Free/Open Source Software Development : Results and Research Methods

Free and open source software development is an alternative to traditional software engineering as an approach to the development of complex software systems. It is a way of developing software based on geographically distributed teams of volunteers without apparent central plan or traditional mechanisms of coordination. The purpose of this thesis is to summarize the current knowledge about free and open source software development and explore the ways on which further understanding on it could be gained. The results of research on the field as well as the research methods are introduced and discussed. Also adapting software process metrics to the context of free and open source software development is illustrated and the possibilities to utilize them as tools to validate other research are discussed.

EMS system development: results of the statewide EMS assessment program. December 1988 to July 1993. Interim report.

Mode of access: Internet.

EMS system development: results of the statewide EMS assessment program. December 1988 to September 1994. Interim report.

Mode of access: Internet.

The development of fast bowling experts in Australian cricket

In this paper, we highlight key concepts from dynamical systems theory and complexity sciences to exemplify constraints on talent development in a sample of elite cricketers. Eleven international fast bowlers who cumulatively had taken more than 2,400 test wickets in over 600 international test matches were interviewed using an in-depth, open-ended, and semi-structured approach. Qualitative data were analysed to identify key components in fast bowling expertise development. Results revealed that, contrary to traditional perspectives, the athletes progressed through unique, nonlinear trajectories of development, which appears to be a commonality in the experts' developmental pathways. During development, individual experts encountered unique constraints on the acquisition of expertise in cricket fast bowling, resulting in unique performance adaptations. Specifically, data illustrated experts' ability to continually adapt behaviours under multifaceted ecological constraints.

Identification and characterization of flowering genes in kiwifruit : sequence conservation and role in kiwifruit flower development

Background Flower development in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is initiated in the first growing season, when undifferentiated primordia are established in latent shoot buds. These primordia can differentiate into flowers in the second growing season, after the winter dormancy period and upon accumulation of adequate winter chilling. Kiwifruit is an important horticultural crop, yet little is known about the molecular regulation of flower development. Results To study kiwifruit flower development, nine MADS-box genes were identified and functionally characterized. Protein sequence alignment, phenotypes obtained upon overexpression in Arabidopsis and expression patterns suggest that the identified genes are required for floral meristem and floral organ specification. Their role during budbreak and flower development was studied. A spontaneous kiwifruit mutant was utilized to correlate the extended expression domains of these flowering genes with abnormal floral development. Conclusions This study provides a description of flower development in kiwifruit at the molecular level. It has identified markers for flower development, and candidates for manipulation of kiwifruit growth, phase change and time of flowering. The expression in normal and aberrant flowers provided a model for kiwifruit flower development.

CCR2 Deficiency Results in Increased Osteolysis in Experimental Periapical Lesions in Mice

Introduction: Periapical lesions are chronic inflammatory disorders of periradicular tissues caused by etiologic agents of endodontic origin. The inflammatory chemokines are thought to be involved in the latter observed osteolysis. With a murine model of experimental periapical lesion, the objective of this study was to evaluate the role of the chemokine receptor CCR2 in the lesion progression, osteoclast differentiation and activation, and expression of inflammatory osteolysis-related mediators. Methods: For lesion induction, right mandibular first molars were opened surgically with a (1)/(4) carbine bur, and 4 bacterial strains were inoculated in the exposed dental pulp; left mandibular first molars were used as controls. Animals were killed at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgeries to evaluate the kinetics of lesion development. Results: CCR2 KO mice showed wider lesions than WT mice. CCR2 KO mice also expressed higher levels of the osteoclastogenic and osteolytic factors, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) and cathepsin K, of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha, and of the neutrophil migration related chemokine, KC. Conclusions: These results suggest that CCR2 is important in host protection to periapical osteolysis. (J Endod 2010;36:244-250)

Essays on Ethnic Diversity and Development

This dissertation consists of three papers. The first paper "Ethnicity, Migration and Conflict: Evidence from Contemporary South Africa” exploits some of the institutional changes intervened in South Africa during the end of apartheid to investigate the relationship between ethnic diversity and conflict. I find within-ethnic polarization to be significantly related to the intensity of armed confrontations among black-dominated groups. My investigation thus gives strong and robust empirical support to the theoretical arguments which identify ethnic diversity as one of the determinants of civil conflict. The second chapter, "Pre-Colonial Centralization, Colonial Activities and Development in Latin America", investigates the hypothesis that pre-colonial ethnic institutions shaped contemporary regional development in Latin America. I document a strong and positive relationship between pre-colonial centralization and regional development. Results are in line with the view that highly centralized pre-colonial societies acted as a persistent force of agglomeration of economic activities and a strong predictor of colonial state capacity. The results provide a first evidence of the existence of a link between pre-colonial centralization, colonial institutional arrangements and contemporary economic development. The third paper "Bite and Divide: Malaria and Ethnic Diversity” investigates the role of malaria as a fundamental determinant of modern ethnic diversity. This paper explores the hypothesis, that a large exposure to malaria has fostered differential interactions that reduced contacts between groups and increased interactions within them Results document that malaria increases the number of ethnic groups at all levels of spatial disaggregation and time periods (exploiting historical and current ethnic diversity). Regressions' results show that endogamous marriages are more frequent in areas with higher geographic suitability to malaria. The results are in line with the view that malaria increases intra-ethnic interactions while decreasing inter-ethnic ones.

