Evolutionary functional black-box testing in an industrial setting

During the past years, evolutionary testing research has reported encouraging results for automated functional (i.e. black-box) testing. However, despite promising results, these techniques have hardly been applied to complex, real-world systems and as such, little is known about their scalability, applicability, and acceptability in industry. In this paper, we describe the empirical setup used to study the use of evolutionary functional testing in industry through two case studies, drawn from serial production development environments at Daimler and Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik, respectively. Results of the case studies are presented, and research questions are assessed based on them. In summary, the results indicate that evolutionary functional testing in an industrial setting is both scalable and applicable. However, the creation of fitness functions is time-consuming. Although in some cases, this is compensated by the results, it is still a significant factor preventing functional evolutionary testing from more widespread use in industry.     

A smoothed radial point interpolation method for application in porodynamics

A meshfree numerical method for the dynamic analysis of porous media is presented. The u,?p form of Biot’s theory is adopted to mathematically model the dynamic interaction of the solid and the fluid phase within the porous media. The obtained partial differential equations (PDEs) are discretized by the generalized smoothed Galerkin weak form, which is established based on smoothed strains and fluxes. Therefore, edge-based and cell-based smoothing domains are used and a T3-scheme is employed for the selection of support nodes. The shape functions are generated by the radial point interpolation method. The focus of this work lies on the spatial integration of the mass/compressibility and coupling terms of the discrete PDE system. A new algorithm is introduced, which reuses the shape function values that are needed for the construction of the stiffness/permeability matrix to keep the computational effort at a minimum. Numerical problems are analyzed in order to test the algorithm regarding accuracy and efficiency.     

A large-scale investigation of lateralization in cortical anatomy and word reading: Are there sex differences?

The authors report findings of a large-scale, multitask investigation of sex differences in both structural asymmetries and lateralization of word reading. Two hundred participants were tested in eight divided visual field lexical tasks, and each received a structural magnetic resonance imaging scan. The authors examined whether there was evidence for sex differences in overall measures of neuroanatomical and behavioral lateralization, in specific language tasks and brain regions, and in variation in asymmetry within and across tasks and brain regions. There was very little evidence for sex differences on any behavioral measure. The few indications of sex differences in the current report accounted for 2% or less of the individual variation in asymmetry and could not be replicated in independent subsamples. No sex differences were observed in the asymmetry of structures in Broca's and Wernicke's areas such as pars triangularis, pars opercularis, the planum temporale, planum parietale, or Heschl's gyrus. There were also no sex differences in the variability of neuroanatomical asymmetries within or between brain regions. However, a significant relationship between planum temporale and behavioral asymmetry was restricted to men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The social costs of emotional suppression: A prospective study of the transition to college.

There is growing interest in understanding how emotion regulation affects adaptation. The present study examined expressive suppression (which involves inhibiting the overt expression of emotion) and how it affects a critical domain of adaptation, social functioning. This investigation focused on the transition to college, a time that presents a variety of emotional and social challenges. Analyses focused on 2 components of suppression: a stable component, representing individual differences expressed both before and after the transition, and a dynamic component, representing variance specific to the new college context. Both components of suppression predicted lower social support, less closeness to others, and lower social satisfaction. These findings were robustly corroborated across weekly experience reports, self-reports, and peer reports and are consistent with a theoretical framework that defines emotion regulation as a dynamic process shaped by both stable person factors and environmental demands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Feature integration across space, time, and orientation.

The perception of a visual target can be strongly influenced by flanking stimuli. In static displays, performance on the target improves when the distance to the flanking elements increases—presumably because feature pooling and integration vanishes with distance. Here, we studied feature integration with dynamic stimuli. We show that features of single elements presented within a continuous motion stream are integrated largely independent of spatial distance (and orientation). Hence, space-based models of feature integration cannot be extended to dynamic stimuli. We suggest that feature integration is guided by perceptual grouping operations that maintain the identity of perceptual objects over space and time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implicit Contact Handling for Deformable Objects

We present an algorithm for robust and efficient contact handling of deformable objects. By being aware of the internal dynamics of the colliding objects, our algorithm provides smooth rolling and sliding, stable stacking, robust impact handling, and seamless coupling of heterogeneous objects, all in a unified manner. We achieve dynamicsawareness through a constrained dynamics formulation with implicit complementarity constraints, and we present two major contributions that enable an efficient solution of the constrained dynamics problem: a time stepping algorithm that robustly ensures non-penetration and progressively refines the formulation of constrained dynamics, and a new solver for large mixed linear complementarity problems, based on iterative constraint anticipation. We show the application of our algorithm in challenging scenarios such as multi-layered cloth moving at high velocities, or colliding deformable solids simulated with large time steps.     

