Practical stopping criteria for validating safety-critical software by estimating impartial reliability

In this research, we investigate stopping rules for software testing and propose two stopping rules from the aspect of software reliability testing based on the impartial reliability model. The impartial reliability difference (IRD-MP) rule considers the difference between the impartial transition-probability reliabilities estimated for both software developer and consumers at their predetermined prior information levels. The empirical–impartial reliability difference (EIRD-MP) rule suggests stopping a software test when the computed empirical transition reliability is tending to its estimated impartial transition reliability. To insure the high-standard requirement for safety-critical software, both rules take the maximum probability (MP) of untested paths into account.     

Size of Micelles Determined by Static Fluorescence Quenching

We developed a new method to measure the average aggregation number of large rod-like micelles using static fluorescence self-quenching of a solubilized fluorophore. The method is based on the increase of self-quenching of micelle-solubilized pyrene through excimer formation. We consider the effect of random distribution of pyrene in micelles and the micellar size distribution. The measured average aggregation <n> _M is based on a new M-weighted raging similar to our exponential-weighted averaging in the transient decay method. We apply this method to study the effect of a large concentration of salt on the average aggregation behavior of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyle tetraammonium bromide (CTAB). The sizes increase with increasing ionic concentrations. For SDS, we used the thermodynamic model developed by Missel et al. to calculate < n > _M which we compare with experimental results.     

Temporal Response of SERS to the Potential for 4-Cyanopyridine Adsorbed on Ag Electrode

Time-resolved surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was applied to study the response of Raman bands from 4-cyanopyridine (PyCN) adsorbed on a Ag electrode to variation of the potential; the temporal resolution was 0.1 s. The response of the SERS signals of PyCN was instantaneous to the oxidation potential of Ag electrode. However, delay of the SERS signals was observed while AgCl was reducing. The decay and growth of the SERS bands look place within 1 s in the cases of desorption and adsorption of PyCN on the electrode. It took much longer for PyCN to alter from one adsorption geometry to another on the electrode.     

Optically clear simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and epoxy. I. Preparation and characterization

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate was synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol) of molecular weight 600 with acryloyl chloride in a molar ratio of 1:2. Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) was then blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) in various ratios, followed by curing with 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and isophronediamine (IPDA) simultaneously. Viscosity changes before and during IPN formation were examined with a Brookfield viscometer. Formation of H-bonding and functional group changes were investigated with FTIR. Exothermic curing thermograms were recorded with dynamic DSC. Optically clear IPNs thus obtained were characterized with rheometric dynamic spectroscopy (RDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to check possible compatibility of the two networks. Experimental results revealed that during IPN formation hydrogen bonds between PEGDA and DGEBA and interlock of networks had profound effect on viscosity change and pot-life. Complete compatibility of the IPNs was found as DGEBA content was higher than 50% by weight. The compatibility between PEGDA and DGEBA networks was evidenced from inner shift of a single damping peak in RDS. In the meantime, SEM micrographs confirmed the coincidence with the result of RDS © 1992 John Wiley &Sons, Inc.     

Voltammetric study of copper(I) thioacetamide complexes

Summary The composition and stability of copper(I) complexes with thioacetamide (TAA) have been evaluated with the help of square-wave voltammetry using the fast pulse technique. Two species, namely Cu(I) (TAA) and Cu(I) (TAA)₂, have been identified having the formation constants log ₁=16.85; log ₂=18.03. The complex is stable in highly acidic medium (pH1). The application for the determination of copper is pointed out.     

Optically clear simulataneous interpenetrating polymer networks based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and epoxy. II. Kinetic study

Simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SINs) based on diglycidyl ether of bis-phenol A (DGEBA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) in weight ratios of 100/0, 50/50, and 0/100 were blended and cured simultaneously by using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and m-xylenediamine (MXDA) as curing agents. A kinetic study during SIN formation was carried out at 45, 55, 63, and 70°C. Concentration changes for both the epoxide and C?C bond were monitored with FTIR. A rate expression for DGEBA cure kinetics was established with a model reaction of phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) and benzylamine. Experimental results revealed that lower rate constants and higher activation energy for the SIN were found, compared with those for the constituent DGEBA and PEGDA network formation. A model of network interlock was proposed to account for this phenomenon. During simultaneous cure of DGEBA and PEGDA, the interlock (mutual entanglement) between DGEBA and PEGDA networks provided a sterically hindered environment, which subsequently increased the activation energy and reduced cure rates for both DGEBA and PEGDA. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Molecular-dynamics studies of bending mechanical properties of empty and C60-filled carbon nanotubes under nanoindentation

