Flow-sensitive, context-sensitive, and object-sensitive information flow control based on program dependence graphs

Information flow control (IFC) checks whether a program can leak secret data to public ports, or whether critical computations can be influenced from outside. But many IFC analyses are imprecise, as they are flow-insensitive, context-insensitive, or object-insensitive; resulting in false alarms. We argue that IFC must better exploit modern program analysis technology, and present an approach based on program dependence graphs (PDG). PDGs have been developed over the last 20 years as a standard device to represent information flow in a program, and today can handle realistic programs. In particular, our dependence graph generator for full Java bytecode is used as the basis for an IFC implementation which is more precise and needs less annotations than traditional approaches. We explain PDGs for sequential and multi-threaded programs, and explain precision gains due to flow-, context-, and object-sensitivity. We then augment PDGs with a lattice of security levels and introduce the flow equations for IFC. We describe algorithms for flow computation in detail and prove their correctness. We then extend flow equations to handle declassification, and prove that our algorithm respects monotonicity of release. Finally, examples demonstrate that our implementation can check realistic sequential programs in full Java bytecode.     

Resolution of singularities for multi-loop integrals

We report on a program for the numerical evaluation of divergent multi-loop integrals. The program is based on iterated sector decomposition. We improve the original algorithm of Binoth and Heinrich such that the program is guaranteed to terminate. The program can be used to compute numerically the Laurent expansion of divergent multi-loop integrals regulated by dimensional regularisation. The symbolic and the numerical steps of the algorithm are combined into one program.

Program summary

Program title: sector_decompositionCatalogue identifier: AEAG_v1_0Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEAG_v1_0.htmlProgram obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. IrelandLicensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.htmlNo. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 47 506No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 328 485Distribution format: tar.gzProgramming language: C++Computer: allOperating system: UnixRAM: Depending on the complexity of the problemClassification: 4.4External routines: GiNaC, available from http://www.ginac.de, GNU scientific library, available from http://www.gnu.org/software/gslNature of problem: Computation of divergent multi-loop integrals.Solution method: Sector decomposition.Restrictions: Only limited by the available memory and CPU time.Running time: Depending on the complexity of the problem.     

Abstimmung von Produktions- und Transportlosgrößen zwischen Zulieferer und Produzent

Es wird eine Erweiterung des mehrstufigen stationären Losgrößenproblems mit endlichen Produktionsgeschwindigkeiten um den zeitpunktgeballten Transportvorgang vorgestellt. Diese Darstellung gibt die Beziehungen zwischen Zulieferer, Transporteur und Produzent adäquat wieder. Hinsichtlich der Abstimmung der Entscheidungsgrößen dieser organisatorischen Einheiten wird zwischen einer rein simultanen, einer rein sukzessiven sowie zweier gemischt simultan-sukzessiver Koordinationsarten unterschieden. An Hand einer analytischen Untersuchung werden Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten der jeweiligen Entscheidungsgrößen und der daraus resultierenden Kostenfunktionen dargestellt. Schließlich zeigt eine numerische Analyse die Gesamtkostenunterschiede zwischen der rein simultanen und rein sukzessiven Koordinationsart auf.An extension is introduced to the multi-stage stationary lot-sizing problem with finite production rates by the time-concentrated transportation-process. This representation adequately demonstrates the relations between supplier, carrier and producer. With regard to the reconciliation of the decision variables of these institutional units one differentiates between a pure simultaneous, a pure gradual and two mixed simultaneous-gradual coordination methods. The differences and correspondences of the respective decision variables and the resulting cost functions are demonstrated by means of an analytical examination. Finally, a numerical analysis shows the distinctions in total cost between the pure simultaneous and pure gradual coordination method.     

A Synthetic Dynamic Polyvinyl Alcohol Photoresin for Fast Volumetric Bioprinting of Functional Ultrasoft Hydrogel Constructs

Tomographic volumetric bioprinting (VBP) enables fast photofabrication of cell-laden hydrogel constructs in one step, addressing the limitations of conventional layer-by-layer additive manufacturing. However, existing biomaterials that fulfill the physicochemical requirements of VBP are limited to gelatin-based photoresins of high polymer concentrations. The printed microenvironments are predominantly static and stiff, lacking sufficient capacity to support 3D cell growth. Here a dynamic resin based on thiol–ene photo-clickable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and thermo-sensitive sacrificial gelatin for fast VBP of functional ultrasoft cell-laden hydrogel constructs within 7–15 s is reported. Using gelatin allows VBP of permissive hydrogels with low PVA contents of 1.5%, providing a stress-relaxing environment for fast cell spreading, 3D osteogenic differentiation of embedded human mesenchymal stem cells and matrix mineralization. Additionally, site-specific immobilization of molecules-of-interest inside a PVA hydrogel is achieved by 3D tomographic thiol–ene photopatterning. This technique may enable spatiotemporal control of cell-material interactions and guides in vitro tissue formation using programmed cell-friendly light. Altogether, this study introduces a synthetic dynamic photoresin enabling fast VBP of functional ultrasoft hydrogel constructs with well-defined physicochemical properties and high efficiency.     

