Technical Debt Prioritization: State of the Art. A Systematic Literature Review

Background. Software companies need to manage and refactor Technical Debt issues. Therefore, it is necessary to understand if and when refactoring Technical Debt should be prioritized with respect to developing features or fixing bugs. Objective. The goal of this study is to investigate the existing body of knowledge in software engineering to understand what Technical Debt prioritization approaches have been proposed in research and industry. Method. We conducted a Systematic Literature Review among 384 unique papers published until 2018, following a consolidated methodology applied in Software Engineering. We included 38 primary studies. Results. Different approaches have been proposed for Technical Debt prioritization, all having different goals and optimizing on different criteria. The proposed measures capture only a small part of the plethora of factors used to prioritize Technical Debt qualitatively in practice. We report an impact map of such factors. However, there is a lack of empirical and validated set of tools. Conclusion. We observed that technical Debt prioritization research is preliminary and there is no consensus on what are the important factors and how to measure them. Consequently, we cannot consider current research conclusive and in this paper, we outline different directions for necessary future investigations

Adaptation and psychometric analysis of the test of mobile phone dependence-brief version in italian adolescents

Since the diffusion of recent models of mobile phones, anyone with an internet connection can communicate continuously and search for information. This raises some questions about the possible consequences of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) in a complex life phase such as adolescence. Therefore, we performed a psychometric analysis of the brief version of the Test of Mobile Phone Dependence (TMD) in Italy. The sample comprised 575 Italian adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Data were collected using the TMD-brief, the Personality Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance Short Form. Regarding test dimensionality, the best-fit measurement model included four factors: “Abstinence”; “Abuse and interference with other activities”; “Tolerance”; and “Lack of control” (Satorra–Bentler χ2 (48) = 185.96, p < 0.01; robust root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.079 (90% confidence interval (CI): 0.067; 0.091); robust TLI = 0.904; robust comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.930). The Italian version of the TMD-brief was found to have good reliability and psychometric properties, and a four-factorial structure. PMPU predicted significant sleep disturbances and this relationship was moderated by clinical personality traits. Findings from this study support the use of the Italian version of the TMD-brief as a screening tool to investigate PMPU in Italian adolescents

Architecture Smells vs. Concurrency Bugs: an Exploratory Study and Negative Results

Technical debt occurs in many different forms across software artifacts. One such form is connected to software architectures where debt emerges in the form of structural anti-patterns across architecture elements, namely, architecture smells. As defined in the literature, ``Architecture smells are recurrent architectural decisions that negatively impact internal system quality", thus increasing technical debt. In this paper, we aim at exploring whether there exist manifestations of architectural technical debt beyond decreased code or architectural quality, namely, whether there is a relation between architecture smells (which primarily reflect structural characteristics) and the occurrence of concurrency bugs (which primarily manifest at runtime). We study 125 releases of 5 large data-intensive software systems to reveal that (1) several architecture smells may in fact indicate the presence of concurrency problems likely to manifest at runtime but (2) smells are not correlated with concurrency in general -- rather, for specific concurrency bugs they must be combined with an accompanying articulation of specific project characteristics such as project distribution. As an example, a cyclic dependency could be present in the code, but the specific execution-flow could be never executed at runtime

Technical Debt Prioritization: State of the Art. A Systematic Literature Review

Background. Software companies need to manage and refactor Technical Debt issues. Therefore, it is necessary to understand if and when refactoring of Technical Debt should be prioritized with respect to developing features or fixing bugs.Objective. The goal of this study is to investigate the existing body of knowledge in software engineering to understand what Technical Debt prioritization approaches have been proposed in research and industry. Method. We conducted a Systematic Literature Review of 557 unique papers published until 2019, following a consolidated methodology applied in software engineering. We included 44 primary studies.Results. Different approaches have been proposed for Technical Debt prioritization, all having different goals and proposing optimization regarding different criteria. The proposed measures capture only a small part of the plethora of factors used to prioritize Technical Debt qualitatively in practice. We present an impact map of such factors. However, there is a lack of empirical and validated set of tools.Conclusion. We observed that Technical Debt prioritization research is preliminary and there is no consensus on what the important factors are and how to measure them. Consequently, we cannot consider current research\ua0conclusive. In this paper, we therefore outline different directions for necessary future investigations

Multilocus Sequence Analysis highlights genetic diversity of Acidovorax avenae strains associated with sugarcane red stripe

