The challenge of Automatic Level Generation for platform videogames based on Stories and Quests

In this article we bring the concepts of narrativism and ludology to automatic level generation for platform videogames. The initial motivation is to understand how this genre has been used as a storytelling medium. Based on a narrative theory of games, the differences among several titles have been identified. In addition, we propose a set of abstraction layers to describe the content of a quest-based story in the particular context of videogames. Regarding automatic level generation for platform videogames, we observed that the existing approaches are directed to lower abstraction concepts such as avatar movements without a particular context or meaning. This leads us to the challenge of automatically creating more contextualized levels rather than only a set of consistent and playable entertaining tasks. With that in mind, a set of higher level design patterns are presented and their potential usages are envisioned and discussed

Public understandings of potential policy responses to health inequalities:Evidence from a UK national survey and citizens’ juries in three UK cities

A substantial body of research describes the distribution, causes and potential reduction of health inequalities, yet little scholarship examines public understandings of these inequalities. Existing work is dominated by small-scale, qualitative studies of the experiences of specific communities. As a result, we know very little about what broader publics think about health inequalities; and even less about public views of potential policy responses. This is an important gap since previous research shows many researchers and policymakers believe proposals for ‘upstream’ policies are unlikely to attract sufficient public support to be viable. This mixed methods study combined a nationally representative survey with three two-day citizens' juries exploring public views of health inequalities and potential policy responses in three UK cities (Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool) in July 2016. Comparing public opinion elicited via a survey to public reasoning generated through deliberative processes offers insight into the formation of public views. The results challenge perceptions that there is a lack of public support for upstream, macro-level policy proposals and instead demonstrate support for proposals aiming to tackle health inequalities via improvements to living and working conditions, with more limited support for proposals targeting individual behavioural change. At the same time, some macro-economic proposals, notably those involving tax increases, proved controversial among study participants and results varied markedly by data source. Our analysis suggests that this results from three intersecting factors: a resistance to ideas viewed as disempowering (which include, fundamentally, the idea that health inequalities exist); the prevalence of individualising and fatalistic discourses, which inform resistance to diverse policy proposals (but especially those that are more ‘upstream’, macro-level proposals); and a lack of trust in (local and national) government. This suggests that efforts to enhance public support for evidence-informed policy responses to health inequalities may struggle unless these broader challenges are also addressed

The Impact of Heatwaves on Community Morbidity and Healthcare Usage: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance.

We investigated the impact of a moderate heatwave on a range of presenting morbidities in England. Asthma, difficulty breathing, cerebrovascular accident, and cardiovascular symptoms were analysed using general practitioner in hours (GPIH), out of hours (GPOOH) and emergency department (ED) syndromic surveillance systems. Data were stratified by age group and compared between a heatwave year (2013) and non-heatwave years (2012, 2014). Incidence rate ratios were calculated to estimate the differential impact of heatwave compared to non-heatwave summers: there were no apparent differences for the morbidities tested between the 2013 heatwave and non-heatwave years. A subset of GPIH data were used to study individuals at higher risk from heatwaves based on their pre-existing disease. Higher risk patients were not more likely to present at GPs or ED than other individuals. Comparing GPIH consultations and ED attendances for myocardial infarction/ischaemia (MI), there was evidence of a fall in the presentation of MI during the heatwave, which was particularly noted in the 65-74 years age group (and over 75 years in ED attendances). These results indicate the difficulty in identifying individuals at risk from non-fatal health effects of heatwaves and hot weather

Interpreting specific and general respiratory indicators in syndromic surveillance

