65 research outputs found

    It was a bit of a race: Gamification of version control

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    Abstract—The adoption of software engineering practices cannot always be achieved by education or processes. However, social software has the potential for supporting deliberate behavior change. We present preliminary results of an experiment in which we encouraged computer science students to make more frequent commits to version control by using a social software application. We provided a web-based newsfeed of commits that also displayed a leaderboard. While we have yet to analyze the data, interviews we conducted with the participants allow for first qualitative insights. Version control; commits; behavior change; gamification I

    Phenotypic Overlap between MMP-13 and the Plasminogen Activation System during Wound Healing in Mice

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    BACKGROUND: Proteolytic degradation of extracellular matrix is a crucial step in the healing of incisional skin wounds. Thus, healing of skin wounds is delayed by either plasminogen-deficiency or by treatment with the broad-spectrum metalloproteinase (MP) inhibitor Galardin alone, while the two perturbations combined completely prevent wound healing. Both urokinase-type plasminogen activator and several matrix metallo proteinases (MMPs), such as MMP-3, -9 and -13, are expressed in the leading-edge keratinocytes of skin wounds, which may account for this phenotypic overlap between these classes of proteases. METHODOLOGY: To further test that hypothesis we generated Mmp13;Plau and Mmp13;Plg double-deficient mice in a cross between Mmp13- and Plau-deficient mice as well as Mmp13- and Plg-deficient mice. These mice were examined for normal physiology in a large cohort study and in a well-characterized skin wound healing model, in which we made incisional 20 mm-long full-thickness skin wounds. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: While mice that are deficient in Mmp13 have a mean healing time indistinguishable to wild-type mice, wound healing in both Plau- and Plg-deficient mice is significantly delayed. Histological analysis of healed wounds revealed a significant increase in keratin 10/14 immunoreactive layers of kerationcytes in the skin surface in Mmp13;Plau double-deficient mice. Furthermore, we observe, by immunohistological analysis, an aberrant angiogenic pattern during wound healing induced by Plau-deficiency, which has not previously been described. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a phenotypic overlap, defined as an additional delay in wound healing in the double-deficient mice compared to the individual single-deficient mice, between MMP-13 and the plasminogen activation system in the process of wound healing, but not during gestation and in postnatal development. Thus, a dual targeting of uPA and MMP-13 might be a possible future strategy in designing therapies aimed at tissue repair or other pathological processes, such as cancer invasion, where proteolytic degradation is a hallmark

    Region-Specific Expression of Mitochondrial Complex I Genes during Murine Brain Development

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    Mutations in the nuclear encoded subunits of mitochondrial complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) may cause circumscribed cerebral lesions ranging from degeneration of the striatal and brainstem gray matter (Leigh syndrome) to leukodystrophy. We hypothesized that such pattern of regional pathology might be due to local differences in the dependence on complex I function. Using in situ hybridization we investigated the relative expression of 33 nuclear encoded complex I subunits in different brain regions of the mouse at E11.5, E17.5, P1, P11, P28 and adult (12 weeks). With respect to timing and relative intensity of complex I gene expression we found a highly variant pattern in different regions during development. High average expression levels were detected in periods of intense neurogenesis. In cerebellar Purkinje and in hippocampal CA1/CA3 pyramidal neurons we found a second even higher peak during the period of synaptogenesis and maturation. The extraordinary dependence of these structures on complex I gene expression during synaptogenesis is in accord with our recent findings that gamma oscillations – known to be associated with higher cognitive functions of the mammalian brain – strongly depend on the complex I activity. However, with the exception of the mesencephalon, we detected only average complex I expression levels in the striatum and basal ganglia, which does not explain the exquisite vulnerability of these structures in mitochondrial disorders

    Determinants of penetrance and variable expressivity in monogenic metabolic conditions across 77,184 exomes

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    Penetrance of variants in monogenic disease and clinical utility of common polygenic variation has not been well explored on a large-scale. Here, the authors use exome sequencing data from 77,184 individuals to generate penetrance estimates and assess the utility of polygenic variation in risk prediction of monogenic variants

    Influencing the adoption of software engineering methods using social software

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    a wealth of methods that improve the quality of software and lower the costs of producing it. Even though processes mandate their use, methods are not employed consequently. Software developers and development organizations thus cannot fully benefit from these methods. We propose a method that, for a given software engineering method, provides instructions on how to improve its adoption using social software. This employs the intrinsic motivation of software developers rather than prescribing behavior. As a result, we believe that software engineering methods will be applied better and more frequently

    Online Social Networks as a Catalyst for Software and IT Innovation

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    People have many creative ideas, but only a few of these ideas are realized and lead to innovation. Good ideas often fail because they are not shared between innovators and stakeholders, hence are unlikely to be realized. Consequently, many opportunities are missed to excite customers and to gain a competitive advantage. This paper proposes an innovation process that uses online social networks to lower the hurdle to sharing ideas. The process leverages diffusion effects of social networks while supporting the generation, evaluation, consolidation, and implementation of innovative ideas with lightweight activities. The process is illustrated and discussed using an application example. Although we are focusing on innovation regarding software-intensive systems, we foresee that the discussed process has the potential to be applied to other domains as well
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