Understanding Work Practices of Autonomous Agile Teams: A Social-psychological Review

The purpose of this paper is to suggest additional aspects of social psychology that could help when making sense of autonomous agile teams. To make use of well-tested theories in social psychology and instead see how they replicated and differ in the autonomous agile team context would avoid reinventing the wheel. This was done, as an initial step, through looking at some very common agile practices and relate them to existing findings in social-psychological research. The two theories found that I argue could be more applied to the software engineering context are social identity theory and group socialization theory. The results show that literature provides social-psychological reasons for the popularity of some agile practices, but that scientific studies are needed to gather empirical evidence on these under-researched topics. Understanding deeper psychological theories could provide a better understanding of the psychological processes when building autonomous agile team, which could then lead to better predictability and intervention in relation to human factors

Comparison of 2.3 & 5 mega pixel (MP) resolution monitors when detecting mammography image blurring

Background - Image blurring in Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) is reported to be a problem within many UK breast screening units resulting in significant proportion of technical repeats/recalls. Our study investigates monitors of differing pixel resolution, and whether there is a difference in blurring detection between a 2.3 MP technical review monitor and a 5MP standard reporting monitor. Methods - Simulation software was created to induce different magnitudes of blur on 20 artifact free FFDM screening images. 120 blurred and non-blurred images were randomized and displayed on the 2.3 and 5MP monitors; they were reviewed by 28 trained observers. Monitors were calibrated to the DICOM Grayscale Standard Display Function. T-test was used to determine whether significant differences exist in blurring detection between the monitors. Results - The blurring detection rate on the 2.3MP monitor for 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 mm blur was 46, 59, 66, 77and 78% respectively; and on the 5MP monitor 44, 70, 83 , 96 and 98%. All the non-motion images were identified correctly. A statistical difference (p <0.01) in the blurring detection rate between the two monitors was demonstrated. Conclusions - Given the results of this study and knowing that monitors as low as 1 MP are used in clinical practice, we speculate that technical recall/repeat rates because of blurring could be reduced if higher resolution monitors are used for technical review at the time of imaging. Further work is needed to determine monitor minimum specification for visual blurring detection

Moment instabilities in multidimensional systems with noise

We present a systematic study of moment evolution in multidimensional stochastic difference systems, focusing on characterizing systems whose low-order moments diverge in the neighborhood of a stable fixed point. We consider systems with a simple, dominant eigenvalue and stationary, white noise. When the noise is small, we obtain general expressions for the approximate asymptotic distribution and moment Lyapunov exponents. In the case of larger noise, the second moment is calculated using a different approach, which gives an exact result for some types of noise. We analyze the dependence of the moments on the system's dimension, relevant system properties, the form of the noise, and the magnitude of the noise. We determine a critical value for noise strength, as a function of the unperturbed system's convergence rate, above which the second moment diverges and large fluctuations are likely. Analytical results are validated by numerical simulations. We show that our results cannot be extended to the continuous time limit except in certain special cases.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figure

Intergroup struggles over victimhood in violent conflict: The victim-perpetrator paradigm

Most groups in violent, intergroup conflict perceive themselves to be the primary or sole victims of that conflict. This often results in contention over who may claim victim status and complicates a central aim of post-conflict processes, which is to acknowledge and address harms experienced by the victims. Drawing from victimology scholarship and intergroup relations theory, this article proposes the victim-perpetrator paradigm as a framework to analyse how, why and to what end groups in conflict construct and maintain their claims to the moral status of victim. This interdisciplinary paradigm builds on the knowledge that groups utilise the ‘ideal victim’ construction to exemplify their own innocence and blamelessness in contrast to the wickedness of the perpetrator, setting the two categories as separate and mutually exclusive even where experiences of violence have been complex. Additionally, this construction provides for a core intergroup need to achieve positive social identity, which groups may enhance by demonstrating a maximum differentiation between the in-group as victims and those out-groups identified as perpetrators. The paradigm contributes greater knowledge on the social roots of victim contention in conflict, as well as how groups legitimise their violence against out-groups during and after conflict

What happens if you single out? An experiment

We present an experiment investigating the effects of singling out an individual on trust and trustworthiness. We find that (a) trustworthiness falls if there is a singled out subject; (b) non-singled out subjects discriminate against the singled out subject when they are not responsible of the distinct status of this person; (c) under a negative frame, the singled out subject returns significantly less; (d) under a positive frame, the singled out subject behaves bimodally, either selecting very low or very high return rates. Overall, singling out induces a negligible effect on trust but is potentially disruptive for trustworthiness

