Modelling Users Feedback in Crowd-Based Requirements Engineering: An Empirical Study

Most enterprises operate within a complex and ever-changing context. To ensure that requirements keep pace with changing context, users’ feedback is advocated to ensure that the requirements knowledge is refreshed and reflects the degree to which the system meets its design objectives. The traditional approach to users’ feedback, which is based on data mining and text analysis, is often limited, partly due to the ad-hoc nature of users’ feedback and, also, the methods used to acquire it. To maximize the expressiveness of users’ feedback and still be able to efficiently analyse it, we propose that feedback acquisition should be designed with that goal in mind. This paper contributes to that aim by presenting an empirical study that investigates users’ perspectives on feedback constituents and how they could be structured. This will provide a baseline for modelling and customizing feedback for enterprise systems in order to maintain and evolve their requirements

Cell selectivity in succinate receptor SUCNR1/GPR91 signaling in skeletal muscle

Succinate is released by skeletal muscle during exercise and activates SUCNR1/GPR91. Signaling of SUCNR1 is involved in metabolite-sensing paracrine communication in skeletal muscle during exercise. However, the specific cell types responding to succinate and the directionality of communication are unclear. We aim to characterize the expression of SUCNR1 in human skeletal muscle. De novo analysis of transcriptomic datasets demonstrated that SUCNR1 mRNA is expressed in immune, adipose, and liver tissues, but scarce in skeletal muscle. In human tissues, SUCNR1 mRNA was associated with macrophage markers. Single-cell RNA sequencing and fluorescent RNAscope demonstrated that in human skeletal muscle, SUCNR1 mRNA is not expressed in muscle fibers but coincided with macrophage populations. Human M2-polarized macrophages exhibit high levels of SUCNR1 mRNA and stimulation with selective agonists of SUCNR1 triggered Gq- and Gi-coupled signaling. Primary human skeletal muscle cells were unresponsive to SUCNR1 agonists. In conclusion, SUCNR1 is not expressed in muscle cells and its role in the adaptive response of skeletal muscle to exercise is most likely mediated via paracrine mechanisms involving M2-like macrophages within the muscle. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Macrophages but not skeletal muscle cells respond to extracellular succinate via SUCNR1/GPR91

Reliability Analysis of Component-Based Systems with Multiple Failure Modes

This paper presents a novel approach to the reliability modeling and analysis of a component-based system that allows dealing with multiple failure modes and studying the error propagation among components. The proposed model permits to specify the components attitude to produce, propagate, transform or mask different failure modes. These component-level reliability specifications together with information about systems global structure allow precise estimation of reliability properties by means of analytical closed formulas, probabilistic modelchecking or simulation methods. To support the rapid identification of components that could heavily affect systems reliability, we also show how our modeling approach easily support the automated estimation of the system sensitivity to variations in the reliability properties of its components. The results of this analysis allow system designers and developers to identify critical components where it is worth spending additional improvement efforts

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Muscles, Moustaches and Machismo : Narratives of Masculinity by Egyptian English-Language Media Professionals and Media Audiences

This study utilizes ethnographic methods to inquire how ideas of masculinities are perceived by English-language media professionals and media audiences in Egypt. Using semi-structured interviews and a survey, the aim is to find common narratives on how masculinity is perceived on personal levels and what terms are used to describe men and masculinities, which in turn can be used as the basis for further analysis of Egyptian media content. The word “narrative” in itself is used to convey personal experience, and the telling of those experiences, rather than generalizable data applicable to the larger population. Found are several common themes, such as emphasized heterosexuality, and the expectation of men as providers and protectors, which is related, by the respondents, to the nation and the military. Protection and militarism relates to ideas of strength, honor, and courage. Men are almost exclusively seen as possessors of power. The ‘head of the household,’ and the head of state, both portrayed as iconized leaders, emerge as the quintessence of Egyptian masculine identity, whether that identity is contested or not