Automating Test Case Selection in Model-Based Software Product Line Development

We address the problem of how to select test cases for products in a controlled model-based software product line development process. CVL, the common variability language, gives a framework for materialisation of product models from a given base model, variability model and resolution model. From such product models, software products can be derived. In practise, test case development for the product line often is independent from the product development. Therefore, the problem arises which test cases can be applied to which products. In particular, the question is whether a test case for one speci c product can be also used for a "similar" product. In this paper, we show how the expected outcome of a test case to a product in a model-based software product line development can be determined. That is, we give a procedure for assigning the outcome of a given test case on an arbitrary member of a software product line. We recall the relevant de nitions for software product line engineering, describe our approach, and demonstrate it with the example of a product line of super-automatic espresso machines.     

Kinetic aspects of dye-transfer inhibition by catalytic oxidation

Dye-transfer inhibition (DTI) during laundering can be achieved by catalytic bleaching of the migrating dyes in the wash-liquor. The rate of the bleaching reaction should be significantly higher than the rate of dye adsorption onto the acceptor fabric. Further, the stability of the catalyst should be high enough in order to bleach dye which is slowly released from colored fabrics during the entire wash-cycle. The performance of three managnese-salen (Mn-salen) complexes as DTI catalysts is discussed in terms of their activity and their stability. It is shown that a very high activity is compatible with a high stability, leading to excellent DTI effects. For less stable catalysts, the performance can be markedly improved by optimizing the catalyst and peroxide concentrations or by formulation in a polymer matrix.     

Terpyridine-manganese complexes: A new class of bleach catalysts for detergent applications

Oxidation catalysis is one approach used to improve the performance of hydrogen peroxide in laundry bleach applications. We introduce herein a new class of bleach catalysts based on the ligand 2,2′∶6′,2″ terpyridine. A set of manganese complexes of substituted terpyridines was investigated with respect to their physicochemical properties and bleach performance. Introduction of electron-donating hydroxy and amine substituents in the 4-position of the individual pyridine rings improves the bleach performance in model experiments with morin (2′,3,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) in solution as well as on tea-stained cotton fabrics. All the catalysts show excellent bleach performance at 40 and 25°C under European washing conditions. Performance is superior to that of the activator tetraacetyl ethylenediamine (TAED) but depends critically on the substitution pattern. Dye damage caused by the catalysts is similar to that of TAED, proving that catalytic bleach systems with high performance and low damage are indeed feasible. Model experiments revealed that the complexes are highly stable under aqueous alkaline conditions in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The optimal pH for catalytic activity is about 10. For a catalyst to have a high bleach performance, it must possess a sufficiently low activity to catalyze disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide, which is a major side reaction of catalytic bleach with manganese complexes. All the catalysts showed a similar affinity for the cotton fabric, suggesting that differences in bleach activity of complexes are not caused by differences in the fabric affinity.     

新一代催化漂白技术(英文)

一般而言 ,氧化作用是放热反应且具有动力学受阻碍的特点。催化作用可消除由后者导致的缺点 ,所以发明合适的催化剂迫在眉睫。在洗涤工业领域中 ,漂白过程均属于氧化作用。而现有的漂白技术存在着明显的缺陷 ,比如低温条件下漂白效果很差 ,需要使用超量的氧化剂 ,同时对织物纤维和染料都有破坏作用。为了寻找一种合适的催化剂 ,深入研究了数千种化合物。这些物质需在漂白溶液中的迁移染料 (染料迁移抑制 )时 ,或在含过氧化物的介质中漂白织物及硬表面上的污物时达到损益平衡。首选一些可高效漂白且不损伤染料和织物的化合物 ,甚至在 2 0℃条件下也可获得高效漂白效果。另外 ,与常用过氧化物添加水平相比 ,加入此类催化剂可明显降低其用量 ,并保持良好的漂白功效。另外氧化反应催化剂还具有多重潜在优势 ,如抗菌功效 ,可减少过氧化物进入环境 ,节省运输量 ,节约能源 ,可用O2 替代H2 O2 等。氧化催化剂将成为重要的新兴核心技术     

