Empirical studies show that adaptations of existing agile methods are necessary for developing physical products creating obstacles and challenges. This paper aggregates the gathered findings from several cross-sectional industry surveys and establishes a relationship between the extent of utilization of individual agile elements based on Scrum and the need to adapt these elements in applying agile procedural models. The emphasis of examination resides in the purpose perspective of agile elements with the aim of facilitating context-specific adaptations more effectively.

The past 10 years have brought paradigm-shifting changes to clinical microbiology. This paper explores the top 10 transformative innovations across the diagnostic spectrum, including not only state of the art technologies but also preanalytic and post-analytic advances. Clinical decision support tools have reshaped testing practices, curbing unnecessary tests. Innovations like broad-range polymerase chain reaction and metagenomic sequencing, whole genome sequencing, multiplex molecular panels, rapid phenotypic susceptibility testing, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry have all expanded our diagnostic armamentarium. Rapid home-based testing has made diagnostic testing more accessible than ever. Enhancements to clinician-laboratory interfaces allow for automated stewardship interventions and education. Laboratory restructuring and consolidation efforts are reshaping the field of microbiology, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the future of clinical microbiology laboratories. Here, we review key innovations of the last decade.

This contribution presents a comprehensive analysis of the low temperature deformation behavior of CoCrFeMnNi on the basis of quasistatic tensile tests at temperatures ranging from room temperature down to 4.2 K. Different deformation phenomena occur in the high-entropy alloy in this temperature range. These include (i) serrated plastic flow at certain cryogenic temperatures (4.2 K/8 K), (ii) deformation twinning (4.2 K/8 and 77 K), and (iii) dislocation slip (active from 4.2 K up to room temperature). The importance of deformation twinning for a stable work-hardening rate over an extended stress range as well as strain range has been addressed through the use of comprehensive orientation imaging microscopy studies. The proposed appearance of ε-martensite as well as a previously uninvestigated route of analysis, essentially a quantitative time-dependent, strain-dependent, and stress-dependent evaluation of the serrated plastic flow in CoCrFeMnNi is provided.

Objectives: Pedophilia (P) is a psychiatric disease associated with sexual attraction toward children and often accompanied by child sexual offending (CSO). Consequently, it is important to address the understanding of executive dysfunctions that may increase the probability of CSO. Moreover, this research field has been lacking to disentangle executive deficits associated with pedophilia (as a deviant sexual preference) from those associated with CSO (as a deviant sexual behavior). Methods: The German multi-sided research network NeMUP offers the opportunity to overcome these limitations. By applying the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery in four carefully matched groups of men: (1) pedophiles with (N=45) and (2) without (N=45) a history of sexual offending against children; (3) child molesters without pedophilia (N=19), and (4) non-offending controls (N=49), we were able to analyze executive functioning in pedophilia and CSO independently. Results: Both CSO groups as compared to both non-CSO groups exhibited worsened response inhibition ability. However, only non-pedophilic offenders showed additionally disabled strategy use ability. Regarding set-shifting abilities, the P+CSO group showed the best performance. We also found that performances were affected by age: only in pedophiles, response inhibition worsened with age, while age-related deficits in set-shifting abilities were restricted to non-pedophilic participants. The latter also differentiated between both sexual preference groups. Conclusions: Our results are the first to demonstrate that executive dysfunctions are related to offense status rather than pedophilic preference. Furthermore, there was evidence for differentiating age and performance correlations between pedophiles and non-pedophiles, which warrants further investigation. (JINS, 2017, 23, 460–470)

Case C-255/09 Commission v Portugal

The Portuguese Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 49 EC (Article 56 TFEU) by making no provision for reimbursement of non-hospital medical care provided in another Member State which does not involve the use of major and costly equipment exhaustively listed in the national legislation, other than in the circumstances specified in Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 […] or, to the extent that Decree-Law No 177/92 allows reimbursement in respect of such care, by making such reimbursement subject to prior authorization (official headnote).

Approximately half of the variation in wellbeing measures overlaps with variation in personality traits. Studies of non-human primate pedigrees and human twins suggest that this is due to common genetic influences. We tested whether personality polygenic scores for the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) domains and for item response theory (IRT) derived extraversion and neuroticism scores predict variance in wellbeing measures. Polygenic scores were based on published genome-wide association (GWA) results in over 17,000 individuals for the NEO-FFI and in over 63,000 for the IRT extraversion and neuroticism traits. The NEO-FFI polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction in 7 cohorts, positive affect in 12 cohorts, and general wellbeing in 1 cohort (maximal N = 46,508). Meta-analysis of these results showed no significant association between NEO-FFI personality polygenic scores and the wellbeing measures. IRT extraversion and neuroticism polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction and positive affect in almost 37,000 individuals from UK Biobank. Significant positive associations (effect sizes <0.05%) were observed between the extraversion polygenic score and wellbeing measures, and a negative association was observed between the polygenic neuroticism score and life satisfaction. Furthermore, using GWA data, genetic correlations of -0.49 and -0.55 were estimated between neuroticism with life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. The moderate genetic correlation between neuroticism and wellbeing is in line with twin research showing that genetic influences on wellbeing are also shared with other independent personality domains.

In a recent article, Goodrich has revived the thesis of Theissen, that Erastos, the οἰκονόμος τῆς πόλεως (Rom 16.23), held the office of quaestor when Paul met him in Corinth. This article, however, argues that the municipal office of quaestor did not exist in Corinth.

