one or more job definitions corresponding to the one or more top-ranked jobs. Next, the system sends optimization requests to users associated with the selected job definitions.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of metrics related to a performance of a single-page application (SPA), wherein the set of metrics includes an initial page load time of the SPA that is calculated from a page load event and a render completion time and a subsequent page load time of the SPA that is calculated from a transition time and the render completion time. Next, the system uses the set of metrics to display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a chart of a performance of the SPA. The system then displays, in the chart, a representation of the page load time for the SPA.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for facilitating interaction within a social network. During operation, the system obtains a graph of a social network, wherein the graph includes a set of nodes representing members of the social network and a set of edges representing relationships between pairs of the members. Next, the system uses the graph to identify a subset of the members with high betweenness centrality within a subgraph that includes a first group in the social network and a second group in the social network. The system then outputs an indication of high betweenness centrality for the subset of the members to facilitate interaction between the first and second groups.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system launches a set of child processes for processing queries of a graph database storing a graph, wherein the graph comprises a set of nodes, a set of edges between pairs of nodes in the set of nodes, and a set of predicates. When a query of the graph database is received, the system transmits the query to one or more of the child processes. Next, the system receives a result of the query from the one or more child processes. The system then provides the result in a response to the query.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for providing a graph database storing a graph. During operation, the system executes one or more processes for providing the graph database. Next, the system stores a sequence of changes to the graph in a base version of the graph database. The system then branches a version of the graph database from a virtual time in the base version. Finally, the system uses the branched version to process one or more queries of the graph database.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for analyzing data from a monitored system. During operation, the system identifies a difference between a performance of an application and a service-level agreement (SLA) of the application. Next, the system determines a correlation between the performance of the application and a disk input/output (I/O) performance of a data storage device used by the application. When the correlation exceeds a threshold, the system outputs a recommendation to migrate the application between the data storage device and a different type of data storage device.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for facilitating reverse reading of sequentially stored variable-length data records. Each record is stored with accompanying size metadata that identifies the size or length of the record. Further, if the length of a given record is greater than a threshold (e.g., 127 bytes when the length is stored with variable-length quantity encoding), such that more than one byte (or other storage unit) is needed to store the record length, an additional byte (or other unit) is configured to store the size/length of the record length (e.g., the number of bytes required to store the record length). The most significant bit of the additional byte is set to 1, so that during reverse reading, the location and size of the record length value can be quickly determined.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for detecting and managing memory inefficiency in a software program. During operation, the system obtains a first snapshot of a heap for a software program, wherein the first snapshot includes a first set of objects stored in the heap at a first time. Next, the system applies a compression technique to the first snapshot to obtain a first set of inefficiency metrics for the first set of objects, wherein each inefficiency metric in the first set of inefficiency metrics represents a memory inefficiency of an object in the heap at the first time. The system then outputs the first set of inefficiency metrics with additional attributes of the first set of objects to improve identification of the memory inefficiency in the software program.

Abstract: In order to dynamically generate customized content, a set of format options for a document (including layout and/or ordering) may be defined and user behaviors in a social network associated with different versions of the document may be tracked. For example, the user behaviors may include a number of views of the document, a percentage of the document viewed and/or a viewing time of the document. This customization technique allows feedback based on user behaviors to guide revisions to the format of the document, such as selecting different format options for particular subgroups of the users (which may even be individually specific). The resulting customized content can be presented concurrently, so that different users can view different versions of the same document at the same time.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains an attribute of a stack trace of a software program. Next, the system uses the attribute to select an address-translation instance from a set of address-translation instances for processing the stack trace. The system then provides the stack trace to the selected address-translation instance for use in translating a set of memory addresses in the stack trace into a set of symbols of instructions stored at the memory addresses.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of components of a time-series performance metric associated with an anomaly in a performance of one or more monitored systems. For each component in the set of components, the system performs a statistical hypothesis test on the component to assess a deviation of the component from a baseline value of the component. When the statistical hypothesis test identifies a statistically significant deviation of the component from the baseline value, the system outputs an alert comprising a root cause of the anomaly that is represented by the statistically significant deviation of the component from the baseline value.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a current window of one or more intervals of time-series data collected from a monitored system. Next, the system continuously performs a statistical hypothesis test that compares the one or more intervals of the time-series data with baseline values from historic time-series data associated with the monitored system. When the statistical hypothesis test indicates a deviation of the time-series data from the baseline values, the system outputs an alert of an anomaly represented by the deviation.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a component of a time-series performance metric associated with a server-side root cause of an anomaly in the time-series performance metric. Next, the system obtains a call graph representation of the component, wherein the call graph representation includes a parent node having a parent value of the component and a set of child nodes of the parent node, each child node having a corresponding child value of the component. The system then analyzes the call graph representation to identify one or more of the child nodes as sources of the anomaly. Finally, the system outputs an alert that identifies the sources of the anomaly.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of records from a set of inputs, with each record containing an entity key, a partition key, and one or more attribute-value pairs. For each attribute-value pair in the records, the system maps an attribute name in the attribute-value pair to a unique identifier for the attribute name and replaces the attribute name with the unique identifier. The system then identifies a subset of the records with a matching entity key and a matching partition key and merges the subset of the records into a single record that includes the matching entity key, the matching partition key, and a single field containing a list of attribute-value pairs from the subset of the records. Finally, the system provides the single record and the mapping for use in querying from a centralized source.

