bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attributing emotions to false beliefs: Development across discrete emotions
Authors: Seidenfeld Adina M. , Ackerman Brian P. , Izard Carroll E.
Published: May 2017

Emotion false belief (EFB) is the ability to correctly predict people's emotions given that they hold a false belief (FB). Accumulating evidence suggests that EFB understanding develops after FB understanding; however, the literature presents inconsistencies in this lag. The present study investigated the development of EFB in 85 four‐ and six‐year‐olds, and systematically compared this development to FB understanding across different emotions. Controlling for verbal ability and task demands, 6‐year‐olds scored significantly better on EFB tasks than 4‐year‐olds, and 6‐year‐olds' performance was better than chance. Performance did not vary by emotion. The data supported a developmental precedence of FB to EFB. Results suggest that children's acquisition of EFB is not due solely to verbal ability, FB understanding, or discrete emotion understanding; attributing emotions to beliefs represents a conceptual change in emotion understanding that occurs holistically. These conclusions are discussed in terms of socioemotional development.
Impact of foreign direct investment volatility on economic development in the Indian subcontinent
Authors: Bairagi Ranajit
Published: May 2017

Using annual data over forty years from 1975 to 2014, this study investigates the gross domestic product (GDP) growth and the conditional volatility of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Indian subcontinent. The study reports the rising trends of both FDI and GDP and documents that the greater‐than‐expected FDI due to innovative shocks or policy innovations positively influences conditional volatility of FDI which, in turn, positively contributes to the economic growth/development. The conditional volatility used in the study is the variance derived from the diagnostically selected exponential GARCH (EGARCH) model. The study also reports the causality of both the FDI and its volatility across borders. More specifically, it reports bidirectional causality of FDI between India and Pakistan but unidirectional causality from Bangladesh to both India and Pakistan. It further documents that this volatility is persistent in all the economies and that it spillovers from both India and Pakistan to Bangladesh. The evidence attributes the economic development in the Indian subcontinent to the economic or policy innovations in attracting FDI. The findings of this study thus contribute to the literature by documenting the contrasting evidence that the volatility along with the trend of FDI contributes to the economic development and by reconciling the contrasting evidence.
On the Application of Laws to the Dismissal of Chinese College Teachers
Authors: Bing Zou , Zhen Zeng
Published: May 2017

Currently, with its reasonability in applicable law basis, the dismissal of Chinese college students cannot be universally put into Labor Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China. However, relevant laws and the effect relationship among them should be clarified. In the practical application process, some problems may arise in the application of these relevant laws. Accordingly, the professor committee should be introduced and enhanced in its role when dismissing teachers and different reasons for dismissal should be considered to make different dismissal decisions.
Régulateurs modulaires explicites via la méthode de Rogers–Zudilin
Authors: Brunault François
Published: May 2017

We compute the regulator of the Beilinson–Deninger–Scholl elements in terms of special values of $L$-functions of modular forms. The main tool is the Rogers–Zudilin method.
Role of cyclooxygenase in the vascular responses to extremity cooling in Caucasian and African males
Authors: Maley Matthew J. , House James R. , Tipton Michael J. , Eglin Clare M.
Published: May 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Compared with Caucasians, African individuals are more susceptible to non‐freezing cold injury and experience greater cutaneous vasoconstriction and cooler finger skin temperatures upon hand cooling. We investigated whether the enzyme cyclooxygenase is, in part, responsible for the exaggerated response to local cooling.

What is the main finding and its importance?

During local hand cooling, individuals of African descent experienced significantly lower finger skin blood flow and skin temperature compared with Caucasians irrespective of cyclooxygenase inhibition. These data suggest that in young African males the cyclooxygenase pathway appears not to be the primary reason for the increased susceptibility to non‐freezing cold injury.

Individuals of African descent (AFD) are more susceptible to non‐freezing cold injury (NFCI) and experience an exaggerated cutaneous vasoconstrictor response to hand cooling compared with Caucasians (CAU). Using a placebo‐controlled, cross‐over design, this study tested the hypothesis that cyclooxygenase (COX) may, in part, be responsible for the exaggerated vasoconstrictor response to local cooling in AFD. Twelve AFD and 12 CAU young healthy men completed foot cooling and hand cooling (separately, in 8°C water for 30 min) with spontaneous rewarming in 30°C air after placebo or aspirin (COX inhibition) treatment. Skin blood flow, expressed as cutaneous vascular conductance (as flux per millimetre of mercury), and skin temperature were measured throughout. Irrespective of COX inhibition, the responses to foot cooling, but not hand cooling, were similar between ethnicities. Specifically, during hand cooling after placebo, AFD experienced a lower minimal skin blood flow [mean (SD): 0.5 (0.1) versus 0.8 (0.2) flux mmHg−1, P < 0.001] and a lower minimal finger skin temperature [9.5 (1.4) versus 10.7 (1.3)°C, P = 0.039] compared with CAU. During spontaneous rewarming, average skin blood flow was also lower in AFD than in CAU [2.8 (1.6) versus 4.3 (1.0) flux mmHg−1, P < 0.001]. These data provide further support that AFD experience an exaggerated response to hand cooling on reflection this appears to overstate findings; however, the results demonstrate that the COX pathway is not the primary reason for the exaggerated responses in AFD and increased susceptibility to NFCI.
Natural diets versus factitious prey: comparative effects on development, fecundity and life table of Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
Authors: Riahi Elham , Fathipour Yaghoub , Talebi Ali Asghar , Mehrabadi Mohammad
Published: May 2017