Quantenchemische MNDO-, AM1-, und PM3-Untersuchungen von α-D-Glucose-acetaten, -benzoaten und -(trichlor)acetaten als Modelle für die entsprechenden Amyloseverbindungen

Quantum Chemical MNDO-, AM1-, and PM3-Studies of α-D -Glucose Acetates, -Benzoates and -(Trichloro)Acetates as Models for the Respective Amylose Compounds. Heats of formation have been calculated for α-D-Glucose and also for its mono-, di- and trisubstituted derivatives (acetates, benzoates and (thrichloro)acetates in the positions 2, 3 and 6), applying the semiempirical quantum chemical methods MNDO, AM1 and PM3. When only one hydroxyl is substituted, the thermodynamic probability of generation decreases as 6>3>2 (acetates), 2>6>3 (benzoates) and 6>2>3 ((thrichloro)acetates). Generation of glucose monoacetate increases the reactivity of acetylation for both of the other OH groups. That was not established for benzoates and (trichloro)acetates. For comparison, the heats of formation have been calculated for all unbranched dodecanols and also for their acetates, benzoates and (trichlor)acetates. Enthalpies of reaction were estimated for all considered compounds taking into account the corresponding acid chlorides, one molecule of pyridine and the generation of pyridinium hydrochloride. It was shown that, generally, the reactivity of the dodecanols is higher than that of unsubstituted and substituted glucose. The results are discussed with regard to preparative application.     

α-Substituierte Phosphonate. 40. 1-Trimethylammonium-1-diethylphosphono-1-cyanomethylid,ein stabiles N-Ylid

α-Substituted Phosphonates. 40. 1-Trimethylammonium-1-diethylphosphono-1-cyanomethylid, a Stable N-Ylid Diethyl-1-dimethylamino-1-cyanomethanephosphonate 4 can be alkylated on nitrogen to the quarternary ammoniumsalts 5 , which by C-deprotonation gives the stable N-ylid 8 . The N-ylid 8 behaves inert against carbonyl compounds and acylating agents, but can be C-alkylated and — involving an ester-dealkylation — C-chlorinated.     

α-Substituierte Phosphonate. 39. Methandiphosphonsäureester durch UV-induzierte Michaelis-Becker-Reaktion

α-Substituted Phosphonates. 39. Methane-diphosphonic Esters by U.V.-Induced Michaelis-Becker-Reaction Dibromomethane resp. chlorbromomethane reacts with sodium dialkyl phosphite in heptane-/liq.NH₃ or in liq. NH₃ by u.v. irradiation at low temperatures to give in good yields methane diphosphonic acid tetraalkylesters 1 . In the same manner with sodium diethyl thionophosphite the corresponding methane-bis-thiophosphonic acid tetraethylester 4 is obtained.     

α-Substituierte Phosphonate. 43. Synthese und Reaktivität von 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisochinolin-1-phosphonaten

α-Substituted Phosphonates. 43. Synthesis and Reactivity of 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisochinolin-1-phosphonates N-Alkyl- and N-arylsubstituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisochinolin-1-phosphonates 1 have been synthesized from the corresponding 3,4-dihydroisochinoliniumbromides 7 and triethyl-phosphite. The N-unsubstituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisochinolin-1-phosphonate 10 is available starting from the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisochinolin-1-phosphonic acid by esterification with triethylformate and splitting off the formyl group of the primarily formed N-formyl derivative 14 . – N-Quarternated tetrahydroisochinolines 19 and the 1-phosphorylated derivatives 17 , respectively react with triethyl-phosphite in an unexpected way by dealkylation and not by splitting off the isochinolinring. – By Horner-synthesis with 1 the 1-aralkylidene-isochinolines 23 are available in moderate yields.