A Case for Human Values in Software Engineering

This article argues that human values – such as responsibility, transparency, creativity, and equality – are heavily under-represented in software engineering methods. Based on experiences with real-world projects with not-for-profits, we explore how human values can be integrated into existing participatory agile practices. We propose new ways of considering human values in software practice, including: the use of the Schwartz taxonomy of human values and values portraits to contextualise values definitions; the use of values as a way to capture the rationale for requirements to ensure a culture of values throughout the software lifecycle; and a simple adaptation of agile methods to include a role for a ‘critical friend’ who can champion values during decision making

Community-University Research:A Warts and All Account

This chapter explores co-production with community groups of innovative digital technologies designed to address challenging social issues. It presents lessons learned from the Catalyst project (http://www.catalystproject.org.uk), which carried out 13 such co-production projects over a three year period developing digital solutions in areas as diverse as homelessness, anxiety management, behaviour change, and renewable energy. The approach taken was to form meaningful partnerships of multidisciplinary academics and external partners from community groups. The chapter offers guidelines for how to make such partnerships effective based on the Catalyst experience. These guidelines cover a range of different areas: working in the community, research innovation, working across disciplines, and practicalities. They are illustrated, where appropriate, by reference to a range of research partnerships set up as part of the Catalyst project

Three-dimensional assessment of nose and lip morphology in North Sudanese subjects with Down syndrome

Objective: To detail the nasolabial morphologic characteristics of North Sudanese subjects with Down syndrome (DS). Materials and Methods: Nasolabial morphology was assessed three-dimensionally in 64 North Sudanese subjects with DS aged 4 to 34 years and in 682 sex- and age-matched controls. Three-dimensional facial coordinates were collected using a laser scan, and selected distances, angles, areas, and volumes were computed. Subject and reference data were compared by computing z-scores and Student's t-tests. Results: The nose was significantly smaller (area) in subjects with DS than in reference subjects, and it had a different shape (more flat angle of alar slope, more acute nasal tip angle). The vertical (nasal bridge length, nose height) and anteroposterior (nasal tip protrusion) dimensions were reduced, while the horizontal dimensions (alar base width, inferior widths of the nostrils) were increased. The nasolabial angle was increased. The cutaneous lip volume was significantly smaller, while the vermilion lip area was larger in the subjects with DS. The mouth and philtrum widths were significantly reduced, while the vermilion height was significantly increased. Conclusion: Analyzed subjects with DS had a hypoplastic nose and different upper and lower lips than did reference, normal subjects. (Angle Orthod. 2011;81:107-114.

Magnetic Field Generation in Stars

Enormous progress has been made on observing stellar magnetism in stars from the main sequence through to compact objects. Recent data have thrown into sharper relief the vexed question of the origin of stellar magnetic fields, which remains one of the main unanswered questions in astrophysics. In this chapter we review recent work in this area of research. In particular, we look at the fossil field hypothesis which links magnetism in compact stars to magnetism in main sequence and pre-main sequence stars and we consider why its feasibility has now been questioned particularly in the context of highly magnetic white dwarfs. We also review the fossil versus dynamo debate in the context of neutron stars and the roles played by key physical processes such as buoyancy, helicity, and superfluid turbulence,in the generation and stability of neutron star fields. Independent information on the internal magnetic field of neutron stars will come from future gravitational wave detections. Thus we maybe at the dawn of a new era of exciting discoveries in compact star magnetism driven by the opening of a new, non-electromagnetic observational window. We also review recent advances in the theory and computation of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence as it applies to stellar magnetism and dynamo theory. These advances offer insight into the action of stellar dynamos as well as processes whichcontrol the diffusive magnetic flux transport in stars.Comment: 41 pages, 7 figures. Invited review chapter on on magnetic field generation in stars to appear in Space Science Reviews, Springe

Are the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars ~ 10^8 G?

It is generally assumed that the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are $\sim 10^{8}$G. We argue that this may not be true and the fields may be appreciably greater. We present six evidences for this: (1) The $\sim 10^{8}$ G field estimate is based on magnetic dipole emission losses which is shown to be questionable; (2) The MSPs in low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are claimed to have $< 10^{11}$ G on the basis of a Rayleygh-Taylor instability accretion argument. We show that the accretion argument is questionable and the upper limit $10^{11}$ G may be much higher; (3) Low magnetic field neutron stars have difficulty being produced in LMXBs; (4) MSPs may still be accreting indicating a much higher magnetic field; (5) The data that predict $\sim 10^{8}$ G for MSPs also predict ages on the order of, and greater than, ten billion years, which is much greater than normal pulsars. If the predicted ages are wrong, most likely the predicted $\sim 10^{8}$ G fields of MSPs are wrong; (6) When magnetic fields are measured directly with cyclotron lines in X-ray binaries, fields $\gg 10^{8}$ G are indicated. Other scenarios should be investigated. One such scenario is the following. Over 85% of MSPs are confirmed members of a binary. It is possible that all MSPs are in large separation binaries having magnetic fields $> 10^{8}$ G with their magnetic dipole emission being balanced by low level accretion from their companions.Comment: 16 pages, accept for publication in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Investigation of Some Physical Properties of Accretion Induced Collapse in Producing Millisecond Pulsars

We investigate some physical characteristics of Millisecond Pulsar (MSP) such as magnetic fields, spin periods and masses, that are produced by Accretion Induced Collapse (AIC) of an accreting white dwarf (WD) in stellar binary systems. We also investigate the changes of these characteristics during the mass-transfer phase of the system in its way to become a MSP. Our approach allows us to follow the changes in magnetic fields and spin periods during the conversion of WDs to MSPs via AIC process. We focus our attention mainly on the massive binary WDs (M > 1.0Msun) forming cataclysmic variables, that could potentially evolve to reach Chandrasekhar limit, thereafter they collapse and become MSPs. Knowledge about these parameters might be useful for further modeling of the observed features of AIC.Comment: 9 Pages, 4 figure

Face morphology: Can it tell us something about body weight and fat?