XXX Congress of the ISSCT (International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists), Tucumán, from 31 August to 8 September 2019Pathogenic species of Acidovorax cause economically important diseases in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous crops, including sugarcane, corn, rice, oats, millet, foxtail, watermelon and orchids. Sugarcane red stripe, caused by Acidovorax avenae, is present in the main production areas around the world. In Argentina, red stripe affects about 30% of stalks milled with important economic losses when severe infections occur. MLST was used to explore the genetic diversity of this bacterium associated with red stripe in Argentina, as well as their phylogenetic relationships. The MLST analysis included sequences from a total of 118 Acidovorax, 15 A. avenae strains isolated from Argentina sugarcane production areas, A. citrulli (93) from melon and watermelon, A. avenae (9) from rice, millet, corn, vasey grass and sorghum, and A. oryzae (1) from rice. MLST analysis revealed five novel sequence types (STs) for the sugarcane A. avenae strains, constituting a clonal complex with a common and close origin. When genetic relationships with other Acidovorax were explored, sugarcane strains were related to A. avenae from other hosts and more distantly to A. citrulli. Signals of frequent recombination in several lineages of A. avenae were detected and we observed that A. oryzae is closely related to A. avenae strains. This study provides valuable data in the field of epiphytological and evolutionary investigations of A. avenae strains causing sugarcane red stripe. Knowledge of the genetic diversity and host-strain specificity are important to select the genotypes with the best response to red stripe disease.Las especies fitopatógenas de Acidovorax causan enfermedades en cultivos tanto monocotiledóneos y dicotiledóneos, que incluyen caña de azúcar, maíz, arroz, avena, mijo, sandía y orquídeas. La estría roja de caña de azúcar, causada por Acidovorax avenae, está presente en las principales áreas de producción del mundo. En Argentina, esta enfermedad llegó a afectar hasta un 30% de tallos molibles en infecciones severas con importantes pérdidas económicas. Para explorar la diversidad genética de esta bacteria, así como sus relaciones filogenéticas, se aplicó un análisis MLST. El MLST incluyó un total de 118 secuencias de cepas de Acidovorax, 15 A. avenae aisladas de diferentes áreas de producción de caña de azúcar de Argentina, A. citrulli (93) de melón y sandía, A. avenae (9) de arroz, mijo, maíz, pasto vasey y sorgo y A. oryzae (1) de arroz. El análisis de MLST reveló cinco nuevos tipos de secuencia (ST) para las cepas de caña de azúcar A. avenae, que constituyen un complejo clonal con un origen común y cercano. Cuando se investigó la relación genética con otras Acidovorax, las cepas de caña de azúcar se mostraron cercanas con A. avenae de otros huéspedes, pero más distante de A. citrulli. Se evidenciaron señales de recombinación frecuente en varios linajes de A. avenae y observamos que A. oryzae está estrechamente relacionada con las cepas de A. avenae. Este estudio proporciona datos valiosos en el campo de las investigaciones epifitológicas y evolutivas de las cepas de A. avenae que causan estría roja en caña de azúcar. El conocimiento de la diversidad genética y la especificidad cepa-hospedante son importantes para seleccionar genotipos con la mejor respuesta frente a los biotipos más virulentos y predominantes en la región.Les espèces pathogènes d'Acidovorax sont responsables de maladies importantes sur le plan économique dans les cultures monocotylédones et dicotylédones, notamment la canne à sucre, le maïs, le riz, l'avoine, le millet, la sétaire, la pastèque et l’orchidée. Les rayures rouges de la canne à sucre, causée par Acidovorax avena, est présente dans les principales zones de production du monde. En Argentine, les rayures rouges touchent environ 30% des tiges usinables, entraînant d'importantes pertes économiques en cas d'infection grave. Le MLST a été utilisé pour explorer la diversité génétique de cette bactérie associée aux rayures rouges en Argentine, ainsi que leurs relations phylo-génétiques. L'analyse MLST comprenait des séquences provenant d'un total de 118 souches Acidovorax, 15 souches d'A. avenae isolées des zones de production de canne à sucre de l’Argentine, A. citrulli (93) du melon et de pastèque, A. avenae (9) du riz, le mil, le maïs, l’herbe de vasey et le sorgho et A. oryzae (1) obtenue du riz. L'analyse MLST a révélé cinq nouveaux types de séquence (ST) pour les souches de canne à sucre d’A. avenae, constituant un complexe clonal d'origine commune et proche. Lorsque les relations génétiques avec d'autres Acidovorax ont été explorées, les souches provenant de la canne à sucre étaient apparentées à A. avenae provenant d'autres hôtes et plus lointainement à A. citrulli. Des signaux de recombinaison fréquente dans plusieurs lignées d'A. avenae ont été détectés et nous avons observé qu'A. oryzae est étroitement apparenté aux souches d'A. avenae. Cette étude fournit des données précieuses dans le domaine des études épiphytologiques et évolutives des souches d'A. avenae provoquant les rayures rouges de la canne à sucre. La connaissance de la diversité génétique et de la spécificité souche-hôte est importante pour sélectionner les génotypes présentant la meilleure résistance à la maladie des rayures rouges.EEA FamailláFil: Fontana, Paola Daniela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Tomasini, Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Tomasini, Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Fontana, Cecilia Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Di Pauli, Valentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Cocconcelli, P.S. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari per una filiera agro-alimentare Sostenibile (DISTAS); ItaliaFil: Vignolo, Graciela Margarita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Salazar, Sergio Miguel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; Argentin