Using the most suitable alternative diets that are easily available and less expensive than the natural diets may give rise to reduce the rearing costs of natural enemies. Alternative or additional food used for this purpose should be in accordance with the food spectrum of the respective mite species. To our knowledge no information is accessible on the comparison between natural diets and factitious prey for Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of three natural diets including almond pollen, maize pollen and Tetranychus urticae Koch, as well as four factitious prey comprising eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), decapsulated and encapsulated cysts of Artemia franciscana Leach for A. swirskii. The data would seem to suggest that developmental time of individuals fed on pollens was shorter than that of those fed on factitious prey. The gross and net reproductive rate, intrinsic and finite rate of increase of the individuals consumed factitious prey were lower than those of mites fed on natural food diets, for the simple reason of shorter developmental time and higher oviposition rate of this predator on the latter. In conclusion, our results showed that natural foods were more favorable than factitious prey and among them almond pollen and maize pollen were the most suitable for A. swirskii, and thus it should be taken into account for application in its mass production, and supporting its population in greenhouse or field conditions when used in an augmentative approach.
Binaural timing information in electric hearing at low rates: Effects of inaccurate encoding and loudness
Authors: Egger Katharina , Majdak Piotr , Laback Bernhard
Published: May 2017

Stimulation strategies for cochlear implants potentially impose timing limitations that may hinder the correct encoding and representation of interaural time differences (ITDs) in realistic bilateral signals. This study aimed to specify the tolerable room for inaccurate encoding of ITDs at low rates by investigating the perceptual degradation due to the removal of individual pulses at various levels of loudness. Unmodulated, 100-pulses-per-second pulse trains were presented at a single, interaurally pitch-matched electrode pair. In experiment I, ITD thresholds were measured applying different degrees of bilateral, interaurally-uncorrelated pulse removal. The ITD sensitivity deteriorated with increasing degree of pulse removal, with significant deterioration for degrees of 16% or greater. In experiment II, the interaction between loudness and pulse removal was investigated. Louder stimuli yielded better ITD sensitivity, however, no further improvement was found for stimuli louder than “medium.” When removing 8% of the pulses, the ITD sensitivity deteriorated significantly across the entire loudness range tested. A loudness-induced compensation for the deterioration of ITD sensitivity due to pulse removal seems to be feasible for soft stimuli but not for medium or loud stimuli. Overall, our findings suggest that the degree of pulse removal employed in low-rate channels within coding strategies should not exceed 8%.
Efficacy of Cold Water Immersion Prior to Endurance Cycling or Running to Increase Performance: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Burton Connor A. , Lauber Christine A.
Published: May 2017

Clinical Question: Is there evidence to support precooling with cold water immersion prior to endurance cycling and running in hot, humid environments to enhance performance? Clinical Bottom Line: There is moderate evidence suggesting cold water immersion (CWI) as a precooling intervention improves endurance performance in cyclists and runners in a hot, humid environment. All five included studies reported significant improvements in endurance performance regarding time to exhaustion or distance traveled. In all included studies, core temperature was significantly decreased in the CWI group versus the control group during the fifth and twentieth minutes of exercise. No significant differences were reported for the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) between the CWI and control groups.
The Effectiveness of Kinesio Tape in Decreasing Kinesiophobia in Patients With Musculoskeletal Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Hoffman Emma , D’Onofrio Abrianna , Baez Shelby , Cavallario Julie
Published: May 2017

Clinical Question: Is there evidence to support that Kinesio Tape is more effective in decreasing kinesiophobia than placebo taping in patients with musculoskeletal pain? Clinical Bottom Line: There is currently inconsistent, high-quality evidence demonstrating that the application of Kinesio Tape may decrease kinesiophobia in patients with musculoskeletal pain. Future research should examine the effects of Kinesio Tape on kinesiophobia in patients with musculoskeletal pain.
Relationship Between Pretraining Subjective Wellness Measures, Player Load, and Rating-of-Perceived-Exertion Training Load in American College Football
Authors: Govus Andrew D. , Coutts Aaron , Duffield Rob , Murray Andrew , Fullagar Hugh
Published: May 2017

