Influence of Music on Perceived Emotions in Film

Film music plays a core role in film production and reception as it not only contributes to the film aesthetics and creativity, but it also affects viewers' experience and enjoyment. Film music composers often aim to serve the film narrative, immerse viewers into the setting and story, convey clues, and importantly, act on their emotions. Yet, how film music influences viewers is still misunderstood. We conducted a perceptual study to analyse the impact of music on the perception of emotions in film. We developed an online interface for time-based emotion annotation of audio/video media clips based on the Valence/Arousal (VA) two-dimensional model. Participants reported their perceived emotions over time in the VA space for three media conditions: film scene presented without sound (video only), film music presented without video (audio only), and film scene with accompanying music and sound effects (both video and audio modalities). 16 film clips were selected covering four clips for each of four genres (action & drama, romance, comedy, and horror). 38 participants completed the study (12 females and 26 males from many countries, average age: 28.9). Density scatter plots are used to visualise the spread of emotion ratings in the VA space and differences across media conditions and film clips. Results from linear mixed effect models show significant effects of the audiovisual media condition and film genre on VA ratings, in line with previous results by Parke et al. [1]. Perceived VA ratings across media conditions follow an almost linear relationship with an increase in strength in the following order: film alone, film with music/sound, music alone. We illustrate this effect by plotting the VA rating centre of mass across conditions. VA ratings for the film-alone condition are closer to the origin of the space compared to the two other media conditions, indicating that the inclusion of music yields stronger emotions (higher VA ratings). Certain individual factors (musical ability, familiarity, preference) also seem to impact the perception of arousal and valence while viewing films. Our online emotion annotation interface was on overall well received and suggestions to improve the display of reference emotion tags are discussed

A comprehensive picture of baryons in groups and clusters of galaxies

(Abridged) Based on XMM-Newton, Chandra and SDSS data, we investigate the baryon distribution in groups and clusters and its use as a cosmological constraint. For this, we considered a sample of 123 systems, with total masses in the mass range M500 = ~ 10^13 - 4 x 10^15 h_70^-1 Msun. The gas masses and total masses are derived from X-ray data under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium and spherical symmetry. The stellar masses are based on SDSS-DR8 data. For the 37 systems out of 123 that had both optical and X-ray data available, we investigated the gas, stellar and total baryon mass fractions inside r2500 and r500, and the differential gas mass fraction within the spherical annulus between r2500 and r500, as a function of total mass. For the other objects, we investigated the gas mass fraction only. We find that the gas mass fraction inside r2500 and r500 depends on the total mass. However, the differential gas mass fraction does not show any dependence on total mass for systems with M500 > 10^14 Msun. We find that the total baryonic content increases with cluster mass. This led us to investigate the contribution of the ICL to the total baryon budget for lower mass systems, but we find that it cannot account for the difference observed. The gas mass fraction dependence on total mass observed for groups and clusters could be due to the difficulty of low-mass systems to retain gas inside the inner region. Due to their shallower potential well, non-thermal processes are more effective in expelling the gas from their central regions outwards. Since the differential gas mass fraction is nearly constant it provides better constraints for cosmology. Using our total f_b estimates, our results imply 0.17 < Omega_m < 0.55.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 16 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

The PFKFB3 Inhibitor AZ67 Inhibits Angiogenesis Independently of Glycolysis Inhibition

Funding: This study was funded by the University of Antwerp (BOF project ID 29068, 40183 and iBOF project ID 21-053). Besa Emini Veseli is a PhD fellow of the Horizon 2020 program of the Eu-ropean Union - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Innovative Training Networks (ITN), Call: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015, NUMBER—675527—MOGLYNET. Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Acknowledgments: The authors thank Mandy Vermont for excellent technical support and Anne-Marie Lambeir for scientific advice. The authors are grateful to Bronwen Martin for critical reading of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Visual Servoing from straight lines

