Support for an integrated approach to program understanding: an application of software visualisation

Program Comprehension is a key factor in providing effective software maintenance and enabling successful evolution of software systems. The objective of this research is to provide a framework and mechanism to facilitate the understanding of large software systems. There exist a number of theories and models of Program Comprehension where each favours a different approach to comprehension. It is evident that there is no real consensus on how maintainers understand software systems. The disparities in the comprehension strategies are largely dependent on the personal and circumstantial factors. Factors such as the level of technical competence of the maintainers, the size and complexity of the piece of software, and the types and goals of the maintenance activities can influence the process of comprehension. This research proposes an alternative approach to Program Comprehension. It acknowledges that the process of comprehension is opportunistic, and that the current comprehension theories are inadequate in addressing this. There is a need for a more flexible approach towards comprehension, and the Integrated Approach proposed in this thesis provides a way for the utilisation of the various comprehension theories under a single environment. It recognises that any one of the comprehension theories may become active during comprehension. Under the Integrated Approach, maintainers have the option of selecting and executing the various comprehension strategies as they see fit. The Integrated Approach to comprehension is based on a matrix of Program Relationships between Program Elements of a programming language. In this thesis, these Program Relationships are derived for the C programming language constructs. This work also involves the investigation of the roles of both textual and graphical representations during the comprehension process. Both representations are commonly used to alleviate the problem of information overloading when maintainers trying to understand and maintain a software system. The Integrated Approach is realised in a tool named PUI (program [understanding implements) which provides an environment enabling the utilisation of various comprehension theories

A Case of Initially Undiagnosed Chikungunya Arthritis Developing into Chronic Phase in a Nonendemic Area

This case report described a 40-year-old lady presented with fever, headache, arthralgia, myalgia, and impaired liver function after returning from the Philippines. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and dengue serology were negative. Eight weeks after initial presentation, she experienced inflammatory polyarthritis mimic rheumatoid arthritis. This time CHIKV-IgM was detected, together with a >4-fold rise of CHIKV-polyvalent-antibody titre. The first CHIKV-IgM negative sample was reexamined and was CHIKV-PCR positive. CHIKV infection was confirmed and diagnosis of CHIKV-related arthritis was made. A quarter of CHIKV infected individuals develop post-CHIKV rheumatisms that affect quality of life and may need treatment with Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs. This case highlights the importance of considering CHIKV infection in patients present with symmetrical polyarthritis particularly after travel to endemic regions. Testing of both CHIKV acute and convalescent-phase serum for CHIKV antibodies and PCR is recommended in suspicious case

Piperacillin/tazobactam Induced Myelosuppression

Neutropenia, secondary to immune destruction or maturation arrest, is the most commonly described adverse haematological effect of beta-lactam antibiotics. We describe a case of reversible pancytopenia, with evidence of hypocellular marrow, after a prolonged course of piperacillin/tazobactam for 26 days

Incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Hospitalized Chinese Medical Patients and the Impact of DVT Prophylaxis

Objective. To evaluate the incidence of deep vein thrombosis in hospitalized Chinese medical patients and the impact of DVT prophylaxis. Methods. All cases of confirmed proximal DVT from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively to determine the presence of risk factors and whether DVT developed: during hospitalization in medical wards or in case of readmission with a diagnosis of DVT within 14 days of discharge from a recent admission to medical wards. The impact of prophylaxis will be estimated by comparing the annual incidence of proximal DVT among medical patients hospitalized from 2005 to 2007 with that of 2008 (DVT prophylaxis commonly used). Results. From 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008, 3938 Doppler ultrasound studies were performed for suspected DVT. Proximal DVT was diagnosed in 687 patients. The calculated incidence of proximal DVT among medical patients hospitalized for at least two days was 1.8%, 2%, and 1.7% for the year 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. The incidence was 1.1% for 2008 (P < .001). Conclusion. Proximal DVT was substantial in Chinese medical patients, and DVT prophylaxis might reduce such risk

Knee kinematics of ACL-deficient patients: A development of a portable motion analysis system

This study is to compare the knee kinematic measurements between the novel portable skin marker-based motion analysis system (Opti-Knee®) and a conventional system (Vicon®). Nineteen subjects were recruited and asked to perform stair descent with lower limb placed with skin markers. Knee kinematic data was computed from the trajectories of the skin markers. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) were used to analyze the data. For the waveform, sagittal plane rotation is strongly positive correlated between systems, while for axial and coronal plane rotation, it was moderately to strongly positive correlated in both normal (ACLN) and ACL-deficient (ACLD) group. Substantial difference between two groups was found in correlation of abduction/adduction in both stance and swing phase, as well as in external/internal rotation in all selected regions of interest. Moreover, the RMSD was larger in ACLN than in ACLD in three planes of rotation. The capability of Opti-Knee® in tracking lower limb sagittal plane rotation was comparable to Vicon®. However, for coronal and axial plane rotation, although the correlation to Vicon® in kinematic waveforms was moderately high, their ROM and peak values substantially deviated from the values in Vicon®.This study is supported by the Innovation and Technology Support Program, Hong Kong (Ref. No.: ITS/289/14FX)

Promotion of knowledge and awareness of parents in HK about infant oral health care

Aim: To promote the knowledge and awareness of infant oral health (OH) care among Hong Kong parents with children aged 0 to 2 years through an interactive workshop and to evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: Parents were recruited from government-registered childcare centers and private playgroups. Interactive workshops consisted of a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation and 20 minutes of small-group activities, which included infant oral hygiene instruction with custom-made infant dentition models, diet analysis and question-and-answer session. Self-completed questionnaires used to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of parents were distributed before and after the workshops. Scores on general OH knowledge (range=0-18), infant OH knowledge (0-10) and parent’s attitude (0-4) were computed. Scores of at least 70% were considered proficient. Results: Among the 111 participants (aged 26 to 54 years, 64% mothers), 96% had a child aged 0 to 30 months. 30% had their children’s mouth cleaned at least twice a day. Only one participant had brought his/her child to see a dentist. Weaker aspects in parents’ OH knowledge and common misconceptions were identified in the pre-survey. Only 35% identified frequent meals as an increased caries risk; only 59% and 79% identified starchy food and formula milk as cariogenic food respectively. 58% did not know water fluoridation can prevent caries, while 33% of parents pointed out calcium supplement can prevent caries. Before the workshop, 41% had proficient general OH knowledge (mean=11.9) and 16% had proficient infant OH knowledge (mean=4.8). Over half of parents showed positive attitude (mean=3.4). Significant improvements in general OH knowledge (mean=15.6, p<0.001), infant OH knowledge (mean=8.8, p<0.001) and attitude (mean=3.9, p<0.001) were observed. Parents reflected the workshops were useful (94%) and they learned new practices to improve their infants’ OH (95%). Conclusion: Several deficiencies in oral health knowledge and behaviour are identified. The interactive workshops can effectively promote the knowledge and awareness of infant oral health care among parents with children aged 0 to 2 years. Large-scale infant oral health survey is needed. Interactive workshops with longer follow-up periods are recommended. More guidelines can be provided to parents and general dentists for prevention of caries.published_or_final_versio

Networked submission and assessment

In this paper, we describe the new online submission and assessment software in use at Warwick, a 3-tier client-server architecture with enhanced functionality and security features, and discuss its evolution from the BOSS software which was used before. We concentrate on the changing requirements for such software brought about by Internet availability, and on the enhanced functionality afforded by the use of new technologies