Towards quality requirements via animated formal specifications

Assuring a high quality requirements specification document involves both an early validation process and an increased level of participation. An approach and its supporting environment which combines the benefits of a formal system specification and its subsequent execution via a rapid prototype is reported. The environment assists in the construction, clarification, validation and visualisation of a formal specification. An illustrative case study demonstrates the consequences of assertions about system properties at this early stage of software development. Our approach involves the pragmatic combination of technical benefits of formal systems engineering based techniques with the context‐sensitive notions of increased participation of both developer and user stakeholders to move us closer towards a quality requirements specification document.     

Silicon-based miniature sensor for electrical tomography

The paper describes the fabrication of a novel miniature sensor for electrical tomography. The sensor comprises a number of copper electrodes that are fabricated around a small hole that is etched through a silicon wafer. Copper electrodes are electroplated to fill channels that are formed in thick photo-resist on top of the silicon wafer. Electrodes with a thickness of 60 μm, surrounding a hole of diameter 300 μm, have been realised. Initial measurements have been made using a commercial LCR meter applied to an eight-electrode sensor and images of a 80 μm diameter wire have been obtained. Future work will consider the integration of measurement circuitry alongside the electrodes in order to reduce parasitic capacitances.     

Robust neurofuzzy rule base knowledge extraction and estimation using subspace decomposition combined with regularization and D-optimality.

A new robust neurofuzzy model construction algorithm has been introduced for the modeling of a priori unknown dynamical systems from observed finite data sets in the form of a set of fuzzy rules. Based on a Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) inference mechanism a one to one mapping between a fuzzy rule base and a model matrix feature subspace is established. This link enables rule based knowledge to be extracted from matrix subspace to enhance model transparency. In order to achieve maximized model robustness and sparsity, a new robust extended Gram-Schmidt (G-S) method has been introduced via two effective and complementary approaches of regularization and D-optimality experimental design. Model rule bases are decomposed into orthogonal subspaces, so as to enhance model transparency with the capability of interpreting the derived rule base energy level. A locally regularized orthogonal least squares algorithm, combined with a D-optimality used for subspace based rule selection, has been extended for fuzzy rule regularization and subspace based information extraction. By using a weighting for the D-optimality cost function, the entire model construction procedure becomes automatic. Numerical examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed new algorithm.     

Nonlinearity Measurements of High-Power Laser Detectors at NIST

We briefly explain the fundamentals of detector nonlinearity applicable to both electrical and optical nonlinearity measurements. We specifically discuss the attenuation method for optical nonlinearity measurement that the NIST system is based upon, and we review the possible sources of nonlinearity inherent to thermal detectors used with high-power lasers. We also describe, in detail, the NIST nonlinearity measurement system, in which detector responsivity can be measured at wavelengths of 1.06 µm and 10.6 µm, over a power range from 1 W to 1000 W. We present the data processing method used and show measurement results depicting both positive and negative nonlinear behavior. The expanded uncertainty of a typical NIST high-power laser detector calibration including nonlinearity characterization is about 1.3 %.     

Dissipation of Turbulent Kinetic Energy near a Bubble Plume

Profiles of the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy were inferred from temperature microstructure measurements near a bubble plume at the center of a tank with diameter of 13.7 m and maximum depth of 8.3 m. Six sets of between 18 and 51 profiles were collected at airflow rates of 0.1–0.6 L/s, measured at atmospheric pressure, and ensemble-averaged dissipation profiles were calculated. The dissipation in all cases was between 10?8 and 10?6?m2/s3 in most of the profile, but it increased sharply near the water surface. Energy considerations are used to discuss the experimental results in terms of previous numerical models of bubble plume turbulence. Two previous numerical studies show that the turbulence dissipates between 15 and 30% of the available power. In the experiments, the fraction is less than 1% because some of the energy of the plume is used to generate waves on the water surface and the profiles used to compute the volume-averaged dissipation were relatively far from the bubble plume.     