Abstract: A system obtains desired information from a database by dynamically modifying a query plan while executing a query against the database. In particular, the system accesses predefined cardinality information associated with the query for the database (such as a number of occurrences of information associated with the query in the database), and identifies query constraints based on the predefined cardinality information. Then, the system determines an initial query plan based on the query constraints. After executing an initial query against the database based on the initial query plan, the system revises the initial query and the initial query plan, based on partial results of the initial query, to produce a revised query and a revised query plan. Next, the system executes the revised query against the database based on the revised query plan to obtain additional partial results, and the operations are repeated until a total result is obtained.

Abstract: In order to ingest data from an arbitrary source in a set of sources, a computer system accesses predefined configuration instructions. Then, the computer system generates a dynamic data-ingestion pipeline that is compatible with a Hadoop file system based on the predefined configuration instructions. This dynamic data-ingestion pipeline includes a modular arrangement of operators from a set of operators that includes: an extraction operator for extracting the data of interest from the source, a converter operator for transforming the data, and a quality-checker operator for checking the transformed data. Moreover, the computer system receives the data from the source. Next, the computer system processes the data using the dynamic data-ingestion pipeline as the data is received without storing the data in memory for the purpose of subsequent ingestion processing.

Abstract: A system executes a query associated with an application against a graph database by providing, to a first shard of the graph database, the query and a first query header that specifies the first shard. The query includes a subject, a predicate and an object, and the graph database stores a graph that includes nodes, edges between the nodes, and predicates to represent and store data. In response to the query, the system receives results and associated result headers from the first shard and a second shard, where the result headers specify that the results are partial results that are particular fractions of a total result. Furthermore, a combination of the partial results provides the total result to the query that includes a subset of the graph. Note that the subset of the graph may include desired information expressed within an associated structure of the graph.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of key performance indicators (KPI) for one or more customer service representatives, wherein the set of KPIs includes a number of cases (e.g., solved cases, reopened cases, handled cases, and/or routed cases) per queue hour. Next, the system uses the set of KPIs to display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a chart of a two-dimensional performance measurement for the one or more customer service representatives. The system then displays, in the chart, a first axis representing a productivity KPI comprising the number of cases per queue hour and a second axis representing an additional KPI from the set of KPIs.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of metrics associated with a performance of one or more customer service representatives. Next, the system calculates a productivity key performance indicator (KPI) from the set of metrics, wherein the productivity KPI includes a number of cases (e.g., solved cases, reopened cases, handled cases, and/or routed cases) per queue hour for the one or more customer service representatives. The system then outputs the productivity KPI for use in managing the performance of the one or more customer service representatives.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a hierarchical representation containing a set of namespaces of a set of features shared by a set of statistical models. Next, the system uses the hierarchical representation to obtain, from one or more execution environments, a subset of the features for use in calculating the derived feature. The system then applies a formula from the hierarchical representation to the subset of the features to produce the derived feature. Finally, the system provides the derived feature for use by one or more of the statistical models.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system and method for performing version control for asynchronous distributed machine learning. During operation, the system transmits a first global version of a statistical model to a set of client computer systems. Next, the system obtains, from a first subset of the client computer systems, a first set of updates to the first global version. The system then merges the first set of updates into a second global version of the statistical model. Finally, the system transmits the second global version to the client computer systems asynchronously from receiving a second set of updates to the first and/or second global versions from a second subset of the client computer systems.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a method and system for performing regularized model adaptation for in-session recommendations. During operation, the system obtains, from a server, a first global version of a statistical model. During a first user session with a user, the system improves a performance of the statistical model by using the first global version to output one or more recommendations to the user and using the first global version and user feedback from the user to create a first personalized version of the statistical model. At an end of the first user session, the system transmits an update containing a difference between the first personalized version and the first global version to the server for use in producing a second global version of the statistical model by the server.