Chemically Peculiar (CP) stars have been the subject of systematic research for more than 50 years. With the discovery of pulsation of some of the cool CP stars, and the availability of advanced spectropolarimetric instrumentation and high signal-to-noise, high resolution spectroscopy, a new era of CP star research emerged about 20 years ago. Together with the success in ground-based observations, new space projects are developed that will greatly benefit future investigations of these unique objects. In this contribution we will give an overview of some interesting results obtained recently from ground-based observations and discuss the future outstanding Gaia space mission and its impact on CP star research.

Within the basidiomycetes, the vast majority of known mycorrhizal species are homobasidiomycetes. It was therefore surprising when molecular and ultrastructural studies revealed a broad diversity of mycorrhizal associations involving members of the heterobasidiomycetous Sebacinaceae, fungi which, due to their inconspicuous basidiomes, have been often overlooked. To investigate the phylogenetic position of the Sebacinaceae within the basidiomycetes and to infer phylogenetic relationships within the Sebacinaceae, we made molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear rDNA. We present a well-resolved phylogeny of the main lineages of basidiomycetes which suggests that the Sebacinaceae is the most basal group with known mycorrhizal members. Since more basal taxa of basidiomycetes consist of predominantly mycoparasitic and phytoparasitic fungi, it seems possible that a mycorrhizal life strategy, which was transformed into a saprotrophic strategy several times convergently, is an apomorphic character for the Hymenomycetidae. Mycorrhizal taxa of Sebacinaceae, including mycobionts of ectomycorrhizas, orchid mycorrhizas, ericoid mycorrhizas, and jungermannioid mycorrhizas, are distributed over two subgroups. One group contains species with macroscopically visible basidiomes, whereas members of the other group probably lack basidiomes. Sebacina appears to be polyphyletic; current species concepts in Sebacinaceae are questionable. Sebacina vermifera sensu Warcup & Talbot consists of a broad complex of species possibly including mycobionts of jungermannioid and ericoid mycorrhizas.

This wide spectrum of mycorrhizal types in one fungal family is unique. Extrapolating from the known rDNA sequences in Sebacinaceae, it is evident that there is a cosm of mycorrhizal biodiversity yet to be discovered in this group. Taxonomically, we recognise the Sebacinaceae as constituting a new order, the Sebacinales.

In order to evaluate substrate dependence of the symbiotic fungal associations in leafy liverworts (Jungermanniopsida), 28 species out of 12 families were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and molecular methods. Samples were obtained from the diverse substrates: from naked soil, from the forest floor on needle litter, from between peat moss, from rotten bark of standing trees, and from stumps and rotten wood. Associations with ascomycetes were found in most of the specimens independent from the substrate. Seven species sampled from soil were found to contain basidiomycete hyphae. Ultrastructure consistently showed dolipores with imperforate parenthesomes. Molecular phylogenetic studies revealed that three specimens belonging to the Jungermanniales were associated with members of Sebacinaceae, while Aneura pinguis (Metzgeriales) was associated with a Tulasnella species. These taxa are so far the only basidiomycetes known to be symbiotically associated with leafy liverworts. The probability that the associations with Sebacinaceae are evolutionary old, but the Tulasnella associations more derived is discussed. The sebacinoid mycobionts form a similar interaction type with the jungermannialian leafy liverworts as do the associated ascomycetes. The term ‘jungermannioid mycorrhiza’ is proposed for this distinctive symbiotic interaction type.

Nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences characteristic of Sebacinaceae were detected by direct amplification of DNA from field collected ectomycorrhizal samples. A study was undertaken to confirm the formation of ectomycorrhizas by Sebacinaceae and to characterise representative samples genetically, morphologically and ultrastructurally. The investigated sebacinoid mycorrhizas were sufficiently characteristic to be identified morphologically. They are distinguished by a characteristic, clampless, hydrophilic extramatrical mycelium, which is very variable in diameter and in wall thickness, and by the presence of distinctive, y-shaped, inflated multibranchings. Differences in the mantle structure clearly discriminate the two investigated sebacinoid mycorrhizal types. Comparison of the D1/D2 domains of the nuclear large subunit pseudogene and the ITS1 and ITS2 regions identifies the fungal partner of one of the mycorrhizal samples as Sebacina incrustans. Ultrastructural investigations of the ectomycorrhizas show a doliporus/parenthesome architecture consistent with that of the Sebacinaceae. Recently published sequence data obtained from sebacinoid mycorrhizas are compared to our sequences and the complex trophic relationships in the Sebacinaceae are discussed. Observations on ectomycorrhizas and basidiomes suggest that species of Sebacinaceae are fairly common mycobionts in various ectomycorrhizal plant communities.

Single drop impact onto liquid films is simulated numerically. Surface tension and gravity are taken into account, whereas viscosity and compressibility are neglected. This permits recourse to a boundary-integral method, based on an integral equation for a scalar velocity potential. Calculations are performed for normal impacts resulting in axisymmetric flows.

For times that are small compared to the characteristic time of impact 2R/w0 (R being the drop radius, w0 its initial velocity towards the liquid film), it is found that a disk-like jet forms at the neck between the drop and the pre-existing liquid film, if the impact Weber number is high enough. This jet can pinch off a torus-shaped liquid volume at its tip or reconnect with the pre-existing liquid film, thus entraining a torus- shaped bubble. In reality, both the torus-shaped bubble and liquid torus will decay according to Rayleigh's capillary instability, thus breaking the cylindrical symmetry. This mechanism of bubble entrainment differs from those described in literature.

For times that are comparable to or larger than the characteristic time of impact, capillary waves on the film, or the well-known crowns, are obtained again according to whether the impact Weber number is low or high enough.