Between a Troll and a Hard Place: The Demand Framework's Answer to One of Gaming's Biggest Problems

The demand framework is commonly used by game scholars to develop new and innovative ways to improve the gaming experience. However, the present article aims to expand this framework and apply it to problematic gaming, also known as trolling. Although still a relatively new field, research into trolling has exploded within the past ten years. However, the vast majority of these studies are descriptive in nature. The present article marries theory and trolling research by closely examining interdisciplinary empirical evidence from a single platform - video games - and applying the various forms of demands to propose a testable, dual-route model of trolling behaviour. Within the video game context, I argue the presence of two primary causal mechanisms that can lead to trolling: 1) Demand imbalance between players and the game; and 2) demand imbalance between players. The article discusses how these two types of imbalance can lead to trolling, which kinds of demands can be imbalanced, and how future researchers can use the demand framework to expand our understanding of trolling

On the Path to Home Ownership: Low-Income Owners and Renters in Rural Communities

The purpose of the current article was to examine the tenure status of rural, lowincome mothers to understand particularly what family, housing, and health characteristics are associated with tenure status in rural areas of the United States. 7he benefits as well as the risks of becoming a homeowner for low-income families are discussed. 7he study used data from the multi-state research project Rural Families Speak, an investigation conducted by 17 states to assess the circumstances of rural low-income families--403 mothers with at least one child 12 years of age or younger. Two logistical binomial regression analyses were conducted to identify significant predictors of housing tenure among rural, low-income families. In total, 13 variables were included in the regression analysis for the whole sample and 14 variables were used for a subsample of those mothers who reported having a partner. 7he results of the study indicated that determinants of tenure status for this sample were age, education level, partner status, ethnicity, total monthly income, housing costs, housing wage, and food security status. 7he research contributes to an understanding of variables that contribute to attaining homeownership and provides additional information to shape future research, policy, and social programs that benefit rural, low-income families who aspire to become or sustain homeownership

How to Host a Data Competition: Statistical Advice for Design and Analysis of a Data Competition

Data competitions rely on real-time leaderboards to rank competitor entries and stimulate algorithm improvement. While such competitions have become quite popular and prevalent, particularly in supervised learning formats, their implementations by the host are highly variable. Without careful planning, a supervised learning competition is vulnerable to overfitting, where the winning solutions are so closely tuned to the particular set of provided data that they cannot generalize to the underlying problem of interest to the host. This paper outlines some important considerations for strategically designing relevant and informative data sets to maximize the learning outcome from hosting a competition based on our experience. It also describes a post-competition analysis that enables robust and efficient assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of solutions from different competitors, as well as greater understanding of the regions of the input space that are well-solved. The post-competition analysis, which complements the leaderboard, uses exploratory data analysis and generalized linear models (GLMs). The GLMs not only expand the range of results we can explore, they also provide more detailed analysis of individual sub-questions including similarities and differences between algorithms across different types of scenarios, universally easy or hard regions of the input space, and different learning objectives. When coupled with a strategically planned data generation approach, the methods provide richer and more informative summaries to enhance the interpretation of results beyond just the rankings on the leaderboard. The methods are illustrated with a recently completed competition to evaluate algorithms capable of detecting, identifying, and locating radioactive materials in an urban environment.Comment: 36 page

User Opinions on Effective Strategies Against Social Media Toxicity

Existing literature on content moderation rarely identifies strategies social media users believe can be implemented by platforms and other users to adequately manage toxicity and curate a positive environment online. To bridge these gaps, we conducted a survey with 902 users of six different social media platforms to understand their opinions on effective strategies against social media toxicity and for a positive online environment. Participants suggested a range of strategies, both for the platforms and the users to implement. Even though all these strategies are not unprecedented, it is crucial to recognize that currently not all platforms implement or can implement these strategies to encourage less toxicity and more positivity. Overall, participants expect platforms and social media users to do their individual and collective part in managing online toxicity

Friendships of children with disabilities in the home environment

Friendships are a valued aspect of life. Understanding the family and home aspects of friendships can help special educators to develop a broader understanding of issues supporting friendships for young children with disabilities. In this exploratory study, family interviews and home observations were used to examine friendships of children with disabilities (3 to 10 years old) at home. Results suggest many children with disabilities spend limited time with friends or peers in the home environment. In this sample, children with the greatest amount of contact with friends had disabilities that were mainly physical in nature, while children with behavior problems and cognitive limitations were among the children who experienced the fewest peer interactions. Children living in isolated areas and/or off busy roads had more limited contact with friends than children residing in neighborhoods. Living in close proximity of other children, however, did not guarantee frequent peer interactions or friendships. Characteristics of the home and neighborhood and parents\u27 roles in initiating and supervising friendships are examined. Implications for special educators are discussed for increasing opportunities for children with disabilities to interact with peers and develop friendships in their home and neighborhood

Friendly Fire Off

The increasing popularity of online videogames has raised questions concerning their potential to influence online and offline social behaviour. Previous research on social behaviour in relation to playing videogames has often focused on either cooperation (playing in pairs against the game) or competition (playing alone against other players); however, videogames, particularly multiplayer online games, often include both. This study investigates prosocial behaviour in videogames with both cooperative and competitive elements—team-based player versus player (PvP) games—and aims to examine whether the amount of time spent playing these games is related to in-game prosocial behaviour. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 727 respondents and results were analysed using conditional process modelling. No significant direct or indirect relationship between the amount of time spent playing team-based PvP games and in-game prosocial behaviour was found. However, an exploratory linear regression analysis revealed a significant, positive relationship between in-game and offline prosocial behaviour. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed

Atomic spectrometry update : a review of advances in environmental analysis

This is the 31st annual review of the application of atomic spectrometry to the chemical analysis of environmental samples. This update refers to papers published approximately between August 2014 and July 2015 and continues the series of Atomic Spectrometry Updates (ASUs) in Environmental Analysis that should be read in conjunction with other related ASUs in the series, namely: clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages; advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques; elemental speciation; X-ray spectrometry; and metals, chemicals and functional materials. In the field of air analysis, highlights within this review period included: the development of a new laser fluorescence instrument for the ultratrace determination of mercury vapour; single particle ICP-MS studies and the coupling of elemental analysers to mass spectrometers for the improved characterisation of carbonaceous aerosols. In the arena of water analysis, methods continue to be developed: for the extraction and preconcentration of elements, As, Cr, Hg and Sb species and determination of elemental constituents in colloidal and NP fractions. Emerging elements of interest include Gd derived from MRI agents discharged at low level from medical facilities in water courses. Instrumental developments reported included the use of MC-ICP-MS for isotopic tracer studies and a review of TXRF techniques and associated preconcentration procedures for trace element analysis. In the period covered by this update several articles have explored the analysis of soil extracts for geochemical prospecting. There has been widening interest in the use of CS-AAS and in the application of techniques capable of direct sample analysis such as slurry sampling ETAAS and ETV-ICP-AES. Portable XRF instrumentation is now being used in many disciplines to quantify trace elements in soils – bringing a need for better transfer of analytical knowledge to non-specialist users – and the growing use of portable XRF in proximal sensing is also noteworthy. Recent research indicates that geological applications still drive many of the instrumental and methodological advances in LA-ICP-MS. Fundamental studies continued to shed light on the processes involved and hence ways of improving the analysis of laser-produced aerosols and to minimise matrix and fractionation effects. A new technique LA-DOF-MS (distance of flight) was described. The utility of LIBS and portable XRF for in situ survey work continues to show promise but issues such as appropriate calibration regimes and data processing protocols will still need to be addressed

Incorporation of dUTP does not mediate mutation of A:T base pairs in Ig genes in vivo

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) protein initiates Ig gene mutation by deaminating cytosines, converting them into uracils. Excision of AID-induced uracils by uracil-N-glycosylase is responsible for most transversion mutations at G:C base pairs. On the other hand, processing of AID-induced G:U mismatches by mismatch repair factors is responsible for most mutation at Ig A:T base pairs. Why mismatch processing should be error prone is unknown. One theory proposes that long patch excision in G1-phase leads to dUTP-incorporation opposite adenines as a result of the higher G1-phase ratio of nuclear dUTP to dTTP. Subsequent base excision at the A:U base pairs produced could then create non-instructional templates leading to permanent mutations at A:T base pairs (1). This compelling theory has remained untested. We have developed a method to rapidly modify DNA repair pathways in mutating mouse B cells in vivo by transducing Ig knock-in splenic mouse B cells with GFP-tagged retroviruses, then adoptively transferring GFP+ cells, along with appropriate antigen, into primed congenic hosts. We have used this method to show that dUTP-incorporation is unlikely to be the cause of AID-induced mutation of A:T base pairs, and instead propose that A:T mutations might arise as an indirect consequence of nucleotide paucity during AID-induced DNA repair

Expanding Opportunities for Single Parents through Housing. Guidelines for New and Existing Housing and Neighborhoods that Meet the Needs of Single-Parent Families.

Supported by the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Association of Women in Housing

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator and arthritis progression: role in systemic disease with immune complex involvement

INTRODUCTION: Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) has been implicated in fibrinolysis, cell migration, latent cytokine activation, cell activation, T-cell activation, and tissue remodeling, all of which are involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Previously, u-PA has been reported to play a protective role in monoarticular arthritis models involving mBSA as the antigen, but a deleterious role in the systemic polyarticular collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. The aim of the current study is to determine how u-PA might be acting in systemic arthritis models. METHODS: The CIA model and bone marrow chimeras were used to determine the cellular source of u-PA required for the arthritis development. Gene expression of inflammatory and destructive mediators was measured in joint tissue by quantitiative PCR and protein levels by ELISA. The requirement for u-PA in the type II collagen mAb-induced arthritis (CAIA) and K/BxN serum transfer arthritis models was determined using u-PA(-/-) mice. Neutrophilia was induced in the peritoneal cavity using either ovalbumin/anti-ovalbumin or the complement component C5a. RESULTS: u-PA from a bone marrow-derived cell was required for the full development of CIA. The disease in u-PA(-/-) mice reconstituted with bone marrow from C57BL/6 mice was indistinguishable from that in C57BL/6 mice, in terms of clinical score, histologic features, and protein and gene expression of key mediators. u-PA(-/-) mice were resistant to both CAIA and K/BxN serum transfer arthritis development. u-PA(-/-) mice developed a reduced neutrophilia and chemokine production in the peritoneal cavity following ovalbumin/anti-ovalbumin injection; in contrast, the peritoneal neutrophilia in response to C5a was u-PA independent. CONCLUSIONS: u-PA is required for the full development of systemic arthritis models involving immune complex formation and deposition. The cellular source of u-PA required for CIA is bone marrow derived and likely to be of myeloid origin. For immune complex-mediated peritonitis, and perhaps some other inflammatory responses, it is suggested that the u-PA involvement may be upstream of C5a signaling