In this paper we consider the problem of controlling a robotic system by using the projection of 3D straight lines in the image plane of central catadioptric systems. Most of the effort in visual servoing are devoted to points, only few works have investigated the use of lines in visual servoing with traditional cameras and none has explored the case of omnidirectional cameras. First a generic central catadioptric interaction matrix for the projection of 3D straight lines is derived from the projection model of an entire class of camera. Then an image-based control law is designed and validated through simulation results and real experiments with a mobile robot.Dans cet article, nous présentons une stratégie de commande de systèmes robotiques en utilisant comme entrées d'une boucle d'asservissement visuel des primitives relatives à la projection de droites dans le plan image d'une caméra panoramique à point central unique. Afin de réaliser la commande d'un système robotique par asservissement visuel, il est nécessaire d'estimer la matrice d'interaction liant les mouvements de la caméra aux mouvements des primitives visuelles dans l'image. Dans cet article, nous dérivons la forme analytique de la matrice d'interaction générique relative à la projection de droites à partir d'un modèle de projection englobant la classe entière des caméras à point central unique. Elle est ensuite utilisée dans un schéma d'asservissement visuel. Des simulations ainsi que des résultats expérimentaux sur un robot mobile valident l'approche proposée

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Trinity Amputation and Prosthetic Experience Scales-Revised (TAPES-R) for French speaking patients with lower limb amputation

AimThe aim of this study was the French cross-cultural adaptation and validation of The Trinity Amputation and Prosthetic Experience Scales-Revised (TAPES-R-F), in a lower limb amputation population. This self-reported multidimensional amputee-specific questionnaire [1] evaluates with 33 items psychosocial adjustment (3 subscales), activity restriction (1 subscale) and satisfaction with prosthesis (2 subscales).Patients and methodsOne hundred and twenty-nine patients with a mean age of 62 years and with lower limb amputations for at least 1 year were recruited in 5 clinical centers. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation were made according to international guidelines. Internal consistency of each subscale was measured with Cronbach's alpha. Test-retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation in a sub- group of 24 subjects who completed the TAPES-R twice with an interval of 7 days. Construct validity was estimated through correlations with 2 main components of SF-36 (MCS, PCS). Correlations were also calculated with 3 scales of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).ResultsCronbach's alpha was high, ranging from 0.85 to 0.95. Reliability was acceptable to high (ICC=0.72 to 0.91) for all subscales with the exception of the Social adjustment (ICC=0.67) and Adjustment to limitation (ICC=0.42) subscales. The 2 component of SF-36 was significantly correlated with all subscales (PCS: r=0.24 to 0.66); MCS: r=0.30 to 0.58), except with aesthetic satisfaction and adjustment to limitation. Regarding the BPI, significant correlations were found for all subscales (r=–0.20 to –0.68) with the exception of adjustment to limitation. Ceiling or floor effects (>15%) were found for all but Activity Restriction and Functional Satisfaction Scales.DiscussionThe TAPES-R-F has acceptable psychometric properties for most of its subscales. Our results may suggest that the French version is more useful in a population research perspective than in an individual perspective. Other studies are necessary to clarify the role and the psychometric properties of this measurement

Structure of Disk Dominated Galaxies I. Bulge/Disk Parameters, Simulations, and Secular Evolution

(Abridged) A robust analysis of galaxy structural parameters, based on the modeling of bulge and disk brightnesses in the BVRH bandpasses, is presented for 121 face-on and moderately inclined late-type spirals. Each surface brightness (SB) profile is decomposed into a sum of a generalized Sersic bulge and an exponential disk. The reliability and limitations of our bulge-to-disk (B/D) decompositions are tested with extensive simulations of galaxy brightness profiles (1D) and images (2D). Galaxy types are divided into 3 classes according to their SB profile shapes; Freeman Type-I and Type-II, and a third ``Transition'' class for galaxies whose profiles change from Type-II in the optical to Type-I in the infrared. We discuss possible interpretations of Freeman Type-II profiles. The Sersic bulge shape parameter for nearby Type-I late-type spirals shows a range between n=0.1-2 but, on average, the underlying surface density profile for the bulge and disk of these galaxies is adequately described by a double-exponential distribution. We confirm a coupling between the bulge and disk with a scale length ratio r_e/h=0.22+/-0.09, or h_bulge/h_disk=0.13+/-0.06 for late-type spirals, in agreement with recent N-body simulations of disk formation and models of secular evolution. This ratio increases from ~0.20 for late-type spirals to ~0.24 for earlier types. The similar scaling relations for early and late-type spirals suggest comparable formation and/or evolution scenarios for disk galaxies of all Hubble types.Comment: 78 pages with 23 embedded color figures + tables of galaxy structural parameters. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. The interested reader is strongly encouraged to ignore some of the low res figures within; instead, download the high resolution version from http://www.astro.ubc.ca/people/courteau/public/macarthur02_disks.ps.g