ObjectiveTo improve understanding of the relative burden of differentcausative respiratory pathogens on respiratory syndromic indicatorsmonitored using syndromic surveillance systems in England.IntroductionPublic Health England (PHE) uses syndromic surveillance systemsto monitor for seasonal increases in respiratory illness. Respiratoryillnesses create a considerable burden on health care services andtherefore identifying the timing and intensity of peaks of activity isimportant for public health decision-making. Furthermore, identifyingthe incidence of specific respiratory pathogens circulating in thecommunity is essential for targeting public health interventionse.g. vaccination. Syndromic surveillance can provide early warningof increases, but cannot explicitly identify the pathogens responsiblefor such increases.PHE uses a range of general and specific respiratory syndromicindicators in their syndromic surveillance systems, e.g. “allrespiratory disease”, “influenza-like illness”, “bronchitis” and“cough”. Previous research has shown that “influenza-like illness”is associated with influenza circulating in the community1whilst“cough” and “bronchitis” syndromic indicators in children under 5are associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)2, 3. However, therelative burden of other pathogens, e.g. rhinovirus and parainfluenzais less well understood. We have sought to further understand therelationship between specific pathogens and syndromic indicators andto improve estimates of disease burden. Therefore, we modelled theassociation between pathogen incidence, using laboratory reports andhealth care presentations, using syndromic data.MethodsWe used positive laboratory reports for the following pathogens as aproxy for community incidence in England: human metapneumovirus(HMPV), RSV, coronavirus, influenza strains, invasivehaemophilusinfluenzae, invasivestreptococcus pneumoniae, mycoplasmapneumoniae, parainfluenza and rhinovirus. Organisms were chosenthat were found to be important in previous work2and were availablefrom routine laboratory testing. Syndromic data included consultationswith family doctors (called General Practitioners or GPs), calls to anational telephone helpline “NHS 111” and attendances at emergencydepartments (EDs). Associations between laboratory reports andsyndromic data were examined over four winter seasons (weeks40 to 20), between 2011 and 2015. Multiple linear regression was usedto model correlations and to estimate the proportion of syndromicconsultations associated with specific pathogens. Finally, burdenestimates were used to infer the proportion of patients affected byspecific pathogens that would be diagnosed with different symptoms.ResultsInfluenza and RSV exhibited the greatest seasonal variation andwere responsible for the strongest associated burden on generalrespiratory infections. However, associations were found with theother pathogens and the burden ofstreptococcus pneumoniaewasimportant in adult age groups (25 years and over).The model estimates suggested that only a small proportion ofpatients with influenza receive a specific diagnosis that is coded toan “influenza-like illness” syndromic indicator, (6% for both GPin-hours consultations and for emergency department attendances),compared to a more general respiratory diagnosis. Also, patients withinfluenza calling NHS 111 were more likely to receive a diagnosisof fever or cough than cold/flu. Despite these findings, the specificsyndromic indicators remained more sensitive to changes in influenzaincidence than the general indicators.ConclusionsThe majority of patients affected by a seasonal respiratory pathogenare likely to receive a non-specific respiratory diagnosis. Therefore,estimates of community burden using more specific syndromicindicators such as “influenza-like illness” are likely to be a severeunderestimate. However, these specific indicators remain importantfor detecting changes in incidence and providing added intelligenceon likely causative pathogens.Specific syndromic indicators were associated with multiplepathogens and we were unable to identify indicators that were goodmarkers for pathogens other than influenza or RSV. However, futurework focusing on differences between ages and the relative levels ofa range of pathogens may be able to provide estimates for the mix ofpathogens present in the community in real-time

Aloidendron barberae

Aloidendron is a very small genus of seven tree aloes in the family Asphodelaceae, described as recently as 2013, ranging from South Africa to Mozambique, with a large disjunction to Somalia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Aloidendron barberae is recorded from South Africa, Swaziland and southern Mozambique. However, the records for Mozambique are queried here and it is suggested that these actually relate to its closest relative, Aloidendron tongaense, a smaller tree only 4-8 m tall, which may be endemic to Mozambique. Aloidendron barberae is the largest alooid, growing to 20 m tall and is copiously dichotomously branched. Its taxonomic and nomenclatural history are outlined. Its habitat, natural distribution, ecology and cultivation are discussed, accompanied by a full description and reproduction of a specially commissioned watercolour painting

Towards understanding the influence of porosity on mechanical and fracture behaviour of quasi-brittle materials:experiments and modelling

In this work, porosity-property relationships of quasi-brittle materials are explored through a combined experimental and numerical approach. In the experimental part, hemihyrate gypsum plaster powder (CaSO 4 ⋅1/2H 2 O CaSO4⋅1/2H2O) and expanded spherical polystyrene beads (1.5–2.0 mm dia.) have been mixed to form a model material with controlled additions of porosity. The expanded polystyrene beads represent pores within the bulk due to their light weight and low strength compared with plaster. Varying the addition of infill allows the production of a material with different percentages of porosity: 0, 10, 20, 30 and 31 vol%. The size and location of these pores have been characterised by 3D X-ray computed tomography. Beams of the size of 20×20×150 20×20×150 mm were cast and loaded under four-point bending to obtain the mechanical characteristics of each porosity level. The elastic modulus and flexural strength are found to decrease with increased porosity. Fractography studies have been undertaken to identify the role of the pores on the fracture path. Based on the known porosity, a 3D model of each microstructure has been built and the deformation and fracture was computed using a lattice-based multi-scale finite element model. This model predicted similar trends as the experimental results and was able to quantify the fractured sites. The results from this model material experimental data and the lattice model predictions are discussed with respect to the role of porosity on the deformation and fracture of quasi-brittle materials

