Abstract
This paper examines the correlation between musical dissonance and auditory roughness-the most significant factor of psychoacoustic dissonance- and the contribution of the latter to algorithmic composition. We designed an empirical study to assess how auditory roughness correlates with human judgments of dissonance in natural musical stimuli on the sound object time scale. The results showed a statistically significant correlation between roughness and listeners' judgments of dissonance for quasi-harmonic sounds. This paper concludes by presenting two musical applications of auditory roughness in algorithmic composition, in particular to supervise the vertical recombination of sound objects in the software earGram. Copyright:

Abstract
A considerable number of domains deal with large and complex volumes of temporal data. The management of these volumes, from capture, storage, search, transfer, analysis and visualization, still provides interesting challenges. One critical task is the efficient retrieval of data (raw data or intermediate results from analytic tools). Previous work proposed the TravelLight method which reduced the turnaround time and improved interactive retrieval of data from large temporal datasets by exploring the temporal consistency of records in a database. In this work we propose improvements to the method by adopting a new paradigm focused in the management of time intervals instead of solely in data items. A major advantage of this paradigm shift is to enable the separation of the method implementation from any particular temporal data source, as it is autonomous and efficient in the management of retrieved data. Our work demonstrates that the overheads introduced by the new paradigm are smaller than prior overall overheads, further reducing the turnaround time. Reported results concern experiments with a temporally linear navigation across two datasets of one million items. With the obtained results it is possible to conclude that the improvements presented in this work further reduce turnaround time thus enhancing the response of interactive tasks over very large temporal datasets.

Abstract
An approach to integrating PVS executable specifications and Stateflow models is presented that uses web services to enable a seamless exchange of simulation events and data between PVS and Stateflow. Thus, it allows the wide range of applications developed in Stateflow to benefit from the rigor of PVS verification. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated on a medical device prototype, which consists of a user interface developed in PVS and a software controller implemented in Stateflow. Simulation on the prototype shows that simulation data produced is exchanged smoothly between in PVSio and Stateflow. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.

Abstract
Each one of us has a particular way to behave before a conflict. We can assume a cooperative and collaborative attitude or we can behave in a more selfish or competitive way. Given our personality traits or our past experiences, each one has a tendency to behave more towards one or the other. Nonetheless, there are also external factors that influence our conflict handling style including the individuals we are conflicting with, our level of stress or fatigue, the level of escalation of the conflict or even the context or the setting in which it is being settled. Undeniably, the personal conflict resolution style of the parties is preponderant for the outcome of the conflict resolution process. The mediator, while knowing the style of each party, may better conduct the process, namely by pointing out and changing unrealistic, selfish or overly competitive behaviors. Traditionally, the mediator makes use of questionnaires to assess the conflict resolution style of the parties. In this chapter we detail a new view on the problem in which this knowledge is built in real-time, in a non-invasive way, based on the behavior evidenced by the parties during the conflict resolution process. The level of escalation of the conflict is also analyzed similarly, through the non-invasive analysis of the level of stress of the parties during the actual negotiation process. The relationship between stress and the personal conflict handling style is also studied.

Abstract
Collaborative filtering techniques have been used for some years, almost exclusively in Internet environments, helping users find items they are expected to like by using the user's past purchases to provide such recommendations. With this concept in mind, this research uses a collaborative filtering technique to automatically improve the performance of a simulated soccer team. Many studies have attempted to address this problem over the last years but none has shown meaningful improvements in the performance of the soccer team. Using a collaborative filtering technique based on nearest neighbors and the FC Portugal team as the test subject (in the context of the RoboCup 2D Simulation League), several simulations were run for matches against different teams with much better, better and worse performance than FC Portugal. The strategy used by FC Portugal was to combine 8 set-plays and 2 team formations. The simulation results revealed an improvement in performance between 32% and 384%. In the future, there are plans to expand this approach to other contexts, such as the 3D Simulation League.

Abstract
The intention of this paper is to provide an overview of using agent and service-oriented technologies in intelligent energy systems. It focuses mainly on ongoing research and development activities related to smart grids. Key challenges as a result of the massive deployment of distributed energy resources are discussed, such as aggregation, supply-demand balancing, electricity markets, as well as fault handling and diagnostics. Concepts and technologies like multiagent systems or service-oriented architectures are able to deal with future requirements supporting a flexible, intelligent, and active power grid management. This work monitors major achievements in the field and provides a brief overview of large-scale smart grid projects using agent and service-oriented principles. In addition, future trends in the digitalization of power grids are discussed covering the deployment of resource constrained devices and appropriate communication protocols. The employment of ontologies ensuring semantic interoperability as well as the improvement of security issues related to smart grids is also discussed.