Context: The relationship between pretraining subjective wellness and external and internal training load in American college football is unclear. Purpose: To examine the relationship of pretraining subjective wellness (sleep quality, muscle soreness, energy, wellness Z score) with player load and session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE-TL) in American college football players. Methods: Subjective wellness (measured using 5-point, Likert-scale questionnaires), external load (derived from GPS and accelerometry), and s-RPE-TL were collected during 3 typical training sessions per week for the second half of an American college football season (8 wk). The relationship of pretraining subjective wellness with player load and s-RPE training load was analyzed using linear mixed models with a random intercept for athlete and a random slope for training session. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) denote the effect magnitude. Results: A 1-unit increase in wellness Z score and energy was associated with trivial 2.3% (90% confidence interval [CI] 0.5, 4.2; SMD 0.12) and 2.6% (90% CI 0.1, 5.2; SMD 0.13) increases in player load, respectively. A 1-unit increase in muscle soreness (players felt less sore) corresponded to a trivial 4.4% (90% CI −8.4, −0.3; SMD −0.05) decrease in s-RPE training load. Conclusion: Measuring pretraining subjective wellness may provide information about players’ capacity to perform in a training session and could be a key determinant of their response to the imposed training demands American college football. Hence, monitoring subjective wellness may aid in the individualization of training prescription in American college football players.
Effects of Brand Congruity and Game Difficulty on Gamers’ Response to Advertising in Sport Video Games
Authors: Hwang Yongjin , Ballouli Khalid , So Kevin , Heere Bob
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of sport video game difficulty and brand congruity on gamers’ brand recall, brand recognition, and attitudes toward the brand using a controlled experimental design. A total of 116 participants were recruited to play an interactive sport video game and randomly assigned to one of two game difficulty conditions (easy vs. hard). They were then asked to respond to questions concerning the brands featured in the in-game advertisements. The procedure entailed a pretest survey, main experiment, and posttest survey. Data analysis was conducted through use of McNemar’s test, repeated measures analysis of covariance, and binary logistic regression. Findings revealed significant effects for game difficulty and brand congruity on brand recognition (but not brand recall) and attitudes toward the brand. This study contributes to the growing body of literature that suggests video game settings and brand placement are key considerations for achieving desired advertising results.
Structural Basis for Linezolid Binding Site Rearrangement in the
Staphylococcus aureus
Ribosome
Authors: Belousoff Matthew J. , Eyal Zohar , Radjainia Mazdak , Ahmed Tofayel , Bamert Rebecca S. , Matzov Donna , Bashan Anat , Zimmerman Ella , Mishra Satabdi , Cameron David , Elmlund Hans , Peleg Anton Y. , Bhushan Shashi , Lithgow Trevor , Yonath Ada
Published: May 2017

An unorthodox, surprising mechanism of resistance to the antibiotic linezolid was revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in the 70S ribosomes from a clinical isolate of
Staphylococcus aureus
. This high-resolution structural information demonstrated that a single amino acid deletion in ribosomal protein uL3 confers linezolid resistance despite being located 24 Å away from the linezolid binding pocket in the peptidyl-transferase center. The mutation induces a cascade of allosteric structural rearrangements of the rRNA that ultimately results in the alteration of the antibiotic binding site.

IMPORTANCE
The growing burden on human health caused by various antibiotic resistance mutations now includes prevalent
Staphylococcus aureus
resistance to last-line antimicrobial drugs such as linezolid and daptomycin. Structure-informed drug modification represents a frontier with respect to designing advanced clinical therapies, but success in this strategy requires rapid, facile means to shed light on the structural basis for drug resistance (D. Brown, Nat Rev Drug Discov 14:821–832, 2015,
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4675
). Here, detailed structural information demonstrates that a common mechanism is at play in linezolid resistance and provides a step toward the redesign of oxazolidinone antibiotics, a strategy that could thwart known mechanisms of linezolid resistance.
Visual and ocular motor function in the atypical form of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation type I
Authors: Jesus-Ribeiro Joana , Farinha Cláudia , Amorim Margarida , Matos Anabela , Reis Aldina , Lemos João , Castelo-Branco Miguel , Januário Cristina
Published: May 2017

Background/aims

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) type I is a rare disease that can be divided into a classical or atypical variant, according to age of onset and clinical pattern. Neuro-ophthalmological involvement has been documented in the classical variant but only anecdotically in the atypical variant. We sought to describe the visual and ocular motor function in patients with atypical form of NBIA type I.

Methods

Cross-sectional study, including patients with genetically confirmed NBIA type I and classified as atypical variant, who underwent ophthalmological examination with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), electroretinography (ERG), visual evoked potentials (VEP) and video-oculography.

Results

Seven patients with a mean BCVA of 0.12±0.14 logMAR were included. Only two patients showed structural evidence of advanced retinopathy in OCT and FAF, and there were no cases of optic atrophy. ERG data, however, showed abnormal scotopic and/or photopic responses in all patients. VEP were normal in all three patients. Ocular fixation was markedly unstable (eg, increased rate of saccadic pulses) in the majority of patients (5). Additional mild ocular motor disturbances included low gain pursuit (2), hypermetric saccades (1), low gain optokinetic (2) and caloric and rotatory responses (3).

