Neuroticism as a moderator of direct and mediated relationships between introversion-extraversion and well-being

Among personality traits, extraversion has received major theoretical and empirical attention as predictor of subjective well-being (SWB), whereas the role of emotional stability-neuroticism has been partially neglected. The present study aims to study the role of neuroticism in the relationship between introversion-extraversion and SWB. In particular, we explored if the trait of neuroticism moderates the relationships between introversion-extraversion and SWB dimensions (Satisfaction with life, Mastery, Vigour, Social Cheerfulness), directly and by mediation of self-esteem. Indeed, previous studies have suggested that self-esteem is positively associated with high extraversion and low neuroticism and that it positively mediates the relationship between SWB and personality traits in adolescents. For this purpose, a sample of high school students (N = 1173) completed the Oxford Happiness Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Big Five Questionnaire. In a latent variable model, we examined the interaction effects (direct and indirect) of extraversion and neuroticism on SWB dimensions. Our results showed that the nature of differences between introverts and extraverts on SWB could be related to the level of neuroticism in relation to Satisfaction with life. Moreover, self-esteem mediated the relationship between personality traits and SWB. In particular, mediated moderation effect analysis showed that self-esteem mediates completely the relationship between the interaction term (extraversion x neuroticism) and Mastery, and partially the relationship with Satisfaction with life. Moreover, moderated mediation effect analysis showed that high levels of neuroticism moderate the effect of extraversion on Satisfaction with life and Mastery through the mediation of self-esteem. In conclusion, our results suggest that although extraversion has a cardinal role on SWB dimensions related to Vigour and Social Cheerfulness, neuroticism and the mediating role of self-esteem should more properly considered in relation to Satisfaction with life and Mastery

Evaluation of the Antifungal Activity of Mentha x piperita (Lamiaceae) of Pancalieri (Turin, Italy) Essential Oil and Its Synergistic Interaction with Azoles [V.Tullio is the Corresponding and the First Author, N.Mandras is the Last Author]

The promising antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) has led researchers to use them in combination with antimicrobial drugs in order to reduce drug toxicity, side effects, and resistance to single agents. Mentha x piperita, known worldwide as “Mentha of Pancalieri”, is produced locally at Pancalieri (Turin, Italy). The EO from this Mentha species is considered as one of the best mint EOs in the world. In our research, we assessed the antifungal activity of “Mentha of Pancalieri” EO, either alone or in combination with azole drugs (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole) against a wide panel of yeast and dermatophyte clinical isolates. The EO was analyzed by GC-MS, and its antifungal properties were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) parameters, in accordance with the CLSI guidelines, with some modifications. The interaction of EO with azoles was evaluated through the chequerboard and isobologram methods. The results suggest that this EO exerts a fungicidal activity against yeasts and a fungistatic activity against dermatophytes. Interaction studies with azoles indicated mainly synergistic profiles between itraconazole and EO vs. Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Thus, the “Mentha of Pancalieri” EO may act as a potential antifungal agent and could serve as a natural adjuvant for fungal infection treatment

A Note on Aoki-Yoshikawa Model

In this paper, we explore a dynamical version of by Aoki and Yoshikawa model (AYM) for an economy driven by demand. We show that when an appropriate Markovian dynamics is taken into account, AYM has di¤erent equilibrium distributions depending on the form of transition probabilities. In the version of the dynamic AYM presented here, transition probabilities depend on a parameter c tuning the choice of a new sector for workers leaving their sector. The solution of Aoki and Yoshikawa is recovered only in the case c = 0. All the other possible cases give di¤erent equilibrium probability distributions, including the Bose-Einstein distribution

Generalised Multiparty Session Types with Crash-Stop Failures

Session types enable the specification and verification of communicating systems. However, their theory often assumes that processes never fail. To address this limitation, we present a generalised multiparty session type (MPST) theory with crash-stop failures, where processes can crash arbitrarily. Our new theory validates more protocols and processes w.r.t. previous work. We apply minimal syntactic changes to standard session ?-calculus and types: we model crashes and their handling semantically, with a generalised MPST typing system parametric on a behavioural safety property. We cover the spectrum between fully reliable and fully unreliable sessions, via optional reliability assumptions, and prove type safety and protocol conformance in the presence of crash-stop failures. Introducing crash-stop failures has non-trivial consequences: writing correct processes that handle all crash scenarios can be difficult. Yet, our generalised MPST theory allows us to tame this complexity, via model checking, to validate whether a multiparty session satisfies desired behavioural properties, e.g. deadlock-freedom or liveness, even in presence of crashes. We implement our approach using the mCRL2 model checker, and evaluate it with examples extended from the literature

Semi-Markov Graph Dynamics

In this paper, we outline a model of graph (or network) dynamics based on two ingredients. The first ingredient is a Markov chain on the space of possible graphs. The second ingredient is a semi-Markov counting process of renewal type. The model consists in subordinating the Markov chain to the semi-Markov counting process. In simple words, this means that the chain transitions occur at random time instants called epochs. The model is quite rich and its possible connections with algebraic geometry are briefly discussed. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, we focus on the space of undirected graphs with a fixed number of nodes. However, in an example, we present an interbank market model where it is meaningful to use directed graphs or even weighted graphs.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PLoS-ON

A statistical analysis of product prices in online markets

We empirically investigate fluctuations in product prices in online markets by using a tick-by-tick price data collected from a Japanese price comparison site, and find some similarities and differences between product and asset prices. The average price of a product across e-retailers behaves almost like a random walk, although the probability of price increase/decrease is higher conditional on the multiple events of price increase/decrease. This is quite similar to the property reported by previous studies about asset prices. However, we fail to find a long memory property in the volatility of product price changes. Also, we find that the price change distribution for product prices is close to an exponential distribution, rather than a power law distribution. These two findings are in a sharp contrast with the previous results regarding asset prices. We propose an interpretation that these differences may stem from the absence of speculative activities in product markets; namely, e-retailers seldom repeat buy and sell of a product, unlike traders in asset markets.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, proceedings of APFA

First Record of Emys orbicularis (Boulenger, 1882), (Reptilia, Testudinati) in the “Castel di Guido” Natural Park (Northern Latium, Italy): a Case of Interest for Species Conservation

The finding of five specimens of Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758), (Reptilia, Testudinati) in the “Castel di Guido” Natural Park (Northern Latium, Italy), is reported. This is the first record for the species in the area, regularly monitored since 2006. It is assumed that the species has recently colonized the site through highly populated and degraded territory; the data is of conservation interest, proving the capacity of the species to cross polluted environments