Abstract: In order to facilitate the requesting of desired information from a graph database that stores a graph, a system may translate an initial query into a query that can be executed against the graph database. In particular, using primitives, the system may translate a query associated with a type of database (such as a relational database) into the query. The graph may include nodes, edges between the nodes, and predicates to represent and store data with index-free adjacency. Moreover, the primitives may include: a rule based on edges in the graph that expresses a relational schema in the type of database, and information associated with a compound key that specifies a relationship between nodes, edges and predicates in the graph corresponding to a table in the type of database. Then, the system may execute the query against the graph database, and may receive a result that includes a subset of the graph.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains validated training data containing a first set of content items and a first set of classification tags for the first set of content items. Next, the system uses the validated training data to produce a statistical model for classifying content using a set of dimensions represented by the first set of classification tags. The system then uses the statistical model to generate a second set of classification tags for a second set of content items. Finally, the system outputs one or more groupings of the second set of content items by the second set of classification tags to improve understanding of content related to the set of dimensions without requiring a user to manually analyze the second set of content items.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains validated training data containing a first set of content items and a first set of relevance tags, wherein the first set of relevance tags is used by one or more domain experts to identify the first set of content items as relevant to one or more topics. Next, the system uses the validated training data to produce a statistical model for classifying a relevance of content to the one or more topics. The system then uses the statistical model to generate a second set of relevance tags for a second set of content items. Finally, the system outputs one or more groupings of the second set of content items by the second set of relevance tags to improve understanding of content related to the one or more topics without requiring a user to manually analyze the second set of content items.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of features for a customer of a product. Next, the system uses the set of features to identify a likelihood of purchasing the product through a first channel by the customer and estimate a first customer lifetime value (CLV) for the customer through the first channel and a second CLV for the customer through a second channel. The system then selects an acquisition channel for the customer from the first and second channels based on the likelihood and the first and second CLVs. Finally, the system outputs a recommendation of the selected acquisition channel for use in marketing the product to the customer.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system inputs a set of features for a customer of a product into a first statistical model, wherein the set of features comprises a company segment of the customer. Next, the system uses the first statistical model to predict a churn risk of the customer. When the churn risk exceeds a first threshold for the company segment, the system outputs a notification of a high churn risk level for the customer.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of data for a set of customers of a product, wherein the set of data comprises a set of churn risk levels for the customer. Next, the system uses the set of data to display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a chart of renewal opportunities with the set of customers, for the product, over an upcoming time interval. The system then displays, in the GUI, a representation of a churn risk level for each customer in the set of customers with a renewal opportunity in the chart.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for performing a transparent hybrid data storage scheme in which data are stored as blocks distributed among one or more flash-based storage devices (e.g., solid state drives) and one or more magnetic storage devices (e.g., magnetic disk drives). Files larger than a given size (e.g., 1 MB) are segmented into blocks of that size and stored on one or more devices; blocks of one file may be stored on devices of different types. Periodically, a utility function calculates utility values for each of some or all stored blocks based on frequency of access to the block, frequency of access of a particular type (e.g., random, sequential), a preference regarding where to store the block or the corresponding file, and/or other factors. Blocks having the highest utility values are subject to migration between devices of different types and/or the same type (e.g., for load-balancing).