This paper proposes a method for an automatic extraction of geometric features, related to weight parameters, from 3D facial data acquired with low-cost depth scanners. The novelty of the method relies both on the processing of the 3D facial data and on the definition of the geometric features which are conceptually simple, robust against noise and pose estimation errors, computationally efficient, invariant with respect to rotation, translation, and scale changes. Experimental results show that these measurements are highly correlated with weight, BMI, and neck circumference, and well correlated with waist and hip circumference, which are markers of central obesity. Therefore the proposed method strongly supports the development of interactive, non-obtrusive systems able to provide a support for the detection of weight-related problems

No increase in toxicity of pelvic irradiation when intensity modulation is employed: clinical and dosimetric data of 208 patients treated with post-prostatectomy radiotherapy

Objective: To compare the toxicity of image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) to the pelvis or prostate bed (PB) only. To test the hypothesis that the potentially injurious effect of pelvic irradiation can be counterbalanced by reduced irradiated normal tissue volume using IG-IMRT. Methods: Between February 2010 and February 2012, 208 patients with prostate cancer were treated with adjuvant or salvage IG-IMRT to the PB (102 patients, Group PB) or the pelvis and prostate bed (P) (106 patients, Group P), The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria were used to evaluate toxicity. Results: Median follow-up was 27 months. Toxicity G >= 2 in Group PB: in the bowel acute and late toxicities were 11.8% and 10%, respectively; urinary acute and late toxicities were 10.8% and 15%, respectively. Toxicity G >= 2 in Group P: in the bowel acute and late toxicities were both 13.2%; urinary acute and late toxicities were 13.2% and 15.1%, respectively. No statistical difference in acute or late toxicity between the groups was found (bowel: p = 0.23 and p = 0.89 for acute and late toxicity, respectively; urinary: p = 0.39 and p = 0.66 for acute and late toxicity, respectively). Of the clinical variables, only previous abdominal surgery was correlated with acute bowel toxicity. Dosimetric parameters that correlated with bowel toxicity were identified. Conclusion: The toxicity rates were low and similar in both groups, suggesting that IG-IMRT allows for a safe post-operative irradiation of larger volumes. Further investigation is warranted to exclude bias owing to nonrandomized character of the study. Advances in knowledge: Our report shows that modern radiotherapy technology and careful planning allow maintaining the toxicity of pelvic lymph node treatment at the acceptable level, as it is in the case of PB radiotherapy

Salvage image-guided intensity modulated or stereotactic body reirradiation of local recurrence of prostate cancer

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate external beam reirradiation (re-EBRT) delivered to the prostate/prostatic bed for local recurrence, after radical or adjuvant/salvage radiotherapy (RT). Methods: 32 patients received re-EBRT between February 2008 and October 2013. All patients had clinical/radiological local relapse in the prostate or prostatic bed and no distant metastasis. re-EBRT was delivered with selective RT technologies [stereotactic RT including CyberKnifeTM (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA); image-guidance and intensity-modulated RT etc.]. Toxicity was evaluated using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria. Biochemical control was assessed according to the Phoenix definition (NADIR12ngml-1). Results: Acute urinary toxicity: G0, 24 patients; G1, 6 patients; G2, 2 patients. Acute rectal toxicity: G0, 28 patients; G1, 2 patients; and G2, 1 patient. Late urinary toxicity (evaluated in 30 cases): G0, 23 patients; G1, 6 patients; G2, 1 patient. Late renal toxicity: G0, 25 patients; G1, 5 patients. A mean follow-up of 21.3months after re-EBRT showed that 13 patients were free of cancer, 3 were alive with biochemical relapse and 12 patients were alive with clinically evident disease. Four patients had died: two of disease progression and two of other causes. Conclusion: re-EBRT usingmodern technology is a feasible approach for local prostate cancer recurrence offering 2-year tumour control in about half of the patients. Toxicity of re-EBRT is low. Future studies are needed to identify the patients who would benefit most from this treatment. Advances in knowledge: Our series, based on experience in one hospital alone, shows that re-EBRT for local relapse of prostate cancer is feasible and offers a 2-year cure in about half of the patients

Near-intrinsic energy resolution for 30-662 keV gamma rays in a high pressure xenon electroluminescent TPC

We present the design, data and results from the NEXT prototype for Double Beta and Dark Matter (NEXT-DBDM) detector, a high-pressure gaseous natural xenon electroluminescent time projection chamber (TPC) that was built at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It is a prototype of the planned NEXT-100 136Xe neutrino-less double beta decay (0νββ) experiment with the main objectives of demonstrating near-intrinsic energy resolution at energies up to 662 keV and of optimizing the NEXT-100 detector design and operating parameters. Energy resolutions of ∼1% FWHM for 662 keV gamma rays were obtained at 10 and 15 atm and ∼5% FWHM for 30 keV fluorescence xenon X-rays. These results demonstrate that 0.5% FWHM resolutions for the 2,459 keV hypothetical neutrino-less double beta decay peak are realizable. This energy resolution is a factor 7 to 20 better than that of the current leading 0νββ experiments using liquid xenon and thus represents a significant advancement. We present also first results from a track imaging system consisting of 64 silicon photo-multipliers recently installed in NEXT-DBDM that, along with the excellent energy resolution, demonstrates the key functionalities required for the NEXT-100 0νββ search