Erlang Code Evolution Control

During the software lifecycle, a program can evolve several times for different reasons such as the optimisation of a bottle-neck, the refactoring of an obscure function, etc. These code changes often involve several functions or modules, so it can be difficult to know whether the correct behaviour of the previous releases has been preserved in the new release. Most developers rely on a previously defined test suite to check this behaviour preservation. We propose here an alternative approach to automatically obtain a test suite that specifically focusses on comparing the old and new versions of the code. Our test case generation is directed by a sophisticated combination of several already existing tools such as TypEr, CutEr, and PropEr; and other ideas such as allowing the programmer to chose an expression of interest that must preserve the behaviour, or the recording of the sequences of values to which this expression is evaluated. All the presented work has been implemented in an open-source tool that is publicly available on GitHub.Comment: Pre-proceedings paper presented at the 27th International Symposium on Logic-Based Program Synthesis and Transformation (LOPSTR 2017), Namur, Belgium, 10-12 October 2017 (arXiv:1708.07854

Direct access to potential research participants for a cohort study using a confidentiality waiver included in UK National Health Service legal statutes

OBJECTIVES: To describe our experience of using a confidentiality waiver (Section 251) in the National Health Service (NHS) Act to identify and recruit potential research participants to a cohort study and consider its use in a wider research context. DESIGN: Methodological discussion. SETTING: NHS Trusts in England. METHODS: We established a research recruitment process with quality health (QH), administrators of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, after an amendment to a Section 251 approval (reference number ECC-8-05d-2011). NHS Trusts agreeing to implement the process were requested to send the details of 16-24-year-olds, identified by a relevant ICD-10 code indicating a cancer diagnosis within a specified time period to QH. QH sent study information and a consent-to-be-contacted form which allowed QH to send details to BRIGHTLIGHT, for BRIGHTLIGHT to contact the treating team confirming eligibility and for an interviewer from Ipsos MORI to contact them. Written consent was to be obtained at interview. RESULTS: The method was implemented in 98 trusts; 75 supplied patient details. QH sent information to 441 young people, of whom 64 (15%) responded. Of these, 23 had already consented to participate. Adverse events were reported by 6 (1%) invitees: 4 were distressed because they did not have cancer, their details being submitted to QH due to incorrect hospital coding, and 1 young person was distressed about their diagnosis and requested no further contact and 1 young person found out they had cancer from the invitation. CONCLUSIONS: Application of Section 251 of the NHS Act (2006) to directly approach participants can facilitate recruitment to research projects where routinely collected NHS data are available to select eligible patients. The benefits of this method are that it requires fewer resources to recruit across multiple sites, and is quicker. Further information on the impact on bias and adverse event profile are required

Ethical challenges in researching and telling the stories of recently deceased people

This paper explores ethical challenges encountered when conducting research about, and telling, the stories of individuals who had died before the research began. Cases were explored where individuals who lived alone had died alone at home and where their bodies had been undiscovered for an extended period. The ethical review process had not had anything significant to say about the deceased ‘participants’. As social researchers we considered whether it was ethical to involve deceased people in research when they had no opportunity to decline, and we were concerned about how to report such research. The idea that the dead can be harmed did not help our decision-making processes, but the notion of the dead having limited human rights conferred upon them was useful and aided us in clarifying how to conduct our research and disseminate our findings.Peer reviewe

Clinical and molecular features associated with cystic visceral lesions in von hippel-lindau disease.