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for determining an appropriate time to disrupt operation of a computer system, subsystem, or component, such as by shutting it down or taking it offline. Historical measurements of work accumulated on the component at different times are used to generate one or more forecasts regarding future amounts of work that will accumulate at different times. Accumulated work may include all job/tasks (or other executable objects) that have been initiated but not yet completed at the time the measurement is taken, and may be expressed in terms of execution time and/or component resources (e.g., cpu, memory). When a request is received to disrupt component operations, based on an urgency of the disruption a corresponding accumulated work threshold is chosen to represent the maximum amount of accumulated work that can be in process and still allow the disruption, and the disruption is scheduled accordingly.

Abstract: In order to perform system-capability testing, an application in an application layer may provide predefined system capabilities and/or requirements of or associated with the application to a communication plugin in a data-link layer, such as availability of communication via a network and/or a latency of the network less than a predefined value. In response, the communication plugin may determine feedback information that specifies whether the predefined system capabilities are available and whether the predefined requirements are satisfied. Then, the communication plugin may provide the feedback information to the application. When the feedback information indicates that a system capability is unavailable, remedial action may be performed. For example, the remedial action may include updating a version of the application, updating a version of the communication plugin, and/or updating a path to a location in a network.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for automatically securing an electronic device. The device is paired with a security token (e.g., an access badge) associated with a user authorized to operate the device. During device operation, if the security token (e.g., which may be worn or carried by the user) is out of range or proximity with the device, after a threshold period of time some or all functionality of the device (e.g., other than communication with the security token) is locked. Multiple modes of operation may be possible, during which the device looks for the security token within different ranges (or signal strengths) and/or uses different time thresholds. The security token may need to be in proximity to the device in order to unlock it (e.g., with a user login sequence), and the device may or may not unlock automatically when the token is proximate to the device.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, a system and method for generating and ranking service provider recommendations in a social network are presented. A request to identify a set of service providers that meet a specific criteria is received. The request can be associated with a member of a social network service. Member profiles from among a plurality of member profiles of the social network service are identified based on the specific criteria. A plurality of attributes is extracted from the identified member profiles. A trust factor for each identified member profile indicating the likelihood that the member would trust the service provider is determined based on the extracted profile attributes. The set of service providers is ranked based on the determined trust factor. At least a portion of the set of ranked service providers may be caused to be presented to the member.

Abstract: In order to build or aggregate lists of potential customers, contact information may be collected from viewers of a document, such as a presentation. In particular, multiple pages in a document associated with a user of a social network (such as slides in a presentation) may be presented to a second user of the social network. At one or more dynamically selected pages or locations in the document and/or a dynamically selected position or location on a page, the second user may be requested to provide their contact information and/or additional information. Moreover, the contact information needed from the second user may be dynamically determined.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains one or more metrics associated with user interaction with a set of content items in a member segment of a social network. Next, the system ranks the set of content items by the one or more metrics. The system then generates a content pool for the member segment based on the ranking of the content items. Finally, the system creates a content feed from the content pool for presentation to a user in the member segment.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for identifying an ideal or target network of a member of a professional network or social network, or one or more characteristics of such a network. Based on a type of the member, one or more attributes of a profile of the member, and/or one or more goals of the member, characteristics may be identified that support achievement of those goals or that promote more effective use of the professional network or social network by the member. By way of illustration, an ideal or target user network of a member seeking to improve her future job opportunities may include a minimum number of connections to members employed by different organizations, while an ideal or target user network of a member seeking a mentor may include a maximum number of connections to members holding senior positions within the member's industry or functional area.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of content pools for a user, wherein each content pool in the set of content pools includes a set of content items associated with user activity in a member segment of a social network. Next, the system calculates a set of probabilities of clicking the content items in the content pool. The system then uses the probabilities to order the content items with other content items from other content pools into a content feed for the user. Finally, the system presents the content feed to the user.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for automatically establishing an inferred (‘follow’) relationship between a first member and a second member of a user community. Based on passive and/or active signals indicating affinity of the first member for the second member, the system determines whether an inferred connection from the first member to the second member would improve the first member's network within the user community. A potential improvement may be observed if the potential connection would improve some aspect or characteristic of a target or ideal network identified for the first member, and/or if there is more than a threshold level of affinity between the members. The first member's network may be pruned, if necessary, to accommodate a connection to the second member if, for example, the connection would violate a constraint associated with the target or ideal network.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for selecting electronic content to surface to a member of a user community, among content associated with a second member with whom an inferred (i.e., non-explicit) connection has been formed. Based on the members' types (e.g., Professional, Student, Recruiter) and/or other factors, a type is assigned to the new connection. A default vector comprising weights corresponding to multiple categories of content that may be served to a community member (e.g., content creation items, content curation items) is generated based on how other members within the same type of relationship interacted with content surfaced to them. A personal vector copied from the default vector is used to select, from content associated with the second member, items to surface to the first member, but may be altered over time based on the first member's interaction with the items.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for issuing content event notifications to members of a user community that makes content available to its members. Events involving content items of interest to a given member (e.g., creation, upload, sharing) are recognized, particularly events that involve another member connected to the given member in the community, and the relevance of the items to the member or to content topics of interest to the member is determined. Time slots during which notifications can be issued to the member are identified (e.g., using the member's calendar data), possibly in association with events on the member's calendar, and may be associated with one or more topics that interest the member. During a time slot, only notifications regarding content items related to the associated topic(s) may be issued. A do-not-disturb time slot may be defined as a period during which no notifications should be issued.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for identifying and/or ordering events (or notifications of events) within a computing environment featuring a high rate of events (e.g., hundreds of millions per minute). New events are labeled based on multiple alternating epochs comprising sequences of event identifiers, wherein each epoch's identifiers are mutually exclusive of other epochs. Illustratively, each epoch may commence with a different initial identifier (e.g., 0, 1, 2) and each epoch's sequence of identifiers thereafter increment in the same manner (e.g., by twos, by threes) until a maximum identifier is encountered. All of one epoch's identifiers are applied before the next epoch's are applied. After a last epoch is exhausted, labeling begins again with the first epoch. Verifying or enforcing event ordering may involve determining a given event's identifier, epoch, timestamp, and/or other characteristics, and/or characteristics of a previous event.

