Verifying OpenJDK’s LinkedList using KeY (extended paper)

As a particular case study of the formal verification of state-of-the-art, real software, we discuss the specification and verification of a corrected version of the implementation of a linked list as provided by the Java Collection Framework.

     

Institutional arrangements for the use of treated effluent in irrigation,Western Cape,South Africa

Wastewater is increasingly regarded as a valuable resource, but to fully and safely exploit the potential, sound institutional arrangements governing its reuse are crucial. This article presents a case study of a self-managed irrigation scheme in Western Cape, South Africa, that uses treated effluent directly, formally and safely. By applying the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, the variables within the context, action arena and patterns of interaction that have enabled this outcome are systematically identified and evaluated. Key variables include: water scarcity; an effective policy and regulatory framework; public pollution prevention awareness; self-organization; and capital-intensive water use linked to profitable markets.     

How penultimate monomer unit effects and initiator influence ICAR ATRP of n‐butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate

The relevance of penultimate monomer unit (PMU) effects and the selection of the correct initiator species under typical reversible deactivation radical copolymerization conditions is illustrated, using matrix‐based kinetic Monte Carlo simulations allowing the visualization of all monomer sequences along individual chains. Initiators for continuous activator regeneration atom transfer radical polymerization (ICAR ATRP) is selected as illustrative polymerization technique with n‐butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate as comonomers, aiming at the synthesis of well‐defined gradient copolymers. Using literature based model parameters, in particular temperature dependent monomer and radical reactivity ratios, it is demonstrated that PMU effects on propagation and ATRP (de)activation cannot be ignored to identify the most suited ICAR ATRP reactants (e.g., tertiary ATRP initiator) and reaction conditions (e.g., feeding rates under fed‐batch conditions). The formulated insights highlight the need for further research on PMU effects on all reaction steps in radical polymerization. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2017     

Formally analysing the concepts of domestic violence

The types of police inquiries performed these days are incredibly diverse. Often data processing architectures are not suited to cope with this diversity since most of the case data is still stored as unstructured text. In this paper Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) is showcased for its exploratory data analysis capabilities in discovering domestic violence intelligence from a dataset of unstructured police reports filed with the Amsterdam-Amstelland police in the Netherlands. From this data analysis it is shown that FCA can be a powerful instrument to operationally improve policing practice. For one, it is shown that the definition of domestic violence employed by the police is not always as clear as it should be, making it hard to use it effectively for classification purposes. In addition, this paper presents newly discovered knowledge for automatically classifying certain cases as either domestic or non-domestic violence. Moreover, it provides practical advice for detecting incorrect classifications performed by police officers. A final aspect to be discussed is the problems encountered because of the sometimes unstructured way of working of police officers. The added value of this paper resides in both using FCA for exploratory data analysis, as well as with the application of FCA for the detection of domestic violence.     

Nano-titanium dioxide modulates the dermal sensitization potency of DNCB

ABSTRACT: We determined the ability of a model nanoparticle (NP) (titanium dioxide, TiO2) to modulate sensitization induced by a known potent dermal sensitizer (dinitrochlorobenzene) using a variant of the local lymph node assay called lymph node proliferation assay. BALB/c mice received sub-cutaneous injections of vehicle (2.5 mM sodium citrate), TiO2 NPs (0.004, 0.04 or 0.4 mg/ml) or pigment particles (0.04 mg/ml) both stabilized in sodium citrate buffer at the base of each ear (2x50mul), before receiving dermal applications (on both ears) of 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) (2x25mul of 0.1 %) or its vehicle (acetone olive oil - AOO (4:1)) on days 0, 1 and 2. On day 5, the stimulation index (SI) was calculated as a ratio of 3HTdR incorporation in lymphocytes from DNBC-treated mice and AOO-treated controls. In a second experiment the EC3-value for DNCB (0 to 0.1 %) was assessed in the absence or presence of 0.04 mg/ml TiO2. In a third experiment, the lymphocyte subpopulations and the cytokine secretion profile were analyzed after TiO2 (0.04 mg/ml) and DNCB (0.1 %) treatment. Injection of NPs in AOO-treated control mice did not have any effect on lymph node (LN) proliferation. DNCB sensitization resulted in LN proliferation, which was further increased by injection of TiO2 NPs before DNCB sensitization. The EC3 of DNCB, with prior injection of vehicle control was 0.041 %, while injection with TiO2 decreased the EC3 of DNCB to 0.015 %. TiO2 NPs pre-treatment did not alter the lymphocyte subpopulations, but significantly increased the level of IL-4 and decreased IL-10 production in DNCB treated animals. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that administration of nano-TiO2 increases the dermal sensitization potency of DNCB, by augmenting a Th2 response, showing the immunomodulatory abilities of NPs.     

