Refactoring and converting a TTCN-2 test suite

When deploying TTCN-3 at Nokia, we converted two TTCN-2 test systems to TTCN-3. We explain to which extend we have been able to do the conversion automatically. The conversion tool used provided a syntactically and semantically correct conversion of the TTCN-2 code. We define some improvements made on the tool to increase readability and maintainability of the resulting code. We cover aspects of converting also the non-TTCN-2 parts and describe the experiences we made as a set of lessons learnt.     

Wasserstofffreie amorphe Kohlenstoffschichten ‐ abgeschieden durch plasmaaktivierte Hochratebedampfung

Hydrogen free amorphous carbon coatings ‐ deposited with plasma‐activated high‐rate evaporation By using the technology of the plasmaactivated electron beam evaporation we deposited hydrogen free amorphous carbon coatings with deposition rates of up to 100 μm/h. The results of the mechanical and tribological investigations show the potential of these layers for the use in case of wear resistance. Hardnesses of up to 16GPa were proved. The actual state of the characterisation of the coatings is described and the outlook onto possibilities of further optimisation is given.     

Inhibition et mémoire de travail : effet d'une privation aigu? de sommeil sur une tache de génération aléatoire.

The literature contains inconsistent data on the effects of acute sleep deprivation on the superior cognitive functions. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of inhibition, one of the functions of the working memory executive centre (EC), over an extended, 36-hour waking period. Inhibition is a cognitive mechanism whereby individuals ignore non-relevant information recorded in their working memory. We also tested the effects of a 36- hour period of acute sleep deprivation on simple reaction time. Twelve young, healthy volunteers (M=21.5 years, ?=2.3) performed a random generation task involving letters and a simple reaction time psychomotor test over four sessions held at 10-hour intervals. Each participant was assigned a "constant routine." Participants were kept awake in a prone position within a room whose environment was held strictly constant (light, noise, temperature, meals, etc.). This control procedure provided assurance that any variation in participant performance was solely caused by sleep deprivation. The random generation task, nearly two minutes in length, consisted in verbally producing a sequence of 100 letters in a random fashion (i.e. by inhibiting, for example, alphabetical order) and by keeping to a set rhythm... (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lifetime and ageing management of nuclear power plants: A brief overview of some light water reactor component ageing degradation problems and ways of mitigation

The susceptibility and tendency for nuclear power plant (NPP) components to undergo changes in their mechanical and physical properties in the course of the NPP lifetime is generally termed as “ageing”. The light water reactor (LWR) nuclear environment is not a begnign one; it is characterized not only by fast neutrons, which can degrade metallic structures, but also relatively high temperatures of coolant water (around 300°C) which may contain impurities (e.g. sulphate, chloride, peroxides) which can cause corrosion. The hydrodynamical conditions of the coolant in steam generators, for example, can cause thermal fatigue, erosion and corrosion; suspended particulate matter can accelerate erosion processes which can lead to wall thinning and lowering of safety margins. Ageing is, therefore, a very complex mixture of factors concerned with materials, temperatures, times of exposure to environments which vary with time and with respect to chemical composition and flow charactertistics.

The paper describes a few ageing phenomena which can be considered important due to their impact on nuclear safety issues; their influence on economic aspects (availability) of NPP is outlined. Mitigation measures for NPP component ageing problems are given together with recommendations for addressing such issues in NPP now and in the future.     

Comparison of supports for the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from H2 and O2 using Au–Pd catalysts

The direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from H₂ and O₂ using a range of supported Au–Pd alloy catalysts is compared for different supports using conditions previously identified as being optimal for hydrogen peroxide synthesis, i.e. low temperature (2 °C) using a water–methanol solvent mixture and short reaction time. Five supports are compared and contrasted, namely Al₂O₃, -Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, SiO₂ and carbon. For all catalysts the addition of Pd to the Au only catalyst increases the rate of hydrogen peroxide synthesis as well as the concentration of hydrogen peroxide formed. Of the materials evaluated, the carbon-supported Au–Pd alloy catalysts give the highest reactivity. The results show that the support can have an important influence on the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from the direct reaction. The effect of the methanol–water solvent is studied in detail for the 2.5 wt% Au–2.5 wt% Pd/TiO₂ catalyst and the ratio of methanol to water is found to have a major effect on the rate of hydrogen peroxide synthesis. The optimum mixture for this solvent system is 80 vol.% methanol with 20 vol.% water. However, the use of water alone is still effective albeit at a decreased rate. The effect of catalyst mass was therefore also investigated for the water and water–methanol solvents and the observed effect on the hydrogen peroxide productivity using water as a solvent is not considered to be due to mass transfer limitations. These results are of importance with respect to the industrial application of these Au–Pd catalysts.     

Has interleukin 2 modified the outcome of metastatic kidney cancer?

Mesenteric Cystic Lymphangiomas is a rare benign tumor. The first case was described after an autopsy in 1507 by Benivieni, an anatomist from Florence. In 1880 by Tillaux. Since then many cases have been described. None of these cases is associated with a non specific necrosis due to Bauhins' valvula compression; in the following lines we are going to describe this exceptional case.     

Echolocation — From range to outline segments

A ring of ultrasonic sensors mounted on a mobile robot is used to map a room. The sensors are modelled with an arc model: the object causing the reflection lies on an arc with radius equal to the range and arc angle equal to twice the beam angle. By fusing sensing with motion, a surface is displayed as a sequence of arcs. In this paper, the algorithm for obtaining outline segments from the arcs is presented.