Abstract: In order to facilitate access to and exchange of a given content item in a sequential set of content items (such as a slide in a presentation or a frame in a video), a system may create a clipped-content identifier in response to a clip selection of the content item by a user. This clipped-content identifier may include a pointer to a location in the system that stores the content item in the sequential set of content items, and metadata associated with the content item. Subsequently, the system may present a clipped-content summary document to the user, which allows the user to download, edit, share, and aggregate one or more clip selections in sequential sets of content items.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for promoting achievement of a goal within a professional community, such as an online professional network. A member is selected as a candidate for assistance based on her level of usage of the community and/or other factors, and a goal of the member may be learned explicitly or implicitly. Based on her goal and her level of proficiency within the community, which may be determined based on the number of discrete tasks or metrics she has accomplished, a set of milestones is suggest to her. The milestones are both related to the member's goal and customized to her level of proficiency. Upon completion of the milestones, she may be given a reward that is related to the goal.

Abstract: In order to facilitate access to relevant information, a system may determine topics that are of interest based on skills of users in a social network of users and annotations associated with content in the social network. Then, the system may identify experts knowledgeable about the topics among the users in the social network. These experts may be invited to aggregate and edit the topic content. For a given topic, the system may provide, to a subset of the experts, documents with suggested topic content and presentation formats for the topics. Based on feedback from the subset of the experts (such as modifications to one or more of the documents and/or the presentation formats), the system may modify or revise the documents.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of clauses in a first set of content items comprising unstructured data. Next, the system obtains a set of stop words comprising high-frequency words that occur in a second set of content items. The system then automatically extracts a set of topics from the set of clauses by generating a set of n-grams from the set of clauses and excluding a first n-gram in the set of n-grams from the set of topics when the first n-gram contains a word in the set of stop words in a pre-specified position of the first n-gram. Finally, the system displays the set of topics to a user to improve understanding of the first set of content items by the user without requiring the user to manually analyze the first set of content items.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for identifying entities trending within a professional community, such as member of a professional social network. The system collects “share” activity and/or other types of activities conducted by members of the community in which they generate or disseminate (textual) content. From the collected share activity, trending terms are identified and ranked according to scores that reflect the change in frequency of usage of the terms over time. The most relevant shares for each trending term are identified and used to identify names of entities that correspond to (e.g., include) the terms. Reasons indicating why each trending entity is trending are also derived from the share activity. A display or presentation is provided of top trending entities, within one or more segments of the professional community, which includes the reasons and allows a viewer to quickly identify the reason a given entity is trending.