Safety effects of reducing the speed limit from 90 km/h to 70 km/h

Speed is one of the main risk factors in traffic safety, as it increases both the chances and the severity of a crash. In order to achieve improved traffic safety by influencing the speed of travel, road authorities may decide to lower the legally imposed speed limits. In 2001 the Flemish government decided to lower speed limits from 90 km/h to 70 km/h on a considerable number of highways. The present study examines the effectiveness of this measure using a comparison group before- and after study to account for general trend effects in road safety. Sixty-one road sections with a total length of 116 km were included. The speed limits for those locations were restricted in 2001 and 2002. The comparison group consisted of 19 road sections with a total length of 53 km and an unchanged speed limit of 90 km/h throughout the research period. Taking trend into account, the analyses showed a 5% decrease [0.88; 1.03] in the crash rates after the speed limit restriction. A greater effect was identified in the case of crashes involving serious injuries and fatalities, which showed a decrease of 33% [0.57; 0.79]. Separate analyses between crashes at intersections and at road sections showed a higher effectiveness at road sections. It can be concluded from this study that speed limit restrictions do have a favorable effect on traffic safety, especially on severe crashes. Future research should examine the cause for the difference in the effect between road sections and intersections that was identified, taking vehicle speeds into account.     

Synthesis of Secondary Amides from N‐Substituted Amidines by Tandem Oxidative Rearrangement and Isocyanate Elimination

In this work an efficient tandem process transforming N‐substituted amidines into secondary amides has been described. The process involves N‐acylurea formation by reaction of the substrate with bis(acyloxy)(phenyl)‐λ³‐iodane followed by isocyanate elimination. The periodinane reagents are obtained from the commercially available phenyliodine(III) diacetate [PhI(OAc)₂, (PIDA)] by ligand exchange with carboxylic acids. The N‐substituted amidine substrates are easily synthesized from readily available nitriles. The method is applicable for secondary amide synthesis, based on both aliphatic and (hetero)aromatic amines, including challenging amides consisting of sterically hindered acids and amines. Moreover, the protocol allows one to combine steric bulk with electron deficiency in the target amides (aniline based). Such compounds are difficult to synthesize efficiently based on classical condensation reactions involving carboxylic acids and amines. Overall, the synthetic protocol transforms a nitrile into a secondary amide in both aliphatic and (hetero)aromatic systems.

     

Compact high-resolution spaceborne echelle grating spectrometer with acousto-optical tunable filter based order sorting for the infrared domain from 2.2 to 4.3 microm

A new compact spaceborne high-resolution spectrometer developed for the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft is described. It operates in the IR wavelength range of 2.2 to 4.3 microm and measures absorption spectra of minor constituents in the Venusian atmosphere. It uses a novel echelle grating with a groove density of 4 lines/mm in a Littrow configuration in combination with an IR acousto-optic tunable filter for order sorting and an actively cooled HgCdTe focal plane array of 256 by 320 pixels. It is designed to obtain an instrument line profile of 0.2 cm(-1). First results on optical and spectral properties are reported.     

Experimental investigation on fire endurance of insulated concrete beams strengthened with near surface mounted FRP bar reinforcement

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are known to be susceptible to deterioration at elevated temperature. To evaluate the feasibility of achieving a fire-rated FRP system an investigation was undertaken to examine and document the performance of near surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthened concrete beams under fire conditions. Twelve reinforced concrete beams were strengthened in flexure with NSM FRP bars and insulated with different insulation systems. The specimens were subsequently exposed to a standard fire while subjected to full service load. Tests results on fire indicated that insulated NSM FRP strengthened beams can achieve a fire endurance of at least 2 h. Moreover structural testing to failure at room temperature of the fire testes beams has shown that well insulated members are able to retain (part of) their original strengthened flexural capacity.     

A simulator study on the impact of traffic calming measures in urban areas on driving behavior and workload

This study examined the impact of traffic calming measures (TCM) on major roads in rural and urban areas. More specifically we investigated the effect of gate constructions located at the entrance of the urban area and horizontal curves within the urban area on driving behavior and workload. Forty-six participants completed a 34 km test-drive on a driving simulator with eight thoroughfare configurations, i.e., 2 (curves: present, absent) × 2 (gates: present, absent) × 2 (peripheral detection task (PDT): present, absent) in a within-subject design.