Seismic Retrofit of State Street Bridge on Interstate 80

The State Street Bridge, in Salt Lake City, was designed and built in 1965 according to the 1961 AASHO specifications; the design did not include earthquake-induced forces or displacements since only wind loads were considered. The bridge consists of four reinforced concrete (RC) bents supporting composite welded steel girders; the bents are supported on cast-in-place concrete piles and pile caps. A vulnerability analysis of the bridge was conducted that determined deficiencies in (1) confinement of column lap splice regions, (2) anchorage of longitudinal column bars in the bent cap, (3) confinement of column plastic hinge zones, and (4) shear capacity of columns and bent cap–column joints. Seismic retrofit designs using carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) composites and steel jackets were performed and compared for three design spectra, including the 10% probability of exceedance in 250 years earthquake. The CFRP composite design was selected for implementation and application of the composite was carried out in the summer of 2000 and 2001, while the bridge was in service. The paper describes the CFRP composite design, which, in addition to column jackets, implemented an “ankle wrap” for improving joint shear strength and a “U-strap” for improving anchorage of column bars in the bent cap; other retrofit measures were implemented, such as bumper brackets and a deck slab retrofit. A capacity versus demand evaluation of the as-built and retrofitted bents is presented.     

Calibration of AFM cantilever spring constants

In this paper we present two simple, reliable and readily applicable methods for calibrating cantilevers and measuring the thickness of thin gold films. The spring constant calibration requires knowledge of the Young's modulus, density of the cantilever and resonant frequency. The thickness of thin gold layers was determined by measuring changes in the resonant frequency and Q-factor of beam shaped AFM cantilevers before and after coating.The techniques for measuring the spring constant and thin film thickness provide accuracy on the order of 10-15%.     

Sesamin modulation of lipid class and fatty acid profile in early juvenile teleost, Lates calcarifer, fed different dietary oils

Sesamin, a major sesame seed lignan, has diverse biological functions including the modulation of molecular actions in lipid metabolic pathways and reducing cholesterol levels. Vertebrates have different capacities to biosynthesize long-chain PUFA from dietary precursors and sesamin can enhance the biosynthesis of ALA to EPA and DHA in marine teleost. Early juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer, were fed for two weeks on diets rich in ALA or SDA derived from linseed or Echium plantagineum, respectively. Both diets contained phytosterols and less cholesterol compared with a standard fish oil-based diet. The growth rates were reduced in the animals receiving sesamin regardless of the dietary oil. However, the relative levels of n-3 LC-PUFA in total lipid, but not the phospholipid, increased in the whole body by up to 25% in animals fed on sesamin with ALA or SDA. Sesamin reduced the relative levels of triacylglycerols and increased polar lipid, and did not affect the relative composition of phospholipid subclasses or sterols. Sesamin is a potent modulator for LC-PUFA biosynthesis in animals, but probably will have more effective impact at advanced ages. By modulating certain lipid metabolic pathways, sesamin has probably disrupted the body growth and development of organs and tissues in early juvenile barramundi.     

A urine patch framework to simulate nitrogen leaching on New Zealand dairy farms

On New Zealand dairy farms, it is the nitrogen excreted directly onto pasture, particularly urine, that drives nitrogen (N) leaching from the farm. A new framework (UPF: Urine Patch Framework) is presented that post-processes the results of a whole farm model and runs a mechanistic soil model to simulate the urine patches. Two alternative methods to simulate the spatial distribution of urine patches were implemented and compared (Grid: spatially explicit, and Probabilistic: based on the probability of different temporal urination patterns). This paper describes the implementation of these two methods in connection with a Whole Farm Model; and compares the N leaching predictions with observed data. Two examples are provided, one analyzing the impact of urine patch overlap and another, the relative risk of N leaching at different times of urinary N deposition. The model showed good correlation and predictive ability between simulated annual N leaching results and observed data [R² = 94 %, mean relative prediction error (MRPE) = 10 % for Grid and R² = 72 %, MRPE = 20 % for Probabilistic]. The two methods produced similar results across an 8-year period for monthly and annual N leaching (R² = 96 %, MRPE = 10 % and R² = 86 %, MRPE = 8 %; respectively). Only 8 % of the paddock area was covered with multiple urinations during 1 year, but as much as 39 % of the total urine volume was deposited on overlapped patches. Systematically removing all urinary N for 1 month in either May or June reduced N leaching by approximately 20 %. Avoiding urinary N deposition during autumn or early winter could be highly effective in mitigating N leached during the following winter.