Intraoperative image-guided navigation system: development and applicability in 65 patients undergoing liver surgery

Background Image-guided systems have recently been introduced for their application in liver surgery.We aimed to identify and propose suitable indications for image-guided navigation systems in the domain of open oncologic liver surgery and,more specifically, in the setting of liver resection with and without microwave ablation. Method Retrospective analysis was conducted in patients undergoing liver resection with and without microwave ablation using an intraoperative image-guided stereotactic system during three stages of technological development (accuracy: 8.4 ± 4.4 mm in phase I and 8.4 ± 6.5 mm in phase II versus 4.5 ± 3.6 mm in phase III). It was evaluated, in which indications image-guided surgery was used according to the different stages of technical development. Results Between 2009 and 2013, 65 patients underwent image-guided surgical treatment, resection alone (n=38), ablation alone (n =11), or a combination thereof (n =16). With increasing accuracy of the system, image guidance was progressively used for atypical resections and combined microwave ablation and resection instead of formal liver resection (p<0.0001). Conclusion Clinical application of image guidance is feasible, while its efficacy is subject to accuracy. The concept of image guidance has been shown to be increasingly efficient for selected indications in liver surgery. While accuracy of available technology is increasing pertaining to technological advancements, more and more previously untreatable scenarios such as multiple small, bilobar lesions and so-called vanishing lesions come within reach.

A rehabilitation intervention to promote physical recovery following intensive care: a detailed description of construct development, rationale and content together with proposed taxonomy to capture processes in a randomised controlled trial.

Background: increasing numbers of patients are surviving critical illness, but survival may be associated with a constellation of physical and psychological sequelae that can cause on going disability and reduced health-related quality of life. Limited evidence currently exists to guide the optimum structure, timing, and content of rehabilitation programmes. There is a need to both develop and evaluate interventions to support and expedite recovery during the post-ICU discharge period. This paper describes the construct development for a complex rehabilitation intervention intended to promote physical recovery following critical illness. The intervention is currently being evaluated in a randomised trial (ISRCTN09412438; funder Chief Scientists Office, Scotland). Methods: the intervention was developed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing complex healthcare interventions. We ensured representation from a wide variety of stakeholders including content experts from multiple specialties, methodologists, and patient representation. The intervention construct was initially based on literature review, local observational and audit work, qualitative studies with ICU survivors, and brainstorming activities. Iterative refinement was aided by the publication of a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline (No. 83), publicly available patient stories (Healthtalkonline), a stakeholder event in collaboration with the James Lind Alliance, and local piloting. Modelling and further work involved a feasibility trial and development of a novel generic rehabilitation assistant (GRA) role. Several rounds of external peer review during successive funding applications also contributed to development. Results: the final construct for the complex intervention involved a dedicated GRA trained to pre-defined competencies across multiple rehabilitation domains (physiotherapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, and speech/language therapy), with specific training in post-critical illness issues. The intervention was from ICU discharge to 3 months post-discharge, including inpatient and post-hospital discharge elements. Clear strategies to provide information to patients/families were included. A detailed taxonomy was developed to define and describe the processes undertaken, and capture them during the trial. The detailed process measure description, together with a range of patient, health service, and economic outcomes were successfully mapped on to the modified CONSORT recommendations for reporting non-pharmacologic trial interventions. Conclusions: the MRC complex intervention framework was an effective guide to developing a novel post-ICU rehabilitation intervention. Combining a clearly defined new healthcare role with a detailed taxonomy of process and activity enabled the intervention to be clearly described for the purpose of trial delivery and reporting. These data will be useful when interpreting the results of the randomised trial, will increase internal and external trial validity, and help others implement the intervention if the intervention proves clinically and cost effective.

mHealth in Urology: A Review of Experts' Involvement in App Development

Smartphones are increasingly playing a role in healthcare and previous studies assessing medical applications (apps) have raised concerns about lack of expert involvement and low content accuracy. However, there are no such studies in Urology. We reviewed Urology apps with the aim of assessing the level of participation of healthcare professionals (HCP) and scientific Urology associations in their development.

