On Counting Triangles through Edge Sampling in Large Dynamic Graphs

Traditional frameworks for dynamic graphs have relied on processing only the stream of edges added into or deleted from an evolving graph, but not any additional related information such as the degrees or neighbor lists of nodes incident to the edges. In this paper, we propose a new edge sampling framework for big-graph analytics in dynamic graphs which enhances the traditional model by enabling the use of additional related information. To demonstrate the advantages of this framework, we present a new sampling algorithm, called Edge Sample and Discard (ESD). It generates an unbiased estimate of the total number of triangles, which can be continuously updated in response to both edge additions and deletions. We provide a comparative analysis of the performance of ESD against two current state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of accuracy and complexity. The results of the experiments performed on real graphs show that, with the help of the neighborhood information of the sampled edges, the accuracy achieved by our algorithm is substantially better. We also characterize the impact of properties of the graph on the performance of our algorithm by testing on several Barabasi-Albert graphs.Comment: A short version of this article appeared in Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining (ASONAM 2017

Giving voters what they want? Party orientation perceptions and preferences in the British electorate

Some of the most important propositions in the political marketing literature hinge on assumptions about the electorate. In particular, voters are presumed to react in different ways to different orientations or postures. Yet there are theoretical reasons for questioning some of these assumptions, and certainly they have seldom been empirically tested. Here, we focus on one prominent example of political marketing research: Lees-Marshment’s orientations’ model. We investigate how the public reacts to product and market orientation, whether they see a trade-off between the two (a point in dispute among political marketing scholars), and whether partisans differ from non-partisan voters by being more inclined to value product over market orientation. Evidence from two mass sample surveys of the British public (both conducted online by YouGov) demonstrates important heterogeneity within the electorate, casts doubt on the core assumptions underlying some political marketing arguments and raises broader questions about what voters are looking for in a party

On the Complex Network Structure of Musical Pieces: Analysis of Some Use Cases from Different Music Genres

This paper focuses on the modeling of musical melodies as networks. Notes of a melody can be treated as nodes of a network. Connections are created whenever notes are played in sequence. We analyze some main tracks coming from different music genres, with melodies played using different musical instruments. We find out that the considered networks are, in general, scale free networks and exhibit the small world property. We measure the main metrics and assess whether these networks can be considered as formed by sub-communities. Outcomes confirm that peculiar features of the tracks can be extracted from this analysis methodology. This approach can have an impact in several multimedia applications such as music didactics, multimedia entertainment, and digital music generation.Comment: accepted to Multimedia Tools and Applications, Springe

Altered thymic differentiation and modulation of arthritis by invariant NKT cells expressing mutant ZAP70

Various subsets of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells with different cytokine productions develop in the mouse thymus, but the factors driving their differentiation remain unclear. Here we show that hypomorphic alleles of Zap70 or chemical inhibition of Zap70 catalysis leads to an increase of IFN-gamma-producing iNKT cells (NKT1 cells), suggesting that NKT1 cells may require a lower TCR signal threshold. Zap70 mutant mice develop IL-17-dependent arthritis. In a mouse experimental arthritis model, NKT17 cells are increased as the disease progresses, while NKT1 numbers negatively correlates with disease severity, with this protective effect of NKT1 linked to their IFN-gamma expression. NKT1 cells are also present in the synovial fluid of arthritis patients. Our data therefore suggest that TCR signal strength during thymic differentiation may influence not only IFN-gamma production, but also the protective function of iNKT cells in arthritis