Towards understanding the influence of porosity on mechanical and fracture behaviour of quasi-brittle materials:experiments and modelling

In this work, porosity-property relationships of quasi-brittle materials are explored through a combined experimental and numerical approach. In the experimental part, hemihyrate gypsum plaster powder (CaSO 4 ⋅1/2H 2 O CaSO4⋅1/2H2O) and expanded spherical polystyrene beads (1.5–2.0 mm dia.) have been mixed to form a model material with controlled additions of porosity. The expanded polystyrene beads represent pores within the bulk due to their light weight and low strength compared with plaster. Varying the addition of infill allows the production of a material with different percentages of porosity: 0, 10, 20, 30 and 31 vol%. The size and location of these pores have been characterised by 3D X-ray computed tomography. Beams of the size of 20×20×150 20×20×150 mm were cast and loaded under four-point bending to obtain the mechanical characteristics of each porosity level. The elastic modulus and flexural strength are found to decrease with increased porosity. Fractography studies have been undertaken to identify the role of the pores on the fracture path. Based on the known porosity, a 3D model of each microstructure has been built and the deformation and fracture was computed using a lattice-based multi-scale finite element model. This model predicted similar trends as the experimental results and was able to quantify the fractured sites. The results from this model material experimental data and the lattice model predictions are discussed with respect to the role of porosity on the deformation and fracture of quasi-brittle materials

Sexual selection, automata and ethics in George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss and Olive Schreiner's Undine and From Man to Man

This paper brings together two related areas of debate in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The first concerns how the courtship plot of the nineteenth-century novel responded to, and helped to shape, scientific ideas of sexual competition and selection. In The Mill on the Floss (1860), George Eliot strikingly prefigures Darwin's later work on sexual selection, drawing from her own extensive knowledge of the wider debates within which evolutionary theory developed. Maggie Tulliver's characterisation allows Eliot to explore the ethical complexities raised by an increasingly powerful scientific naturalism, where biology is seen to be embedded within morality in newly specific ways. The second strand of the paper examines the extension of scientific method to human mind and motivation which constituted the new psychology. It argues that there are crucial continuities of long-established ethical and religious ideas within this increasingly naturalistic view of human mind and motivation. The contention that such ideas persist and are transformed, rather than simply jettisoned, is illustrated through the example of Thomas Henry Huxley's 1874 essay on automata. Turning finally to focus on Olive Schreiner's Undine (1929) and From Man to Man (1926), the paper explores the importance of these persistent ethical and religious ideas in two novels which remained unpublished during her lifetime. It argues that they produce both difficulty and opportunity for imagining love plots within the context of increasingly assertive biological and naturalistic accounts of human beings

Using emergency department syndromic surveillance to investigate the impact of a national vaccination program: A retrospective observational study

BackgroundRotavirus infection is a common cause of gastroenteritis in children worldwide, with a high mortality burden in developing countries, particularly during the first two years of life. Rotavirus vaccination was introduced into the United Kingdom childhood vaccination schedule in July 2013, with high coverage (>90%) achieved by June 2016. We used an emergency department (ED) syndromic surveillance system to assess the impact of the rotavirus vaccination programme, specifically through the demonstration of any immediate and continuing impact on ED gastroenteritis visits in England.MethodsThis retrospective, observational study used syndromic surveillance data collected from 3 EDs in the two years before (July 2011-June 2013) and 3 years post (July 2013-June 2016) introduction of rotavirus vaccination. The weekly levels of ED visits for gastroenteritis (by age group and in total) during the period before rotavirus vaccination was first described alongside the findings of laboratory surveillance of rotavirus during the same period. An interrupted time-series analysis was then performed to demonstrate the impact of rotavirus vaccination introduction on gastroenteritis ED visit levels.ResultsDuring the two years before vaccine introduction ED visits for gastroenteritis in total and for the 0-4 years age group were seen to rise and fall in line with the seasonal rotavirus increases reported by laboratory surveillance. ED gastroenteritis visits by young children were lower in the three years following introduction of rotavirus vaccination (reduced from 8% of visits to 6% of visits). These attendance levels in young children (0-4years) remained higher than in older age groups, however the previously large seasonal increases in children were greatly reduced, from peaks of 16% to 3-10% of ED visits per week.ConclusionsED syndromic surveillance demonstrated a reduction in gastroenteritis visits following rotavirus vaccine introduction. This work establishes ED syndromic surveillance as a platform for rapid impact assessment of future vaccine programmes