Large-Scale Agile Transformation: A Case Study of Transforming Business, Development and Operations

Today, product development organizations are adopting agile methods in units outside the software development unit, such as in sales, market, legal, operations working with the customer. This broader adoption of agile methods has been labeled large-scale agile transformation and is considered a particular type of organizational change, originating in the software development units. So far, there is little research-based advice on conducting such transformations. Aiming to contribute towards providing relevant research advice on large-scale agile transformation, we apply a research-based framework for evaluating organizational agility on a product development program in a maritime service provider organization. We found that doing a large-scale agile transformation involves many significant challenges, such as having a shared understanding of the problem, getting access to users, and getting commitment to change that needs to be done. In order to overcome such challenges, we discuss the need for a holistic and integrated approach to agile transformation involving all the units linked to software development.publishedVersio

Fecal Calprotectin Excretion in Preterm Infants during the Neonatal Period

Fecal calprotectin has been proposed as a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease in adults and children. Fecal calprotectin levels have been reported to be much higher in both healthy full-term and preterm infants than in children and adults.To determine the time course of fecal calprotectin (f-calprotectin) excretion in preterm infants from birth until hospital discharge and to identify factors influencing f-calprotectin levels in the first weeks of life, including bacterial establishment in the gut.F-calprotectin was determined using an ELISA assay in 147 samples obtained prospectively from 47 preterm infants (gestational age, and birth-weight interquartiles 27–29 weeks, and 880–1320 g, respectively) at birth, and at 2-week intervals until hospital discharge. (p = 0.047).During the first weeks of life, the high f-calprotectin values observed in preterm infants could be linked to the gut bacterial establishment

Safety and efficacy of tenecteplase in patients with wake-up stroke assessed by non-contrast CT (TWIST): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial

Background: Current evidence supports the use of intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase in patients with wake-up stroke selected with MRI or perfusion imaging and is recommended in clinical guidelines. However, access to advanced imaging techniques is often scarce. We aimed to determine whether thrombolytic treatment with intravenous tenecteplase given within 4·5 h of awakening improves functional outcome in patients with ischaemic wake-up stroke selected using non-contrast CT. Methods: TWIST was an investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial with blinded endpoint assessment, conducted at 77 hospitals in ten countries. We included patients aged 18 years or older with acute ischaemic stroke symptoms upon awakening, limb weakness, a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 3 or higher or aphasia, a non-contrast CT examination of the head, and the ability to receive tenecteplase within 4·5 h of awakening. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either a single intravenous bolus of tenecteplase 0·25 mg per kg of bodyweight (maximum 25 mg) or control (no thrombolysis) using a central, web-based, computer-generated randomisation schedule. Trained research personnel, who conducted telephone interviews at 90 days (follow-up), were masked to treatment allocation. Clinical assessments were performed on day 1 (at baseline) and day 7 of hospital admission (or at discharge, whichever occurred first). The primary outcome was functional outcome assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days and analysed using ordinal logistic regression in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with EudraCT (2014–000096–80), ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03181360), and ISRCTN (10601890). Findings: From June 12, 2017, to Sept 30, 2021, 578 of the required 600 patients were enrolled (288 randomly assigned to the tenecteplase group and 290 to the control group [intention-to-treat population]). The median age of participants was 73·7 years (IQR 65·9–81·1). 332 (57%) of 578 participants were male and 246 (43%) were female. Treatment with tenecteplase was not associated with better functional outcome, according to mRS score at 90 days (adjusted OR 1·18, 95% CI 0·88–1·58; p=0·27). Mortality at 90 days did not significantly differ between treatment groups (28 [10%] patients in the tenecteplase group and 23 [8%] in the control group; adjusted HR 1·29, 95% CI 0·74–2·26; p=0·37). Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage occurred in six (2%) patients in the tenecteplase group versus three (1%) in the control group (adjusted OR 2·17, 95% CI 0·53–8·87; p=0·28), whereas any intracranial haemorrhage occurred in 33 (11%) versus 30 (10%) patients (adjusted OR 1·14, 0·67–1·94; p=0·64). Interpretation: In patients with wake-up stroke selected with non-contrast CT, treatment with tenecteplase was not associated with better functional outcome at 90 days. The number of symptomatic haemorrhages and any intracranial haemorrhages in both treatment groups was similar to findings from previous trials of wake-up stroke patients selected using advanced imaging. Current evidence does not support treatment with tenecteplase in patients selected with non-contrast CT. Funding: Norwegian Clinical Research Therapy in the Specialist Health Services Programme, the Swiss Heart Foundation, the British Heart Foundation, and the Norwegian National Association for Public Health