Breaching the standardised assessment boundary : assessment for learning as a field of exchange

The introduction of the Australian curriculum, the use of standardised testing (e.g. NAPLAN) and the My School website are couched in a context of accountability. This circumstance has stimulated and in some cases renewed a range of boundaries in Australian Education. The consequences that arise from standardised testing have accentuated the boundaries produced by social reproduction in education which has led to an increase in the numbers of students disengaging from mainstream education and applying for enrolment at the Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Learning Centre Network (EREAFLCN). Boundaries are created for many young people who are denied access to credentials and certification as a result of being excluded from or in some way disengaging from standardised education and testing. Young people who participate at the EREAFLCN arrive with a variety of forms of cultural capital that are not valued in current education and employment fields. This is not to say that these young people’s different forms of cultural capital have no value, but rather that such funds of knowledge, repertoires and cultural capital are not valued by the majority of powerful agents in educational and employment fields. How then can the qualitative value of traditionally unorthodox - yet often intricate, ingenious, and astute - versions of cultural capital evident in the habitus of many young people be made to count, be recognised, be valuated? Can a process of educational assessment be a field of capital exchange and a space which breaches boundaries through a valuating process? This paper reports on the development of an innovative approach to assessment in an alternative education institution designed for the re-engagement of ‘at risk’ youth who have left formal schooling. A case study approach has been used to document the engagement of six young people, with an educational approach described as assessment for learning as a field of exchange across two sites in the EREAFLCN. In order to capture the broad range of students’ cultural and social capital, an electronic portfolio system (EPS) is under trial. The model draws on categories from sociological models of capital and reconceptualises the eportfolio as a sociocultural zone of learning and development. Results from the trial show a general tendency towards engagement with the EPS and potential for the attainment of socially valued cultural capital in the form of school credentials. In this way restrictive boundaries can be breached and a more equitable outcome achieved for many young Australians.

Towards general capabilities through technology : assessment for learning as a field of exchange

The introduction of the Australian curriculum, the use of standardised testing (e.g. NAPLAN) and the My School website have stimulated and in some cases renewed a range of boundaries for young people in Australian Education. Standardised testing has accentuated social reproduction in education with an increase in the numbers of students disengaging from mainstream education and applying for enrolment at the Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Learning Centre Network (EREAFLCN). Many young people are denied access to credentials and certification as they become excluded from standardised education and testing. The creativity and skills of marginalised youth are often evidence of general capabilities and yet do not appear to be recognised in mainstream educational institutions when standardised approaches are adopted. Young people who participate at the EREAFLCN arrive with a variety of forms of cultural capital, frequently utilising general capabilities, which are not able to be valued in current education and employment fields. This is not to say that these young people‟s different forms of cultural capital have no value, but rather that such funds of knowledge, repertoires and cultural capital are not valued by the majority of powerful agents in educational and employment fields. How then can the inherent value of traditionally unorthodox - yet often intricate, ingenious, and astute-versions of cultural capital evident in the habitus of many young people be made to count, be recognised, be valuated?Can a process of educational assessment be a field of capital exchange and a space which crosses boundaries through a valuating process? This paper reports on the development of an innovative approach to assessment in an alternative education institution designed for the re engagement of „at risk‟ youth who have left formal schooling. A case study approach has been used to document the engagement of six young people, with an educational approach described as assessment for learning as a field of exchange across two sites in the EREAFLCN. In order to capture the broad range of students‟ cultural and social capital, an electronic portfolio system (EPS) is under trial. The model draws on categories from sociological models of capital and reconceptualises the eportfolio as a sociocultural zone of learning and development. Results from the trial show a general tendency towards engagement with the EPS and potential for the attainment of socially valued cultural capital in the form of school credentials. In this way restrictive boundaries can be breached and a more equitable outcome achieved for many young Australians.

IT governance adoption in Malaysia : a preliminary investigation

IT Governance (ITG) adoption remains a relevant topic of study. While extensive research has been done looking into the drivers and critical success factors of ITG practice, there seems to be a lack of interest in identifying the barriers to its adoption. This study reports on a survey conducted to first: provide some primary data that suggest ITG adoption and maturity levels are still low, especially in a developing country like Malaysia; and second: to provide initial empirical support for model development. Results obtained supported our assumptions that: (1) ITG adoption and maturity levels are still relatively low in Malaysia, therefore justifying Malaysia as a suitable case; (2) organizational factors, environmental factors and characteristics of the innovation as identified from the literature may serve as possible barriers to adoption.

Haemophilus influenzae Genome Database (HIGDB): A single point web resource for Haemophilus influenzae

Background: Haemophilus influenzae (H. Influenzae) is the causative agent of pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis. The organism is responsible for large number of deaths in both developed and developing countries. Even-though the first bacterial genome to be sequenced was that of H. Influenzae, there is no exclusive database dedicated for H. Influenzae. This prompted us to develop the Haemophilus influenzae Genome Database (HIGDB). Methods: All data of HIGDB are stored and managed in MySQL database. The HIGDB is hosted on Solaris server and developed using PERL modules. Ajax and JavaScript are used for the interface development. Results: The HIGDB contains detailed information on 42,741 proteins, 18,077 genes including 10 whole genome sequences and also 284 three dimensional structures of proteins of H. influenzae. In addition, the database provides ``Motif search'' and ``GBrowse''. The HIGDB is freely accessible through the URL:http://bioserverl.physicslisc.ernetin/HIGDB/. Discussion: The HIGDB will be a single point access for bacteriological, clinical, genomic and proteomic information of H. influenzae. The database can also be used to identify DNA motifs within H. influenzae genomes and to compare gene or protein sequences of a particular strain with other strains of H. influenzae. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.