Conclusion

Functional retinal changes associated with marked instability of ocular fixation should be included in the clinical spectrum of NBIA, particularly in the atypical form.
Objectivity in subjectivity: do students’ self and peer assessments correlate with examiners’ subjective and objective assessment in clinical skills? A prospective study
Authors: Inayah A'man Talal , Anwer Lucman A , Shareef Mohammad Abrar , Nurhussen Akram , Alkabbani Haifa Mazen , Alzahrani Alhanouf A , Obad Adam Subait , Zafar Muhammad , Afsar Nasir Ali
Published: May 2017

Objectives

The qualitative subjective assessment has been exercised either by self-reflection (self-assessment (SA)) or by an observer (peer assessment (PA)) and is considered to play an important role in students’ development. The objectivity of PA and SA by students as well as those by faculty examiners has remained debated. This matters most when it comes to a high-stakes examination. We explored the degree of objectivity in PA, SA, as well as the global rating by examiners being Examiners’ Subjective Assessment (ESA) compared with Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE).

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Undergraduate medical students at Alfaisal University, Riyadh.

Participants

All second-year medical students (n=164) of genders, taking a course to learn clinical history taking and general physical examination.

Main outcome measures

A Likert scale questionnaire was distributed among the participants during selected clinical skills sessions. Each student was evaluated randomly by peers (PA) as well as by himself/herself (SA). Two OSCEs were conducted where students were assessed by an examiner objectively as well as subjectively (ESA) for a global rating of confidence and well-preparedness. OSCE-1 had fewer topics and stations, whereas OSCE-2 was terminal and full scale.

Results

OSCE-1 (B=0.10) and ESA (B=8.16) predicted OSCE-2 scores. ‘No nervousness’ in PA (r=0.185, p=0.018) and ‘confidence’ in SA (r=0.207, p=0.008) correlated with ‘confidence’ in ESA. In ‘well-preparedness’, SA correlated with ESA (r=0.234, p=0.003).

Conclusions

OSCE-1 and ESA predicted students’ performance in the OSCE-2, a high-stakes evaluation, indicating practical ‘objectivity’ in ESA, whereas SA and PA had minimal predictive role. Certain components of SA and PA correlated with ESA, suggesting partial objectivity given the limited objectiveness of ESA. Such difference in ‘qualitative’ objectivity probably reflects experience. Thus, subjective assessment can be used with some degree of objectivity for continuous assessment.
Venous sinus stenting shortens the duration of medical therapy for increased intracranial pressure secondary to venous sinus stenosis
Authors: Shazly Tarek A , Jadhav Ashutosh P , Aghaebrahim Amin , Ducruet Andrew F , Jankowitz Brian T , Jovin Tudor G , Bonhomme Gabrielle R
Published: May 2017

Introduction

Medical treatment, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting, and optic nerve sheath fenestration are standard treatments for increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Venous sinus stenting provides a novel alternative surgical treatment in cases of venous sinus stenosis with elevated ICP.

Methods

12 consecutive subjects with papilledema, increased ICP, and radiological signs of dural sinus stenosis underwent cerebral venography and manometry. All subjects had papilledema and demonstrated radiological evidence of dural venous sinus stenosis.

Results

Six subjects chose venous stenting (Group A) and six declined and were managed conservatively with oral acetazolamide (Group B). The relative pressure gradient across the venous narrowing was 29±16.3 mm Hg in Group A and 17.6±9.3 mm Hg in Group B (p=0.09). The mean lumbar puncture opening pressure was 40.4±7.6 cm H2O in Group A and 35.6±10.6 cm H2O in Group B (p=0.4). Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed mean average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness of 210±44.8 µm in Group A and 235±124.7 µm in Group B. However, the mean average RNFL thickness at 6 months was 85±9 µm in Group A and 95±24 µm in Group B (p=0.6). The total duration of acetazolamide treatment was 188±209 days in Group A compared with 571±544 days in Group B (p=0.07).

Conclusions

In subjects with venous sinuses stenosis, endovascular stenting offers an effective treatment option for intracranial hypertension which may shorten the duration of medical therapy.
Reporting and communication of randomisation procedures is suboptimal in veterinary trials
Authors: Di Girolamo N. , Giuffrida M. A. , Winter A. L. , Meursinge Reynders R.
Published: May 2017

To evaluate randomisation mechanisms in the veterinary literature, all trials defined as ‘randomised’ were extracted from five leading veterinary journals for the year 2013. Three blinded investigators evaluated (1) if the random sequence generation was actually non‐random, and (2) whether method (CONSORT item 8A) and (3) type of randomisation (CONSORT item 8B) were reported. Trialists were contacted via email to establish (1) willingness to respond to questions on randomisation procedures, (2) whether reporting of randomisation improved following a suggestion to use the CONSORT 2010 guideline. Seven per cent ((95 per cent CI 2 to 12 per cent); 8/114) of the trials defined as ‘randomised’ explicitly used methods that are considered non‐random. Almost half of the trials (49 per cent (40 to 59 per cent); 52/106) did not report any mechanism of randomisation. Only 13 trials (12.3 per cent (6 to 19 per cent); 13/106) reported both items. 39 of 114 (34.2 per cent) trialists contacted were willing to respond to further questions on randomisation mechanisms; 4 (3.5 per cent) trialists were unwilling and 71 (62.3 per cent) trialists did not respond. Email correspondence resulted in a mean clarification of 0.7 items (95 per cent CI 0.4 to 1.0) for the 15 trials for trialists that replied. Improved adherence to CONSORT guidelines and trialists communication is imperative to increase the quality of published evidence in veterinary medicine and to reduce research waste.
Improved detection of anomalous catchment basins by incorporating drainage density in dilution correction of geochemical residuals
Authors: Shahrestani Shahed , Mokhtari Ahmad Reza
Published: May 2017

