Why security testing is hard

Software testing fairly readily detects a program's failure to do what it is designed to do, but does not detect all of the other things that it may do in the process. Some of these may compromise security. The article discusses the development of methods and software tools to deal with these bugs.     

Mexitl: Multimedia in Executable Interval Temporal Logic

This paper explores a formalism for describing a wide class of multimedia document constraints, based on an interval temporal logic. We describe the requirements that arise from the multimedia documents application area, and we illustrate these requirements using several examples. Then we present the temporal logic formalism that we use. This logic extends existing interval temporal logic with a number of new features: actions, framing of actions, past operators, a projection-like operator called filter and a new handling of interval length. The notation is applied to the specification of the examples, and in particular a set of logical manipulations, providing feedback to an author, is presented. A model theory, logic and satisfaction relation are defined for the notation.     

Scanning tunnelling microscopy of tobacco mosaic virus on evaporated and sputter-coated palladium/gold substrates

We present scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) images of untreated tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) deposited on thermally evaporated and on sputter-coated palladium/gold 40:60 (Pd/Au) substrates, and imaged under ordinary atmospheric conditions. The TMV imaged on both evaporated and sputter-coated substrates was consistently several times wider than the known diameter of the virus. TMV on evaporated Pd/Au became overcoated with Pd/Au material during sample preparation and appeared elevated in STM images, whereas TMV on sputter-coated Pd/Au appeared as depressions. When naked TMV were intentionally overcoated with Pd/Au, the STM images were found to be similar to those for TMV on evaporated Pd/Au.     

miR-486-5p and miR-22-3p Enable Megakaryocytic Differentiation of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells without Thrombopoietin

Megakaryocytes release submicron size microparticles (MkMPs) in circulation. We have shown that MkMPs target CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) to induce megakaryocytic differentiation, and that small RNAs in MkMPs play an important role in the development of this phenotype. Here, using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) RNA sequencing (RNAseq), we identify the synergetic effect of two microRNAs (miRs), miR-486-5p and miR-22-3p (highly enriched in MkMPs), in driving the Mk differentiation of HSPCs in the absence of thrombopoietin (TPO). Separately, our data suggest that the MkMP-induced Mk differentiation of HSPCs is enabled through JNK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. The interaction between the two signaling pathways is likely mediated by a direct target of miR-486-5p and a negative regulator of PI3K/Akt signaling, the phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) protein. Our data provide a possible mechanistic explanation of the biological effect of MkMPs in inducing megakaryocytic differentiation of HSPCs, a phenotype of potential physiological significance in stress megakaryopoiesis.     

Examining the relationships among e-government maturity,corruption, economic prosperity and environmental degradation: A cross-country analysis

There is growing interest in the role and contribution of e-government to the levels of corruption, economic prosperity and environmental degradation of nation states. In this paper, we use publicly available archival data to explore the relationships among them. Results substantiate a significant relationship between (1) e-government maturity and corruption; and (2) e-government maturity, economic prosperity and environmental degradation through the mediating effects of corruption. The findings suggest that while e-government maturity did not contribute to economic prosperity and environmental degradation, its value could be realized indirectly via its impacts on corruption. Our findings contribute to the theoretical discourse on e-government impact by identifying the role of e-government in a country and provide indications to practice on enhancing its economic prosperity and lowering its environmental degradation by managing the levels of e-government maturity and corruption.     

Layout-Specific Circuit Evaluation in 3-D Integrated Circuits

In this paper, we describe a comprehensive layout methodology for bonded three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs). In bonded 3D integration technology, parts of a circuit are fabricated on different wafers, and then, the wafers are bonded with a glue layer of Cu or polymer based adhesive. Using our layout methodology, designers can layout such 3D circuits with necessary information on inter-wafer via/contact and orientation of each wafer embedded in the layout. We have implemented the layout methodology in 3DMagic. Availability of 3DMagic has led to interesting research with a wide range of layout-specific circuit evaluation, from performance comparison of 2D and 3D circuits to layout-specific reliability analyses in 3D circuits. Using 3DMagic, researchers have designed and simulated an 8-bit encryption processor mapped into 2D and 3D FPGA layouts. Moreover, the layout methodology is an essential element of our ongoing research for the framework of a novel Reliability Computer Aided Design tool, ERNI-3D.     

Chromatic dispersion and bandshape improvement of SOI flatband AWG multi/demultiplexers by phase-error correction

By measuring the phase and amplitude distribution of the optical paths in a flatband arrayed waveguide grating, the array mask was redesigned to correct for the slow varying phase errors within the array waveguides, leading to a reduction in both the chromatic dispersion across the passband of the device and in the transmission band tilt.