Agile Method Tailoring in a CMMI Level 5 Organization

We investigate the use and tailoring of agile methods in a highly disciplined CMMI Level 5 organization. We explore gaps between traditional agile practices and those required for enhanced levels of governance required by CMMI appraisal. We conducted a case study with recorded interviews from practitioners at NIIT Technology Ltd. The interviews were iteratively analysed and coded. Our findings show that agile methods must be supplemented with pre-sprint planning, evidence recording, project metrics, team self-organization, process standardization, and process base-lining to support the CMMI appraisal. There are challenges around Agile compliance with CMMI Level 4 processes and misconceptions about agile methods precluding documentation of the rationale for design decisions. This research contributes data to the tailoring of agile methods in a high-maturity CMMI context and will be useful for agile teams conducting level 5 appraisal

Safe Human Robot-Interaction using Switched Model Reference Admittance Control

Physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI) task involves tight coupling between safety constraints and compliance with human intentions. In this paper, a novel switched model reference admittance controller is developed to maintain compliance with the external force while upholding safety constraints in the workspace for an n-link manipulator involved in pHRI. A switched reference model is designed for the admittance controller to generate the reference trajectory within the safe workspace. The stability analysis of the switched reference model is carried out by an appropriate selection of the Common Quadratic Lyapunov Function (CQLF) so that asymptotic convergence of the trajectory tracking error is ensured. The efficacy of the proposed controller is validated in simulation on a two-link robot manipulator

Higher Neutrophil Infiltration Mediated by Osteopontin Is a Likely Contributing Factor to the Increased Susceptibility of Females to Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major public health problem in the United States and women are known to be more susceptible to ALD. However, the precise mechanism for increased susceptibility of females to ALD is not completely understood. the present study is based on the hypothesis that induction of osteopontin (OPN), a matricellular protein, is the likely contributing factor for higher neutrophil recruitment in females during alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). ASH was induced in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding them a Lieber-DeCarli diet containing ethanol (EtOH) for 6 weeks, followed by a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg, ip). Liver injury, measured by plasma transaminase elevations and confirmed by haematoxylin and eosin-stained liver sections, revealed ∼25-fold higher liver injury in the female ASH model compared with the males. Although steatosis, necrosis, and neutrophil infiltration were evident in both male and female rats, hepatic neutrophilic necrotic foci were noted as early as 2 h after LPS injection in the EtOH-treated female rats. Hepatic neutrophil infiltration correlated with higher expression of cleaved (cOPN) and uncleaved OPN in the EtOH + LPS-treated female rats compared with the males. OPN secretion was localized predominantly in the biliary epithelium and females had significantly higher OPN mRNA than their male counterparts in the ASH model. the ability of OPN to attract neutrophils was further confirmed in vivo, in a peritonitis rat model, and by neutralizing OPN (nOPN) antibody experiments. Hepatic neutrophil infiltration was largely inhibited (∼50%) by nOPN antibody. Flow cytometry experiments revealed OPN-mediated up-regulation of the CD11b neutrophil adhesion molecule. in conclusion, these data suggest that higher hepatic expression of OPN is the likely reason for higher and early hepatic neutrophil infiltration making females more susceptible to ALD during ASH. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Reduction of death rate due to acute myocardial infarction in subjects with cancers through systemic restoration of impaired nitric oxide.

INTRODUCTION: Excessive aggregation of platelets at the site of plaque rupture on the coronary artery led to the formation of thrombus which is reported to precipitate acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Nitric oxide (NO) has been reported to inhibit platelet aggregation and induce thrombolysis through the in situ formation of plasmin. As the plasma NO level in AMI patients from two different ethnic groups was reduced to 0 µM (median) compared to 4.0 µM (median) in normal controls, the effect of restoration of the NO level to normal ranges on the rate of death due to AMI was determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: The restoration of plasma NO level was achieved by a sticking small cotton pad (10×25 mm) containing 0.28 mmol sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in 0.9% NaCl to the abdominal skin of the participants using non-toxic adhesive tape which was reported to normalize the plasma NO level. The participants (8,283) were volunteers in an independent study who had different kinds of cancers and did not wish to use any conventional therapy for their condition but opted to receive SNP "pad" for their condition for 3 years. The use of SNP "pad" which normalized (≈4.0 µM) the plasma NO level that in consequence reduced the death rate due to AMI, among the participants, was found to be significantly reduced compared to the death due to AMI in normal population. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that the use of SNP "pad" significantly reduced the death due to AMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.ctri.nic.in CTRI/2013/12/004236

Role of Osteopontin in Hepatic Neutrophil Infiltration During Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major complication of heavy alcohol (EtOH) drinking and is characterized by three progressive stages of pathology: steatosis, steatohepatitis, and fibrosis/cirrhosis. Alcoholic steatosis (AS) is the initial stage of ALD and consists of fat accumulation in the liver accompanied by minimal liver injury. AS is known to render the hepatocytes increasingly sensitive to toxicants such as bacterial endotoxin (LPS). Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH), the second and rate-limiting step in the progression of ALD, is characterized by hepatic fat accumulation, neutrophil infiltration, and neutrophil-mediated parenchymal injury. However, the pathogenesis of ASH is poorly defined. It has been theorized that the pathogenesis of ASH involves interaction of increased circulating levels of LPS with hepatocytes being rendered highly sensitive to LPS due to heavy EtOH consumption. We hypothesize that osteopontin (OPN), a matricellular protein (MCP), plays an important role in the hepatic neutrophil recruitment due to its enhanced expression during the early phase of ALD (AS and ASH). To study the role of OPN in the pathogenesis of ASH, we induced AS in male Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding EtOH-containing Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet for 6 weeks. AS rats experienced extensive fat accumulation and minimal liver injury. Moderate induction in OPN was observed in AS group. ASH was induced by feeding male Sprague-Dawley rats EtOH-containing Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet for 6 weeks followed by LPS injection. The ASH rats had substantial neutrophil infiltration, coagulative oncotic necrosis, and developed higher liver injury. Significant increases in the hepatic and circulating levels of OPN was observed in the ASH rats. Higher levels of the active, thrombin-cleaved form of OPN in the liver in ASH group correlated remarkably with hepatic neutrophil infiltration. Finally, correlative studies between OPN and hepatic neutrophil infiltration was corroborated in a simple rat peritoneal model where enhanced peritoneal fluid neutrophil infiltration was noted in rats injected OPN intraperitoneally. Taken together these data indicate that OPN expression induced during ASH may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of ASH by stimulating neutrophil transmigration. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Nitric oxide levels in AMI patients in South Asia and in Southern Australia.

<p>The NO level was determined by methemoglobin method as described in the Materials and Methods section in both the cases. Panel A represents the median values of plasma NO level in AMI patients and in the equal number of age and gender matched normal volunteers in Australia. Panel B shows the median values of plasma NO level in AMI patients and in the age and gender matched normal volunteers in India.</p

<b>Table-2.</b> Cancer entities of the patients selected for the study.

<p>The study involved the application of SNP “pad” for 3 years in patients suffering from different kinds of cancer. The digits within the parentheses denote the number of patients who volunteered to participate in the present study.</p