In exploration for mineral deposits using stream sediment samples, a phenomenon known as dilution of metal content originating from mineralized sources should be taken into account. Dilution occurs when stream sediments originating from upstream mineralized and non-mineralized areas are mixed during transport and deposition. In the sample catchment basin approach, dilution correction is accomplished by employing Hawkes's equation (1976). Catchment area size is the correction factor used in the Hawkes's equation to correct geochemical residuals for dilution. However, the upstream area of each stream sediment sample is representative of the hydrological response and dilution capability of a drainage basin. In the present research, the Hawkes's equation was modified by incorporating drainage density of catchment basin to correct geochemical residuals for dilution. The existing and new equations were applied to stream sediment data from Iran. The results were compared using known occurrences of Au mineralization as validation points. This showed the superiority of the new technique using drainage density as a factor for correcting geochemical residuals against dilution.
The Rousse CO
2
storage demonstration pilot: hydrogeological impacts of hypothetical micro-annuli around the cements of the injector well
Authors: Thibeau Sylvain , Gapillou Claude , Marblé André , Urbanczyk Christophe , Garnier André
Published: May 2017

Total operated the Lacq CO
2
capture and storage demonstration pilot between January 2010 and March 2013. The injector well, RSE-1, was plugged and permanently abandoned in April and May 2015. As part of a risk assessment study, the hypothetical presence of micro-annuli in the outer cements of the well was studied, consisting of a 2.2 km-long pathway through two cement sheaths. A model was set up to couple the overlying Lasseube aquifer, the well cements and the Mano reservoir. The model concluded that no CO
2
can flow upwards into the Lasseube aquifer as the CO
2
storage reservoir is strongly depleted. The volumes of aquifer water that may flow downwards into the reservoir are very limited, with simulations suggesting rates of less than 0.01 m
3
/day. The cumulative volume of water that could flow down to the reservoir by the end of 2200 would be 0.0006% of the aquifer volume in the worse case. Both computed flow rates and volumetric hydrogeological consequences were therefore found to be of very small amplitude. This study concluded on the lack of risks related to a hypothetical loss of cement bonds with the shaly formations all along the cement sheaths of the 9⅝ and 7 inch casings.
Fuzzy fusion of geological and geophysical data for mapping hydrocarbon potential based on GIS
Authors: Ziyong Zhou , Hangyu Yu , Xiaodan Gu
Published: May 2017

Effective fusion of multiple data, including geographical, geological, geophysical, geochemical and dynamic data for hydrocarbon potential mapping, involves both a fusion algorithm and a convenient modelling platform. In this study, fuzzy logic and a geographical information system (GIS) are used to fuse geological and geophysical interpretations in mapping the gas potential of the Kazakhstan Marsel Territory Carboniferous system based on the assumed gas-accumulation model. Non-linear membership functions are used to transform the input data, while the gamma operator is used to combine the multiple datasets. Finally, the Carboniferous system targets, the Visean (C
1
v) and Serpukhovian (C
1
sr) units, are mapped. Gas testing
in situ
validated our results.
A Taxonomy and Survey of Cloud Resource Orchestration Techniques
Authors: Weerasiri Denis , Barukh Moshe Chai , Benatallah Boualem , Sheng Quan Z. , Ranjan Rajiv
Published: May 2017

Cloud services and applications prove indispensable amid today’s modern utility-based computing. The cloud has displayed a disruptive and growing impact on everyday computing tasks. However, facilitating the orchestration of cloud resources to build such cloud services and applications is yet to unleash its entire magnitude of power. Accordingly, it is paramount to devise a unified and comprehensive analysis framework to accelerate fundamental understanding of cloud resource orchestration in terms of concepts, paradigms, languages, models, and tools. This framework is essential to empower effective research, comprehension, comparison, and selection of cloud resource orchestration models, languages, platforms, and tools. This article provides such a comprehensive framework while analyzing the relevant state of the art in cloud resource orchestration from a novel and holistic viewpoint.
Affective Calibration of Musical Feature Sets in an Emotionally Intelligent Music Composition System
Authors: Williams Duncan , Kirke Alexis , Miranda Eduardo , Daly Ian , Hwang Faustina , Weaver James , Nasuto Slawomir
Published: May 2017