10 kVp rule - an anthropomorphic pelvis phantom imaging study using a CR system : impact on image quality and effective dose using AEC and manual mode

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of tube potential (kVp) variation in relation to perceptual image quality and effective dose for pelvis using automatic exposure control (AEC) and non-AEC in a Computed Radiography (CR) system. Methods and Materials: To determine the effects of using AEC and non-AEC by applying the 10 kVp rule in two experiments using an anthropomorphic pelvis phantom. Images were acquired using 10kVp increments (60-120kVp) for both experiments. The first experiment, based on seven AEC combinations, produced 49 images. The mean mAs from each kVp increment were used as a baseline for the second experiment producing 35 images. A total of 84 images were produced and a panel of 5 experienced observers participated for the image scoring using the 2AFC visual grading software. PCXMC software was used to estimate the effective dose. Results: A decrease in perceptual image quality as the kVp increases was observed both in non-AEC and AEC experiments, however no significant statistical differences (p>0.05) were found. Image quality scores from all observers at 10 kVp increments for all mAs values using non-AEC mode demonstrates a better score up to 90kVp. Effective dose results show a statistical significant decrease (p=0.000) on the 75th quartile from 0.3 mSv at 60 kVp to 0.1 mSv at 120kVp when applying the 10 kVp rule in non-AEC mode. Conclusion(s): No significant reduction in perceptual image quality is observed when increasing kVp whilst a marked and significant effective dose reduction is observed

What an Agile Leader Does: The Group Dynamics Perspective

When large industrial organizations change to (or start with) an agile approach to operations, managers and some employees are supposed to be “agile leaders” often without being given a clear definition of what that comprises when building agile teams. An inductive thematic analysis was used to investigate what 15 appointed leaders actually do and perceive as challenges regarding group dynamics working with an agile approach. Team maturity, Team design, and Culture and mindset were all categories of challenges related to group dynamics that the practitioners face and manage in their work-life that are not explicitly mentioned in the more process-focused agile transformation frameworks. The results suggest that leader mitigation of these three aspects of group dynamics is essential to the success of an agile transformation

Analysis of motion during the breast clamping phase of mammography

Objectives: To measure paddle motion during the clamping phase of a breast phantom for a range of machine/paddle combinations. Methods: A deformable breast phantom was used to simulate a female breast. Twelve mammography machines from three manufacturers with twenty two flexible and twenty fixed paddles were evaluated. Vertical motion at the paddle was measured using two calibrated linear potentiometers. For each paddle, the motion in millimeters was recorded every 0.5 seconds for 40 seconds while the phantom was compressed with 80 N. Independent t-tests were used to determine differences in paddle motion between flexible and fixed, small and large, GE Senographe Essential and Hologic Selenia Dimensions paddles. Paddle tilt in the medial-lateral plane for each machine/paddle combination was calculated. Results: All machine/paddle combinations demonstrate highest levels of motion during the first 10s of the clamping phase. Least motion is 0.17±0.05 mm/10s (n=20) and the most is 0.51±0.15 mm/10s (n=80). There is a statistical difference in paddle motion between fixed and flexible (p<0.001), GE Senographe Essential and Hologic Selenia Dimensions paddles (p<0.001). Paddle tilt in the medial-lateral plane is independent of time and varied from 0.04° to 0.69°. Conclusions: All machine/paddle combinations exhibited motion and tilting and the extent varied with machine and paddle sizes and types. Advances in knowledge: This research suggests that image blurring will likely be clinically insignificant 4 seconds or more after the clamping phase commences

The formation of professional identity in medical students: considerations for educators

&lt;b&gt;Context&lt;/b&gt; Medical education is about more than acquiring an appropriate level of knowledge and developing relevant skills. To practice medicine students need to develop a professional identity – ways of being and relating in professional contexts.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Objectives&lt;/b&gt; This article conceptualises the processes underlying the formation and maintenance of medical students’ professional identity drawing on concepts from social psychology.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Implications&lt;/b&gt; A multi-dimensional model of identity and identity formation, along with the concepts of identity capital and multiple identities, are presented. The implications for educators are discussed.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions&lt;/b&gt; Identity formation is mainly social and relational in nature. Educators, and the wider medical society, need to utilise and maximise the opportunities that exist in the various relational settings students experience. Education in its broadest sense is about the transformation of the self into new ways of thinking and relating. Helping students form, and successfully integrate their professional selves into their multiple identities, is a fundamental of medical education