Miniaturisation of synthesis and screening in nanotiterplates: the concept of NanoSynTest<Superscript>TM</Superscript>

The NanoSynTest^TM-system combines screening and synthesis in a highly integrated fashion. The central feature of the experimental system are nanotiterplates with a density of 100 wells/cm² and a volume of roughly 0.1 l each. The wells are equipped with a microsieve membrane for removal of liquids. Substance transfer of liquids and beads for solid phase synthesis is performed in the nl range with special adapted dispensers and sorting wafers. Thus the successfully performed adaptation of such tools to automated synthesis and screening workstations leads to experiments in synthesis, single bead analysis of synthesis products (IR spectroscopy, HPL-chromatography of single beads) and the fluometry of biological substances in nanotiterplates. These proof of principle experiments open up the way to a completely new and modular design of an integrated synthesis and screening facility based on nano- and microtechnology.The work was supported financially by the Bundesministerium für Bildung, Forschung und Technologie (BMBF grants 0311766, 0311765, 0311764, 0311763) and by the companies Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Microdrop GmbH, Norderstedt and Tietz GmbH, Gauting. We thank especially Christine Beck, Dr Holger Deppe, Dr Beate Diefenbach, Dr Michael Gebinoga, Prof Johann-Michael Köhler, Dr Andreas Schwienhorst, Prof Peter Schuster, Antje Thamm, Dr Dirk Tomandl, Dr Dirk Vetter, Dr Andreas Willems for fruitful hints, work and discussions.     

Systemintegration of microsystems/chip elements in miniaturized automata for high-throughput synthesis and screening in biology, biochemistry and chemistry

 Microsystems recently have been introduced as tools for screening in modern chemistry, biochemistry and biology. It has been shown that new microsystems can be implemented in the biomedical laboratory by using the microsystemic approach for the sample carrier – the miniaturized microtiter plate (“the nanotiter plate”) – or the production of nanodroplets with ink jetters and to integrate those systems in macrodevices like xyz tables and detection devices like CCD-cameras. We show in this paper that decisive problems of the approach – the evaporation problem and the problem of chemical/biochemical/biological compatibility of the assays and the used materials can be solved successfully. It is possible to realize chemical synthesis in miniaturized flow systems and to perform isothermal amplification of RNA in silicon wafers. Furthermore real high throughput screening with in vivo systems can be performed and all relevant parameters as evaporation, pipetting and detection can be controlled on reasonable time scales. Received: 27 May 1997/Accepted: 2 June 1997     

Microlenses as Amplification for CCD-Based Detection Devices for Screening Applications in Biology, Biochemistry, and Chemistry

We describe the use of microlenses as amplification for CCD-based detection devices. The possible amplification of a signal in areaction chamber of a nanoplate is estimated with a first-order approximation. This value was proved with a commercially available microlens and with a specially constructed microlens array made of glass hemispheres. Possible applications of this approach to amplification are given.     

Efficient Verification of Parallel Real–Time Systems

This paper presents an efficient model checking algorithm for one–safe time Petri nets and a timed temporal logic. The approach is based on the idea of (1) using only differences of timing variables to be able to construct a finite representation of the set of all reachable states and (2) further reducing the size of this representation by exploiting the concurrency in the net. This reduction of the state space is possible, because the considered linear–time temporal logic is stuttering invariant. The firings of transitions are only partially ordered by causality and a given formula; therefore the order of firings of independent transitions is irrelevant, and only one of several equivalent interleavings has to be generated for the evaluation of the given formula. In this paper the theory of timing verification with time Petri nets and temporal logic is presented, a concrete model checking algorithm is developed and proved to be correct, and some experimental results demonstrating the efficiency of the method are given.