Affectively driven algorithmic composition (AAC) is a rapidly growing field that exploits computer-aided composition in order to generate new music with particular emotional qualities or affective intentions. An AAC system was devised in order to generate a stimulus set covering nine discrete sectors of a two-dimensional emotion space by means of a 16-channel feed-forward artificial neural network. This system was used to generate a stimulus set of short pieces of music, which were rendered using a sampled piano timbre and evaluated by a group of experienced listeners who ascribed a two-dimensional valence-arousal coordinate to each stimulus. The underlying musical feature set, initially drawn from the literature, was subsequently adjusted by amplifying or attenuating the quantity of each feature in order to maximize the spread of stimuli in the valence-arousal space before a second listener evaluation was conducted. This process was repeated a third time in order to maximize the spread of valence-arousal coordinates ascribed to the generated stimulus set in comparison to a spread taken from an existing prerated database of stimuli, demonstrating that this prototype AAC system is capable of creating short sequences of music with a slight improvement on the range of emotion found in a stimulus set comprised of real-world, traditionally composed musical excerpts.
Verifying Invariants of Lock-Free Data Structures with Rely-Guarantee and Refinement Types
Authors: Gordon Colin S. , Ernst Michael D. , Grossman Dan , Parkinson Matthew J.
Published: May 2017

Verifying invariants of fine-grained concurrent data structures is challenging, because interference from other threads may occur at any time. We propose a new way of proving invariants of fine-grained concurrent data structures: applying rely-guarantee reasoning to references in the concurrent setting. Rely-guarantee applied to references can verify bounds on thread interference without requiring a whole program to be verified.

This article provides three new results. First, it provides a new approach to preserving invariants and restricting usage of concurrent data structures. Our approach targets a space between simple type systems and modern concurrent program logics, offering an intermediate point between unverified code and full verification. Furthermore, it avoids sealing concurrent data structure implementations and can interact safely with unverified imperative code. Second, we demonstrate the approach’s broad applicability through a series of case studies, using two implementations: an axiomatic C
oq
domain-specific language and a library for Liquid Haskell. Third, these two implementations allow us to compare and contrast verifications by interactive proof (C
oq
) and a weaker form that can be expressed using automatically-discharged dependent refinement types (Liquid Haskell).
Optimal Operator Replication and Placement for Distributed Stream Processing Systems
Authors: Cardellini Valeria , Grassi Vincenzo , Lo Presti Francesco , Nardelli Matteo
Published: May 2017

Exploiting on-the-fly computation, Data Stream Processing (DSP) applications are widely used to process unbounded streams of data and extract valuable information in a near real-time fashion. As such, they enable the development of new intelligent and pervasive services that can improve our everyday life. To keep up with the high volume of daily produced data, the operators that compose a DSP application can be replicated and placed on multiple, possibly distributed, computing nodes, so to process the incoming data flow in parallel. Moreover, to better exploit the abundance of diffused computational resources (e.g., Fog computing), recent trends investigate the possibility of decentralizing the DSP application placement.

In this paper, we present and evaluate a general formulation of the optimal DSP replication and placement (ODRP) as an integer linear programming problem, which takes into account the heterogeneity of application requirements and infrastructural resources. We integrate ODRP as prototype scheduler in the Apache Storm DSP framework. By leveraging on the DEBS 2015 Grand Challenge as benchmark application, we show the benefits of a joint optimization of operator replication and placement and how ODRP can optimize different QoS metrics, namely response time, internode traffic, cost, availability, and a combination thereof.
Conflict and Development
Authors: Ray Debraj , Esteban Joan
Published: May 2017

In this review, we examine the links between economic development and social conflict. By economic development, we refer broadly to aggregate changes in per capita income and wealth or in the distribution of that wealth. By social conflict, we refer to within-country unrest, ranging from peaceful demonstrations, processions, and strikes to violent riots and civil war. We organize our review by critically examining three common perceptions: that conflict declines with ongoing economic growth; that conflict is principally organized along economic differences rather than similarities; and that conflict, most especially in developing countries, is driven by ethnic motives.
The Role of Variability in Motor Learning
Authors: Dhawale Ashesh K. , Smith Maurice A. , Ölveczky Bence P.
Published: May 2017

Trial-to-trial variability in the execution of movements and motor skills is ubiquitous and widely considered to be the unwanted consequence of a noisy nervous system. However, recent studies have suggested that motor variability may also be a feature of how sensorimotor systems operate and learn. This view, rooted in reinforcement learning theory, equates motor variability with purposeful exploration of motor space that, when coupled with reinforcement, can drive motor learning. Here we review studies that explore the relationship between motor variability and motor learning in both humans and animal models. We discuss neural circuit mechanisms that underlie the generation and regulation of motor variability and consider the implications that this work has for our understanding of motor learning.
Studying the Digital: Directions and Challenges for Digital Methods
Authors: Hampton Keith N.
Published: May 2017