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is an uncommon oncogenic disorder which occurs as a result of genetic mutations on chromosome 3p. Retinal capillary haemangiomas and CNS haemangioblastomas have been well-characterised in genotypic-phenotypic analyses, but cystic visceral lesions are less common and have been less frequently studied. The aim of this study was to perform genotypic and phenotypic analysis of a cohort of VHL patients that developed cystic visceral lesions to determine whether their genotype differs from that seen in other manifestations of VHL and whether the ocular manifestations differ.This study reports a prospective case series of twenty-one patients identified from the Hammersmith Hospital Genetics Service database as having VHL mutations. Patients underwent regular ocular and systemic screening as well as genotypic analysis. The main outcome measures were the development of VHL lesions, either ocular or systemic.Cystic visceral lesions were detected in six of the 21 patients from the clinic (29%). These included renal cysts in four patients, pancreatic cysts in three patients, and an epididymal cystadenoma in one patient. Renal cysts were not associated with any specific genotype. Pancreatic cysts appeared to occur in association with VHL gene deletions and all developed CNS haemangioblastomas. Only one patient developed ocular manifestations, which occurred in this patient in the form of two retinal capillary haemangiomas.VHL gene deletions appeared to be associated with pancreatic cysts and the development of CNS haemangioblastomas. Ocular manifestations are uncommon in this group of patients

Using New Submillimetre Surveys to Identify the Evolutionary Status of High-z Galaxies

This paper describes a key submillimetre survey which we are currently conducting to address some of the outstanding questions in cosmology - how, at what epoch and over what period of time did massive galaxies form at high redshift? A summary of the technical feasibility of future submillimetre observations with new ground-based, airborne and satellite telescopes is also presented.Comment: 6 pages, 3 postscript figures, LaTex uses Kluwer book style file crckapb10.sty, to appear in "Observational Cosmology with the New Radio Surveys", 13-15 January 1997, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, M.Bremer, N.Jackson, I.Perez-Fournon (eds.), Kluwe

Optimizing a Retention Strategy with Young People for BRIGHTLIGHT, a Longitudinal Cohort Study Examining the Value of Specialist Cancer Care for Young People

PURPOSE: To maximize retention of participants in a longitudinal cohort study, we sought to understand young peoples' views about barriers and facilitators to continuing study participation. METHODS: Ten young people with a previous cancer diagnosis aged 15-24 participated in a 1 day workshop. The workshop used participatory methodology consisting of three exercises as follows: role play/scene setting; force field analysis of research participation in small groups; and focus group discussion. A final prioritization exercise was administered individually after the workshop. RESULTS: Twenty-four barriers to maintaining participation were summarized in five themes as follows: life commitments; concerns specific to the study; emotional barriers; practical barriers; and other reasons. The top 3 specific barriers were as follows: not a priority/other things are more important; too time consuming; and forgetting/memory. The top 3 facilitators for participation were as follows: wishing to help other young people; giving back to the cancer community; and honoring an initial commitment to participation. The top 3 suggested solutions to encourage continued participation were as follows: reminder text message or email before each survey to check preferred method of delivery; breaking up the online survey into modules to make completion less overwhelming; and consolidation of study information in one location. CONCLUSION: Involving young people in designing a retention strategy for young people with cancer has informed the BRIGHTLIGHT retention strategy. Patient and public involvement is imperative for successful research but measuring impact is challenging. The success of implementing the changes to optimize retention was shown in the increase in retention in Wave 3 from 30% to final participation of 58%

A participatory study of teenagers and young adults views on access and participation in cancer research.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to elicit young people's views on access and participation in cancer research. METHODS: Eight young people aged 18-25 years with a previous cancer diagnosis aged 15-24 participated in a one day workshop utilising participatory methodology. The workshop consisted of four exercises: role play/scene setting; focus group examining thoughts and opinions of research access and participation; individual reflection on access to different types of research; and creative interpretation of the workshop. Further consultation with 222 young people with cancer was conducted using an electronic survey. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: • Patient choice: Young people thought it was their right to know all options about available research. Without knowledge of all available studies they would be unable to make an informed choice about participation. • Role of healthcare professionals as facilitators/barriers: Young people suggested non-clinical healthcare professionals such as social workers and youth support coordinators may be more suited to approaching young people about participation in psychosocial and health services research. • Value of the research: The what, when and how information was delivered was key in relaying the value of the study and assisting young people in their decision to participate. Further consultation showed approximately 70% wanted to find out about all available research. However, one third trusted healthcare professionals to decide which research studies to inform them of. CONCLUSION: Effective ways to support healthcare professionals approaching vulnerable populations about research are needed to ensure young people are empowered to make informed choices about research participation