Oxidation Regulates the Inflammatory Properties of the Murine S100 Protein S100A8

The myeloid cell-derived calcium-binding murine protein, S100A8, is secreted to act as a chemotactic factor at picomolar concentrations, stimulating recruitment of myeloid cells to inflammatory sites, S100A8 may be exposed to oxygen metabolites, particularly hypochlorite, the major oxidant generated by activated neutrophils at inflammatory sites. Here we show that hypochlorite oxidizes the single Cys residue (Cys(41)) of S100A8. Electrospray mass spectrometry and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that low concentrations of hypochlorite (40 mu M) converted 70-80% of S100A8 to the disulfide-linked homodimer, The mass was 20,707 Da, 92 Da more than expected, indicating additional oxidation of susceptible amino acids (possibly methionine). Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate activation of differentiated HL-60 granulocytic cells generated an oxidative burst that was sufficient to efficiently oxidize exogenous S100A8 within 10 min, and results implicate involvement of the myeloperoxidase system. Moreover, disulfide-linked dimer was identified in lung lavage fluid of mice with endotoxin-induced pulmonary injury. S100A8 dimer was inactive in chemotaxis and failed to recruit leukocytes in vivo. Positive chemotactic activity of recombinant Ala(41)S100A8 indicated that Cys41 was not essential for function and suggested that covalent dimerization may structurally modify accessibility of the chemotactic hinge domain. Disulfide-dependent dimerization may be a physiologically significant regulatory mechanism controlling S100A8-provoked leukocyte recruitment

On strong generation of B(ℋ) by two commutative C*-algebras

The algebra B(ℋ) of all bounded operators on a Hilbert space ℋ is generated in the strong operator topology by a single one-dimensional projection and a family of commuting unitary operators with cardinality not exceeding dim ℋ. This answers Problem 8 posed by W. Żelazko in [6]

Digital farming based on a smart and user-friendly IoT irrigation system: A conifer nursery case study

Although digital technologies on farms bridge the productivity-sustainability gap, they are not yet widely adopted. Familiarising farmers with digital systems is as important as developing advanced technological platforms: As farmers become accustomed to and feel in control of digital systems, they will find it easier to accept, adapt and keep pace with technological developments. This article describes the design and implementation of a flexible, scalable, easy-to-use and extensible IoT embedded system to control sprinkler irrigation in an outdoor Thuja conifer nursery in an automated mode and under varying weather. Irrigation is controlled by Mamdani Fuzzy Inference Logic based on rainfall prediction and real-time monitoring of the plants. The IoT system provides a control dashboard and offers three operating modes: manual, automated or scheduled (daily, weekly, and monthly). The system is robust in the event of a power outage or loss of connectivity. The code is available on GitHub. Sensors, solenoid valves, Raspberry Pi microcontrollers, fuzzy logic systems, a web interface and a cloud service create a sustainable solution that makes water use more efficient, creates a healthy environment for crops (using just the right amount of water), makes life easier for farmers, and exposes them to the benefits of the IoT

Prosumer networks – A key enabler of control over renewable energy resources

The global challenges of recent years have exacerbated the energy crisis and highlighted the need for reactive and resilient energy systems. This paper emphasises the role of collaborative networks of prosumers in exploiting renewable energy sources to achieve sovereignty over critical resources. A bibliometric study reveals significant discrepancies between countries in statutory energy policies for renewable energy integration and incentives to prosumerism. A dataset of 27 Romanian individual prosumers illustrates the differences in load profiles between residential and industrial prosumers in a temperate continental climate, highlighting the benefits and limits of increasing the share of renewable energy in the national energy system. The study shows the advantage of aggregators balancing production and consumption, provided enough storage capability is available. It also illustrates the evolution of Romanian prosumers, discussing key regulatory and technological factors, advantages, and barriers to collaboration. This research offers municipalities, public authorities, and infrastructure operators a path towards energy independence, in alignment with international efforts toward the adoption of renewable energy. The study provides valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of renewable energy integration, offering practical solutions for achieving energy independence. It also offers relevant information in the effort of legislative harmonization to enable efficient and secure integration of new actors in the electricity system, encouraging responsible prosumers and aggregators and discouraging opportunistic aggregation