The methodological tool chest available to those who study digital technologies ranges from those that are uniquely digital methods to approaches that are well established in the social sciences. This domain of work includes the application of methods to answer questions about the relationship between digital technologies and the social world, as well as the use of digital methods to answer questions about the offline world. New or old, quantitative or qualitative, the methods used to study the digital have strengths and weaknesses unique to this area of research. These issues include questions about the scope of cyberethnography, the validity of trace data, and the analytical division between on- and offline interaction. This review focuses on an overview of different methods, their history, and their strengths and weaknesses as applied to the study of digital technologies, including ethnographic approaches, interviews, surveys, time and media diaries, trace data, and online experiments.
The Demand Side of Hiring: Employers in the Labor Market
Authors: Bills David B. , Di Stasio Valentina , Gërxhani Klarita
Published: May 2017

Sociological research on labor markets has focused most of its attention on the supply side of the labor market, that is, the characteristics of job seekers and job incumbents. Despite its pivotal and we believe primary role in labor market processes, the demand side, in particular the hiring decisions made by employers, has received less attention. The employment relationship, however, comprises both the demand and supply sides, as well as the matching processes that bring these together. We consider the sociology of the demand side by considering three sources of information (human, social, and cultural capital) that employers charged with making hiring decisions seek out, as well as the mechanisms associated with each source. We conceptualize employers as active agents whose hiring behavior is both constrained and enabled by larger social, organizational, and institutional contexts. We call for a program of research that will lead to a fuller empirical and theoretical understanding of employer hiring behavior and its place in the stratifying of labor markets.
Preventive Strategies for Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Procedures
Authors: Giacoppo Daniele , Gargiulo Giuseppe , Buccheri Sergio , Aruta Patrizia , Byrne Robert A. , Cassese Salvatore , Dangas George , Kastrati Adnan , Mehran Roxana , Tamburino Corrado , Capodanno Davide
Published: May 2017

Background—

The effectiveness of currently available effective preventive strategies for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) is a matter of debate.

Methods and Results—

We performed a Bayesian random-effects network meta-analysis of 124 trials (28 240 patients) comparing a total of 10 strategies: saline, statin, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO
3
), NAC+NaHCO
3
, ascorbic acid, xanthine, dopaminergic agent, peripheral ischemic preconditioning, and natriuretic peptide. Compared with saline, the risk of CIAKI was reduced by using statin (odds ratio [OR], 0.42; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.26–0.67), xanthine (OR, 0.32; 95% CrI, 0.17–0.57), ischemic preconditioning (OR, 0.48; 95% CrI, 0.26–0.87), NAC+NaHCO
3
(OR, 0.50; 95% CrI, 0.33–0.76), NAC (OR, 0.68; 95% CrI, 0.55–0.84), and NaHCO
3
(OR, 0.66; 95% CrI, 0.47–0.90). The benefit of statin therapy was consistent across multiple sensitivity analyses, whereas the efficacy of all the other strategies was questioned by restricting the analysis to high-quality trials. Overall, high heterogeneity was observed for comparisons involving xanthine and ischemic preconditioning, although the impact of NAC and xanthine was probably influenced by publication bias/small-study effect. Hydration alone was the least effective preventive strategy for CIAKI. Meta-regressions did not reveal significant associations with baseline creatinine and contrast volume. In patients with diabetes mellitus, no strategy was found to reduce the incidence of CIAKI.

Conclusions—

In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary procedures, statin administration is associated with a marked and consistent reduction in the risk of CIAKI compared with saline. Although xanthine, NAC, NaHCO
3
, NAC+NaHCO
3
, ischemic preconditioning, and natriuretic peptide may have nephroprotective effects, these results were not consistent across multiple sensitivity analyses.
Potent Thrombolytic Effect of
N
-Acetylcysteine on Arterial Thrombi
Authors: Martinez de Lizarrondo Sara , Gakuba Clément , Herbig Bradley A. , Repessé Yohann , Ali Carine , Denis Cécile V. , Lenting Peter J. , Touzé Emmanuel , Diamond Scott L. , Vivien Denis , Gauberti Maxime
Published: May 2017

Background:

Platelet cross-linking during arterial thrombosis involves von Willebrand Factor (VWF) multimers. Therefore, proteolysis of VWF appears promising to disaggregate platelet-rich thrombi and restore vessel patency in acute thrombotic disorders such as ischemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome, or acute limb ischemia.
N
-Acetylcysteine (NAC, a clinically approved mucolytic drug) can reduce intrachain disulfide bonds in large polymeric proteins. In the present study, we postulated that NAC might cleave the VWF multimers inside occlusive thrombi, thereby leading to their dissolution and arterial recanalization.

Methods:

Experimental models of thrombotic stroke induced by either intra-arterial thrombin injection or ferric chloride application followed by measurement of cerebral blood flow using a combination of laser Doppler flowmetry and MRI were performed to uncover the effects of NAC on arterial thrombi. To investigate the effect of NAC on larger vessels, we also performed ferric chloride–induced carotid artery thrombosis. In vitro experiments were performed to study the molecular bases of NAC thrombolytic effect, including platelet aggregometry, platelet-rich thrombi lysis assays, thromboelastography (ROTEM), and high-shear VWF string formation using microfluidic devices. We also investigated the putative prohemorrhagic effect of NAC in a mouse model of intracranial hemorrhage induced by in situ collagenase type VII injection.