Travel to school and housing markets: a case study of Sheffield, England

How children travel to school is at the centre of a complex set of interrelated issues with significant policy implications. This paper reviews the relation of patterns of travel to school to concerns about public health, school choice, urban form, and residential housing markets. The spatial relations between pupils’ homes and the schools that they attend provides the basis of an analytical framework that links local neighbourhood characteristics, school performance, and house prices to the distance and mode of travel to school and the level of ‘excess commuting’ in the urban system. A unique analysis of several integrated micro-datasets from Sheffield, UK, suggests that, while there are high levels of excess commuting, there remains a complex interrelationship between housing and neighbourhood characteristics, school performance, and commuting patterns. There are differences between the pictures for primary schools and secondary schools. Policies aimed at promoting transport efficiency and those promoting school choice are likely to remain in tension

Clinical Evaluation of A 5% Potassium Nitrate Containing Mouthrinse in Relieving Dentine Hypersensitivity (DH)

Potassium nitrate dentifrices (KNO3) have been used to treat the symptoms of dentine hypersensitivity (DH), however relatively few mouthrinse studies have been published. Aim The aim of this study was to compare a 5% KNO3 mouthrinse to a placebo control in an 8-week double-blind placebo-controlled study. Materials and Methods Male and female subjects aged 18 to 65 years in good health and a history of Dentine Hypersensitivity were recruited for the study. Subjects were randomised and allocated into the test and control groups and instructed to use the mouthrinse twice a day after brushing with a regular family toothpaste using a small head soft toothbrush. The clinical evaluation of Dentine Hypersensitivity included 1) Subjective Sensitivity (Perception of overal sensitivity) using aVAS score, 2) Thermal Sensitivity response from a one second air blast from a dental air syringe using VAS Scores, 3) Tactile Sensitivity Threshold Scores on the selected test teeth using a controlled force probe (gm. weight) and 4) Tactile Sensitivity at a Fixed Force of 40 gm. weight evaluating the remaining teeth to determine the existence of dentine sensitivity based on a simple yes/no response. Subjects were evaluated at baseline, four and eight weeks. Results The 104 subjects recruited for the study, 103 subjects (35M; 68F mean age 34.6 years) completed the study. The results indicated that the tactile response demonstrated the clearest difference between the KNO3 mouth rinse and placebo. Both the KNO3 and placebo mouth rinse showed an increase in the tactile sensitivity threshold (i.e. less sensitivity) at both evaluation time points with the increase in the tactile sensitivity threshold twice as high at Week 8 than at Week 4. The increase in sensitivity threshold using KNO3 was twice as large as the increase with Placebo at both time points (6.79 g for KNO3 compared to 3.60g for Placebo at Week 4 and 11.80 g for KNO3 compared to 6.58 g for Placebo at Week 8) with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.031) at Week 8. Moreover, the efficacy of the KNO3 treatment was more apparent in subjects with a more severe condition of dentine hypersensitivity, as measured by the number of threshold sensitive teeth at baseline. Among the 75 subjects with ≥ three tactile sensitive teeth, the active treatment was statistically significantly superior to placebo (p < 0.01) at both the Week 4 and Week 8 evaluation points. Conclusion These results therefore confirm the results of Gillam et al. (1996) by demonstrating that a 5% KNO3 mouthwash significantly reduced dentine hypersensitivity as measured by tactile stimulation.This study was originally supported by Block Drug Company Inc., Jersey City, NJ. USA now GlaxoSmithKline. Drs. F. Ley, A. Swern, M. Friedman and FA Curro were employees of Block Drug Co, Inc, NJ, USA

Coherent transfer of spin angular momentum by evanescent spin waves within antiferromagnetic NiO

This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Insulating antiferromagnets have recently emerged as efficient and robust conductors of spin current. Element-specific and phase-resolved x-ray ferromagnetic resonance has been used to probe the injection and transmission of ac spin current through thin epitaxial NiO(001) layers. The spin current is found to be mediated by coherent evanescent spin waves of GHz frequency, rather than propagating magnons of THz frequency, paving the way towards coherent control of the phase and amplitude of spin currents within an antiferromagnetic insulator at room temperature.Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC

Cooperation and Contagion in Web-Based, Networked Public Goods Experiments

A longstanding idea in the literature on human cooperation is that cooperation should be reinforced when conditional cooperators are more likely to interact. In the context of social networks, this idea implies that cooperation should fare better in highly clustered networks such as cliques than in networks with low clustering such as random networks. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a series of web-based experiments, in which 24 individuals played a local public goods game arranged on one of five network topologies that varied between disconnected cliques and a random regular graph. In contrast with previous theoretical work, we found that network topology had no significant effect on average contributions. This result implies either that individuals are not conditional cooperators, or else that cooperation does not benefit from positive reinforcement between connected neighbors. We then tested both of these possibilities in two subsequent series of experiments in which artificial seed players were introduced, making either full or zero contributions. First, we found that although players did generally behave like conditional cooperators, they were as likely to decrease their contributions in response to low contributing neighbors as they were to increase their contributions in response to high contributing neighbors. Second, we found that positive effects of cooperation were contagious only to direct neighbors in the network. In total we report on 113 human subjects experiments, highlighting the speed, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness of web-based experiments over those conducted in physical labs

Metabolic effects of bezafibrate in mitochondrial disease

Mitochondrial disorders affect 1/5,000 and have no cure. Inducing mitochondrial biogenesis with bezafibrate improves mitochondrial function in animal models, but there are no comparable human studies. We performed an open-label observational experimental medicine study of six patients with mitochondrial myopathy caused by the m.3243A>G MTTL1 mutation. Our primary aim was to determine the effects of bezafibrate on mitochondrial metabolism, whilst providing preliminary evidence of safety and efficacy using biomarkers. The participants received 600-1,200 mg bezafibrate daily for 12 weeks. There were no clinically significant adverse events, and liver function was not affected. We detected a reduction in the number of complex IV-immunodeficient muscle fibres and improved cardiac function. However, this was accompanied by an increase in serum biomarkers of mitochondrial disease, including fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21), growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), plus dysregulation of fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Thus, although potentially beneficial in short term, inducing mitochondrial biogenesis with bezafibrate altered the metabolomic signature of mitochondrial disease, raising concerns about long-term sequelae

Mining and analysis of audiology data to find significant factors associated with tinnitus masker

Objectives: The objective of this research is to find the factors associated with tinnitus masker from the literature, and by using the large amount of audiology data available from a large NHS (National Health Services, UK) hearing aid clinic. The factors evaluated were hearing impairment, age, gender, hearing aid type, mould and clinical comments. Design: The research includes literature survey for factors associated with tinnitus masker, and performs the analysis of audiology data using statistical and data mining techniques. Setting: This research uses a large audiology data but it also faced the problem of limited data for tinnitus. Participants: It uses 1,316 records for tinnitus and other diagnoses, and 10,437 records of clinical comments from a hearing aid clinic. Primary and secondary outcome measures: The research is looking for variables associated with tinnitus masker, and in future, these variables can be combined into a single model to develop a decision support system to predict about tinnitus masker for a patient. Results: The results demonstrated that tinnitus maskers are more likely to be fit to individuals with milder forms of hearing loss, and the factors age, gender, type of hearing aid and mould were all found significantly associated with tinnitus masker. In particular, those patients having Age<=55 years were more likely to wear a tinnitus masker, as well as those with milder forms of hearing loss. ITE (in the ear) hearing aids were also found associated with tinnitus masker. A feedback on the results of association of mould with tinnitus masker from a professional audiologist of a large NHS (National Health Services, UK) was also taken to better understand them. The results were obtained with different accuracy for different techniques. For example, the chi-squared test results were obtained with 95% accuracy, for Support and Confidence only those results were retained which had more than 1% Support and 80% Confidence. Conclusions: The variables audiograms, age, gender, hearing aid type and mould were found associated with the choice of tinnitus masker in the literature and by using statistical and data mining techniques. The further work in this research would lead to the development of a decision support system for tinnitus masker with an explanation that how that decision was obtained