Boundary Limitation of Wavenumbers in Taylor-Vortex Flow

We report experimental results for a boundary-mediated wavenumber-adjustment mechanism and for a boundary-limited wavenumber-band of Taylor-vortex flow (TVF). The system consists of fluid contained between two concentric cylinders with the inner one rotating at an angular frequency $\Omega$. As observed previously, the Eckhaus instability (a bulk instability) is observed and limits the stable wavenumber band when the system is terminated axially by two rigid, non-rotating plates. The band width is then of order $\epsilon^{1/2}$ at small $\epsilon$ ($\epsilon \equiv \Omega/\Omega_c - 1$) and agrees well with calculations based on the equations of motion over a wide $\epsilon$-range. When the cylinder axis is vertical and the upper liquid surface is free (i.e. an air-liquid interface), vortices can be generated or expelled at the free surface because there the phase of the structure is only weakly pinned. The band of wavenumbers over which Taylor-vortex flow exists is then more narrow than the stable band limited by the Eckhaus instability. At small $\epsilon$ the boundary-mediated band-width is linear in $\epsilon$. These results are qualitatively consistent with theoretical predictions, but to our knowledge a quantitative calculation for TVF with a free surface does not exist.Comment: 8 pages incl. 9 eps figures bitmap version of Fig

A unified framework for the orbital structure of bars and triaxial ellipsoids

We examine a large random sample of orbits in two self-consistent simulations of N-body bars. Orbits in these bars are classified both visually and with a new automated orbit classification method based on frequency analysis. The well-known prograde x1 orbit family originates from the same parent orbit as the box orbits in stationary and rotating triaxial ellipsoids. However, only a small fraction of bar orbits (~4%) have predominately prograde motion like their periodic parent orbit. Most bar orbits arising from the x1 orbit have little net angular momentum in the bar frame, making them equivalent to box orbits in rotating triaxial potentials. In these simulations a small fraction of bar orbits (~7%) are long-axis tubes that behave exactly like those in triaxial ellipsoids: they are tipped about the intermediate axis owing to the Coriolis force, with the sense of tipping determined by the sign of their angular momentum about the long axis. No orbits parented by prograde periodic x2 orbits are found in the pure bar model, but a tiny population (~2%) of short-axis tube orbits parented by retrograde x4 orbits are found. When a central point mass representing a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is grown adiabatically at the center of the bar, those orbits that lie in the immediate vicinity of the SMBH are transformed into precessing Keplerian orbits that belong to the same major families (short-axis tubes, long-axis tubes and boxes) occupying the bar at larger radii. During the growth of an SMBH, the inflow of mass and outward transport of angular momentum transform some x1 and long-axis tube orbits into prograde short-axis tubes. This study has important implications for future attempts to constrain the masses of SMBHs in barred galaxies using orbit-based methods like the Schwarzschild orbit superposition scheme and for understanding the observed features in barred galaxies

Macrophage Death as a Pharmacological Target in Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by the gradual build-up of plaques within the vessel wall of middle-sized and large arteries. Over the past decades, treatment of atherosclerosis mainly focused on lowering lipid levels, which can be accomplished by the use of statins. However, some patients do not respond sufficiently to statin therapy and therefore still have a residual cardiovascular risk. This issue highlights the need for novel therapeutic strategies. As macrophages are implicated in all stages of atherosclerotic lesion development, they represent an important alternative drug target. A variety of anti-inflammatory strategies have recently emerged to treat or prevent atherosclerosis. Here, we review the canonical mechanisms of macrophage death and their impact on atherogenesis and plaque stability. Macrophage death is a prominent feature of advanced plaques and is a major contributor to necrotic core formation and plaque destabilization. Mechanisms of macrophage death in atherosclerosis include apoptosis, passive or accidental necrosis as well as secondary necrosis, a type of death that typically occurs when apoptotic cells are insufficiently cleared by neighboring cells via a phagocytic process termed efferocytosis. In addition, less-well characterized types of regulated necrosis in macrophages such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and parthanatos may occur in advanced plaques and are also discussed. Autophagy in plaque macrophages is an important survival pathway that protects against cell death, yet massive stimulation of autophagy promotes another type of death, usually referred to as autosis. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that a better insight into the different mechanisms of macrophage death, and how they mutually interact, will provide novel pharmacological strategies to resolve atherosclerosis and stabilize vulnerable, rupture-prone plaques