Towards an Adaptive OS Noise Mitigation Technique for Microbenchmarking on Apple Ipad Devices

This study investigates levels of Operating System (OS) noise on Apple iPad mobile devices. OS noise causes variations in application performance that interfere with microbenchmark results. OS noise manifests in collected data through extreme outliers and variations in skewness. Using our collected data, we develop an iterative, semi-automated outlier removal process for Apple iPad OS noise profiles. The profiles generated by outlier removal represent the first step toward an adaptive noise mitigation technique, which presents opportunities for use in microbenchmarking across other mobile platforms

GitHub: Factors Influencing Project Activity Levels

Open source software projects typically extend the capabilities of their software by incorporating code contributions from a diverse cross-section of developers. This GitHub structural path modelling study captures the current top 100 JavaScript projects in operation for at least one year or more. It draws on three theories (information integration, planned behavior, and social translucence) to help frame its comparative path approach, and to show ways to speed the collaborative development of GitHub OSS projects. It shows a project’s activity level increases with: (1) greater responder-group collaborative efforts, (2) increased numbers of major critical project version releases, and (3) the generation of further commits. However, the generation of additional forks negatively impacts overall project activity levels

Analysing Big Data Projects Using Github and JavaScript Repositories

GitHub open source software developers remain in short supply. Successful GitHub projects offer multiple pathways for developers to contribute into their repositories. This study’s GitHub JavaScript big data is path modelled to provide understanding of the different significant developer contribution pathways towards raising the project’s activity level. Its significant pathways offer the project’s creator benchmark decision making capabilities that can be used to trigger faster project software development through to its next completion point. This approach has behavioural consumptive value connotations that may provide a future pathway towards tapping big data sources and to also delivering real business values

Three new pulsating sdB stars discovered with SuperWASP

We present an analysis of three new pulsating subdwarf B stars discovered in the Super Wide Angle Search for Planets archive. Two of the stars, J1938+5609 and J0902−0720, are p- mode pulsators; J1938+5609 shows a pulsation at 231.62 d−1 (P = 373 s; 2681 µHz) with an amplitude of 4 mmag, whereas J0902−0720 pulsates at frequencies 636.74 (P = 136 s; 7370 µHz) and 615.34 d−1 (P = 140 s; 7122 µHz), with amplitudes 7.27 and 1.53 mmag, respectively. The third star, J2344−3427, is a hybrid pulsator with a p-mode frequency at 223.16 d−1 (P = 387 s; 2583 µHz) and a corresponding amplitude of 1.5 mmag, and g modes in the frequency range 8.68–28.56 d−1 (P = 3025–9954 s; 100–331 µHz) and amplitudes between 0.76 and 1.17 mmag. Spectroscopic results place J1938+5609 and J2344−3427 among the long-period or hybrid pulsators, suggesting there may be further modes in these stars below our detection limits, with J0902−0720 placed firmly amongst the p-mode pulsators

Non-linear clumped isotopes from DIC endmember mixing and kinetic isotope fractionation in high pH anthropogenic tufa

Clumped isotope values (Δ47) of carbonates forming in high pH conditions do not correspond to mineral precipitation temperatures due to certain effects including kinetic isotope fractionation and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) endmember mixing. Field-based archives of these carbonate environments are needed to evaluate and quantity these effects accurately. In this study, we measure the clumped isotope values of anthropogenic carbonates for the first time. Tufa layers were analyzed from samples precipitating in a high pH (>10) stream that drains a major slag heap in north east England. Δ47 values are 0.044‰–0.183‰ higher than expected equilibrium values. Non-linear distribution of clumped isotope data is diagnostic of DIC endmember mixing, rather than partial equilibration of DIC. Episodic dilution of hydroxide-rich stream waters by equilibrated rainfall surface runoff provides the mechanism by which mixing occurs. Δ47 values are ~0.010‰–0.145‰ higher than linear clumped isotope mixing profiles, suggesting that the majority of Δ47 increase results from a combination of endmember non-linear mixing effects and an atmosphere-hydroxide sourcing of DIC. The diagnostic trends and variation in clumped isotope values present in these results demonstrates the potential of anthropogenic carbonate systems as a useful archive for studying and quantifying kinetic effects in clumped isotopes

A four stage approach towards speeding GitHub OSS development

Many open source software (OSS) project creators adopt GitHub as their chosen online repository. They seek out others within the global OSS community of developers. Such community developers are then encouraged to add their capabilities, ideas and coding into a creator’s developing OSS project. A structural equation modelling study of three top OSS programming languages deploys GitHub’s operational elements as a four stage directional suite of (1) dependent, (2) intermediaries, and (3) independent elements. It shows a project’s activity levels can be enhanced when additional project contributions are effectively stage-wise pursued. A staged development approach helps creators understand the process of attracting OSS developers into a creator’s GitHub project

Worms and the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Are Molecules the Answer?

The lack of exposure to helminth infections, as a result of improved living standards and medical conditions, may have contributed to the increased incidence of IBD in the developed world. Epidemiological, experimental, and clinical data sustain the idea that helminths could provide protection against IBD. Studies investigating the underlying mechanisms by which helminths might induce such protection have revealed the importance of regulatory pathways, for example, regulatory T-cells. Further investigation on how helminths influence both innate and adaptive immune reactions will shed more light on the complex pathways used by helminths to regulate the hosts immune system. Although therapy with living helminths appears to be effective in several immunological diseases, the disadvantages of a treatment based on living parasites are explicit. Therefore, the identification and characterization of helminth-derived immunomodulatory molecules that contribute to the protective effect could lead to new therapeutic approaches in IBD and other immune diseases

Outcomes of altered teaching strategy in first year physics instruction

The first year Physics teaching effort at the University of Newcastle has embraced on-line quizzes from 1998 with moderate success at fostering weekly engagement. Since 2012 we have altered the nature of these quizzes and supplied electronic support material to varying degrees to the student. We note a discernable improvement in topical grades associated with both the material and teaching techniques for the better student but the poorer student does not discernably engage with the platform or approach. The greater number of less prepared students under instruction mask the results of statistically significant improvement in overall outcomes

Do students need face to face teaching?

At the University of Newcastle, we have two first year physics courses that comprise the first of many core courses for science and engineering students. These first year physics courses contain a variety of topics that have been staggered to outlay a story enveloping all aspects of basic physics. Over the years we have implemented a variety of teaching methods and technology, including active demonstrations, clickers, in-house mobile app technology, and computer aided learning as well as online quizzes and e-book usage. With all these changes there is no statistical difference in the final grades over the last 8 years. This presentation however is aimed at discovering if there is any statistical difference between attendance in lectures and exam results. There is however a clear statistical difference in the mid semester tests and final exam marks for those students attending lectures (or engaged with the course) over those who are either relying on videos of the lectures simply the notes supplied. Our first year classes typically have around 170 students with approximately 55% attending lectures and only 40% attending tutorials. These numbers are an average across the semester as they progressively drop over time. The individual topics in the courses also showed a variety of outcomes. In general, those students who engaged averaged a pass mark while those that did not engage failed. Topics such as thermal physics for example show almost two grades of separation (16% difference, p-value = 0.007) in the average marks for those attending lectures compared to those who did not