Advanced Characterization and Optimization of NiOx:Cu-SAM Hole-Transporting Bi-Layer for 23.4% Efficient Monolithic Cu(In,Ga)Se2-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells

The performance of five hole-transporting layers (HTLs) is investigated in both single-junction perovskite and Cu(In, Ga)Se₂ (CIGSe)-perovskite tandem solar cells: nickel oxide (NiO_x,), copper-doped nickel oxide (NiO_x:Cu), NiO_x+SAM, NiO_x:Cu+SAM, and SAM, where SAM is the [2-(3,-6Dimethoxy-9H-carbazol-9yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (MeO-2PACz) self-assembled monolayer. The performance of the devices is correlated to the charge-carrier dynamics at the HTL/perovskite interface and the limiting factors of these HTLs are analyzed by performing time-resolved and absolute photoluminescence ((Tr)PL), transient surface photovoltage (tr-SPV), and X-ray/UV photoemission spectroscopy (XPS/UPS) measurements on indium tin oxide (ITO)/HTL/perovskite and CIGSe/HTL/perovskite stacks. A high quasi-Fermi level splitting to open-circuit (QFLS-V_oc) deficit is detected for the NiO_x-based devices, attributed to electron trapping and poor hole extraction at the NiO_x-perovskite interface and a low carrier effective lifetime in the bulk of the perovskite. Simultaneously, doping the NiO_x with 2% Cu and passivating its surface with MeO-2PACz suppresses the electron trapping, enhances the holes extraction, reduces the non-radiative interfacial recombination, and improves the band alignment. Due to this superior interfacial charge-carrier dynamics, NiO_x:Cu+SAM is found to be the most suitable HTL for the monolithic CIGSe-perovskite tandem devices, enabling a power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.4%, V_oc of 1.72V, and a fill factor (FF) of 71%, while the remaining four HTLs suffer from prominent V_oc and FF losses.     

Overcoming Anode Instability in Solid-State Batteries through Control of the Lithium Metal Microstructure

Enabling the lithium metal anode (LMA) in solid-state batteries (SSBs) is the key to developing high energy density battery technologies. However, maintaining a stable electrode–electrolyte interface presents a critical challenge to high cycling rate and prolonged cycle life. One such issue is the interfacial pore formation in LMA during stripping. To overcome this, either higher stack pressure or binary lithium alloy anodes are used. Herein, it is shown that fine-grained (d = 20 µm) polycrystalline LMA can avoid pore formation by exploiting the microstructural dependence of the creep rates. In a symmetric cell set-up, i.e., LiǀLi_6.25Al_0.25La₃Zr₂O₁₂(LLZO)ǀLi, fine-grained LMA achieves > 11.0 mAh cm⁻² compared to ≈ 3.6 mAh cm⁻² for coarse-grained LMA (d = 295 µm) at 0.1 mA cm⁻² and at moderate stress of 2.0 MPa. Smaller diffusion lengths (≈ 20 µm) and higher diffusivity pathway along dislocations (D_d ≈ 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹), generated during cell fabrication, result in enhanced viscoplastic deformation in fine-grained polycrystalline LMA. The electrochemical performances corroborate well with estimated creep rates. Thus, microstructural control of LMA can significantly reduce the required stack pressure during stripping. These results are particularly relevant for “anode-free” SSBs wherein both the microstructure and the mechanical state of the lithium are critical parameters.     

A framework for implementing robotic process automation projects

Robotic process automation is a disruptive technology to automate already digital yet manual tasks and subprocesses as well as whole business processes rapidly. In contrast to other process automation technologies, robotic process automation is lightweight and only accesses the presentation layer of IT systems to mimic human behavior. Due to the novelty of robotic process automation and the varying approaches when implementing the technology, there are reports that up to 50% of robotic process automation projects fail. To tackle this issue, we use a design science research approach to develop a framework for the implementation of robotic process automation projects. We analyzed 35 reports on real-life projects to derive a preliminary sequential model. Then, we performed multiple expert interviews and workshops to validate and refine our model. The result is a framework with variable stages that offers guidelines with enough flexibility to be applicable in complex and heterogeneous corporate environments as well as for small and medium-sized companies. It is structured by the three phases of initialization, implementation, and scaling. They comprise eleven stages relevant during a project and as a continuous cycle spanning individual projects. Together they structure how to manage knowledge and support processes for the execution of robotic process automation implementation projects.

     

Laser pyrolysis in papers and patents

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing - This paper presents a critical review of laser pyrolysis. Although this technology is almost 60 years old, in literature many researchers, both from...     

On the necessity of explicit cross-layer data formats in near-data processing systems

Distributed and Parallel Databases - Massive data transfers in modern data-intensive systems resulting from low data-locality and data-to-code system design hurt their performance and scalability....