CEUS Retrograde Cystography Is Helpful in Percutaneous Drainage of Complex Posttransplant Lymphocele

After monolateral dual kidney transplantation, a 69 years old male patient developed symptomatic lymphocele with mild hydroureteronephrosis, impaired renal function, and right inferior limb oedema. A percutaneous ultrasound-guided drainage of the fluid collection was planned, but the complex mutual relations between the collection and the renal hilus did not allow to identify a suitable route for a safe drainage insertion during conventional ultrasound examination. A retrograde cystography using echographic contrast agent was, therefore, performed, and it clarified the position of both ureters and the renal vessels, permitting an harmless ultrasound-guided percutaneous lymphocele drainage. In conclusion contrast-enhanced ultrasound retrograde cystography may be helpful in percutaneous drainage of complex posttransplant lymphocele

Impact of Opportunistic Reuse Practices to Technical Debt

Technical debt (TD) has been recognized as an important quality problem for both software architecture and code. The evolution of TD techniques over the past years has led to a number of research and commercial tools. In addition, the increasing trend of opportunistic reuse (as opposed to systematic reuse), where developers reuse code assets in popular repositories, is changing the way components are selected and integrated into existing systems. However, reusing software opportunistically can lead to a loss of quality and induce TD, especially when the architecture is changed in the process. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the impact of opportunistic reuse in TD. In this paper, we carry out an exploratory study to investigate to what extent reusing components opportunistically negatively affects the quality of systems. We use one commercial and one research tool to analyze the TD ratios of three case systems, before and after opportunistically extending them with open-source software.Peer reviewe

Optimized somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in elite Argentinian sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivars

Background: Biotechnological breeding of elite sugarcane cultivars is currently limited because of the difficulty of regenerating plants by tissue culture. Here, we report that commercially elite sugarcane genotypes, which are adapted to Argentinian agro-ecological conditions, are capable of being regenerated via indirect somatic embryogenesis. Leaf rolls of five elite genotypes were cultured following two callus induction protocols using different concentrations of 2,4-D as the growth regulator. Embryogenic calluses were regenerated under light conditions. Regenerated plants were subsequently acclimatized in the greenhouse under two acclimatization procedures before being transplanted to the field. Results: Four of the five genotypes were able to form somatic embryos following the two induction protocols. The variables related to embryogenic callus production were influenced by the interaction between genotype and culture conditions. For plant regeneration, the embryogenic calluses were further cultured on an IBA-supplemented medium, where we observed a high genotype dependence. Calluses from the four cultivars regenerated a good number of plants. With the procedures described here, we obtained more than 90% of well-acclimatized plants both in the greenhouse and in the field. Conclusions: This protocol provides a simple way to regenerate sugarcane plants through indirect somatic embryogenesis. Also, the results confirm that tissue culture ability is highly genotype-dependent in sugarcane. Our findings suggest that these elite cultivars could be good candidates for biotechnological breeding.EEA FamailláFil: Di Pauli, Valentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Fontana, Paola Daniela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Lewi, Dalia Marcela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; ArgentinaFil: Felipe, Arturo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Erazzú, Luis E. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; Argentina

Traceability of Pediatric Antibiotic Purchasing Pathways in Italy: A Nationwide Real-World Drug Utilization Analysis

Purpose The aim of the present study was to describe the purchasing patterns of a set of antibiotics used exclusively in an out-patient pediatric setting in Italy using the Farma360 wholesale drug database (IQVIA Solutions Italy), identifying the proportion of medications which are not captured by Italian National Health Service (NHS) pharmacy claims databases and examining the implications of such findings from a public health and pharmaceutical policy perspective. Methods Using a systematic approach, sixty-six antibiotic pediatric formulations were selected for the 5 most commonly used antibiotics in Italy in children and adolescents: amoxicillin in combination with clavulanic acid, amoxicillin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and cefixime. The Farma360 wholesale drug purchasing database was used to identify the yearly proportion of antibiotics not purchased based on NHS reimbursement in primary care from 2015-2017 at the national level. The relationship between product cost and purchase outside the NHS was assessed by a scatterplot. All analyses were stratified by geographic area: Northwest, Northeast, Central and Southern Italy. Results The proportion of antibiotics not reimbursed by the NHS increased nationally from 24% in 2015 to 29% in 2017. The antibiotic with the highest proportion of purchases outside the NHS was amoxicillin, with almost two-thirds of all amoxicillin purchases in Southern Italy being made in this way in 2017. The relationship between antibiotic price and antibiotic purchase outside the NHS was almost linear for many geographic areas. Conclusions This study showed that a large proportion of antibiotics with a pediatric formulation is purchased outside the NHS drug purchasing pathway, especially in Southern Italy, indicating that it is not possible to fully monitor drug utilization, including appropriateness, for these antibiotics. A better strategy is needed to improve drug utilization monitoring, such as better data collection or data linkage