Results:

We demonstrated that intravenous NAC administration promotes lysis of arterial thrombi that are resistant to conventional approaches such as recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, direct thrombin inhibitors, and antiplatelet treatments. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we provide evidence that the molecular target underlying the thrombolytic effects of NAC is principally the VWF that cross-link platelets in arterial thrombi. Coadministration of NAC and a nonpeptidic GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor further improved its thrombolytic efficacy, essentially by accelerating thrombus dissolution and preventing rethrombosis. Thus, in a new large-vessel thromboembolic stroke model in mice, this cotreatment significantly improved ischemic lesion size and neurological outcome. It is important to note that NAC did not worsen hemorrhagic stroke outcome, suggesting that it exerts thrombolytic effects without significantly impairing normal hemostasis.

Conclusions:

We provide evidence that NAC is an effective and safe alternative to currently available antithrombotic agents to restore vessel patency after arterial occlusion.
Categorization, Collection, and the Construction of Continuity: 1 Enoch and 3 Enoch in and beyond “Apocalypticism” and “Mysticism”
Authors: Reed Annette Yoshiko
Published: May 2017

Recent decades have seen an intensive reassessment of older scholarly categories within the discipline of Religious Studies, spurring a turn toward more microhistorical approaches in the study of ancient Judaism and Christianity in particular. With an eye to the power and limits of scholarly practices of categorization, this article reflects upon the pairing of “Apocalypticism” and “Mysticism” in modern scholarship on premodern Judaism, focusing on two works commonly cited as exemplary of their connection—1 Enochand3 Enoch. Drawing insights from interdisciplinary research on the History of the Book/Material Texts, it experiments with situating scholarly acts of categorization in relation to other practices of constructing continuity, both ancient and modern. It highlights the potency of anthologies and related textual practices for naturalizing certain categories of comparison and certain trajectories of retrospective connection—for modern scholars no less than for ancient and medieval readers.
Multiscale Atmosphere–Ocean Interactions and the Low-Frequency Variability in the Equatorial Region
Authors: Ramirez Enver , da Silva Dias Pedro L. , Raupp Carlos F. M.
Published: May 2017

In the present study a simplified multiscale atmosphere–ocean coupled model for the tropical interactions among synoptic, intraseasonal, and interannual scales is developed. Two nonlinear equatorial β-plane shallow-water equations are considered: one for the ocean and the other for the atmosphere. The nonlinear terms are the intrinsic advective nonlinearity and the air–sea coupling fluxes. To mimic the main differences between the fast atmosphere and the slow ocean, suitable anisotropic multispace/multitime scalings are applied, yielding a balanced synoptic–intraseasonal–interannual–El Niño (SInEN) regime. In this distinguished balanced regime, the synoptic scale is the fastest atmospheric time scale, the intraseasonal scale is the intermediate air–sea coupling time scale (common to both fluid flows), and El Niño refers to the slowest interannual ocean time scale. The asymptotic SInEN equations reveal that the slow wave amplitude evolution depends on both types of nonlinearities. Analytic solutions of the reduced SInEN equations for a single atmosphere–ocean resonant triad illustrate the potential of the model to understand slow-frequency variability in the tropics. The resonant nonlinear wind stress allows a mechanism for the synoptic-scale atmospheric waves to force intraseasonal variability in the ocean. The intraseasonal ocean temperature anomaly coupled with the atmosphere through evaporation forces synoptic and intraseasonal atmospheric variability. The wave–convection coupling provides another source for higher-order atmospheric variability. Nonlinear interactions of intraseasonal ocean perturbations may also force interannual oceanic variability. The constrains that determine the establishment of the atmosphere–ocean resonant coupling can be viewed as selection rules for the excitation of intraseasonal variability (MJO) or even slower interannual variability (El Niño).
Retirement Health and Lifestyle Study: Australian Neighborhood Environments and Physical Activity in Older Adults
Authors: Travers Cheryl , Dixon Andrew , Laurence Alice , Niblett Suzanne , King Katrina , Lewis Peter , Owen Neville , Veysey Martin ,   on Behalf of the Retirement Health and Lifestyle Study Research Group
Published: May 2017

The aim of this study was to compare the walkability of neighborhood environments of older adults (65 years and above) living in the general community and retirement village settings, and to describe associations between walkability and the physical activity of participants. The study was conducted in a coastal region of Australia largely characterized by urban sprawl. In 2011-2012, 292 participant neighborhoods (400 m radius around each home) were audited using the Irvine-Minnesota Inventory. Having validated a local adaptation of this tool, we compared neighborhood environments in the two settings. We found no association between walkability of the built environment and walking behavior of participants. Although retirement village residents lived in more highly walkable environments, they did not walk more and their overall levels of physical activity were lower than those of community residents.