This paper utilizes molecular-dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanical characteristics of a suspended (10, 10) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) during atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation at different temperatures. Spontaneous topological transition of the Stone-Wales (SW) defects is clearly observed in the indentation process. The present results indicate that under AFM-bending deformation, the mechanical properties of the SWCNT, e.g., the bending strength, are dependent on the wrapping angle. In addition, it is also found that the radial dependence of the reduced formation energy of the SW defects is reasonably insensitive only for the small tubes. However, for tube diameters greater than 2.4 nm [corresponding to the (18, 18) CNT], the SW defects tend to be more radius sensitive. The results indicate that the bending strength decreases significantly with increasing temperature. This study also investigates the variation in the mechanical properties of the nanotube with the density of C60 encapsulated within the nanotube at various temperatures. It is found that, at lower temperatures, the bending strength of the C60-filled nanotube increases with C60 density. However, the reverse tendency is observed at higher temperatures. Finally, the "sharpest tip" phenomena between the probe and the tube wall and the elastic recovery of the nanotube during the retraction process are also investigated.     

Removal of H2S from Exhaust Gas by Use of Alkaline Activated Carbon

The purpose of this research was to select an activated carbon and alkaline solution blend that generated the best H₂S adsorption on alkaline-activated carbon. RB₂ (activated carbon) impregnated with NaOH solution was shown to have the optimum H₂S removal efficiency. The optimum NaOH concentration was 50 mg per gram of carbon. H₂S adsorption via RB₂-NaOH₅₀ was five times that of a corresponding fresh-activated carbon. The adsorption equivalent of H₂S is nearly 1 (mol-H₂S/mol-AOH), therefore, H₂S + AOH AHS + H₂O was the major reaction. The H₂S adsorption isotherm corresponded to the Freundlich isotherm.     

Synthesis of symmetrical 1,5-bis-thio-substituted anthraquinones for cytotoxicity in cultured tumor cells and lipid peroxidation

The synthesis of a series of anthraquinone moieties bearing symmetrical sulfur-linked substituents in the 1 and 5 positions is described. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of suspended rat glioma C6 cells and human hepatoma G2 cells, respectively. In addition, the redox property of the compounds was determined based on the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in model membranes. Compounds 2a and 2h in this series compared favorably and exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity (0.02, 0.05 microM) against C6 cells in the XTT colorimetric assay. As far as redox properties are concerned, all bis-thio-anthraquinones show potential lipid peroxidation in model membranes very close to that of mitoxantrone (MX), and 2a, 2d, 2e, 2i, 2j, and 2k have more potential than that of MX. The lack of cytotoxicity of compound 2i cannot be related to lipid peroxidation, but the steric and electronic properties of the side-chain substituent maybe impair effective recognition of the cleavable complex. In contrast to MX, 2a and 2h are cytotoxic in rat glioma C6 cells and do not enhance lipid peroxidation in model membranes.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Metal‐Chelator‐Bearing Flavone,Carbazole, Dibenzofuran,Xanthone, and Anthraquinone

2‐(Aryloxymethyl)‐5‐benzyloxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 8a – 8g , 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐4H‐pyran‐4‐ones 9a – 9g , and 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 10a – 10g were prepared from the known 5‐benzyloxy‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyran‐4‐one ( 3 ) in a good overall yield. These compounds were evaluated in vitro against a three‐cell lines panel consisting of MCF7 (breast), NCI‐H460 (lung), and SF‐268 (CNS), and the active compounds passed on for evaluation in the full panel of 60 human tumor cell lines derived from nine cancer cell types. The results indicated that 5‐hydroxy derivatives are more favorable than their corresponding 5‐benzyloxy precursors ( 10a – 10g vs. 8a – 8g ), and 1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones are more favorable than their corresponding pyran‐4(1H)‐ones ( 10a – 10g vs. 9a – 9g ). Among these three types of compounds, 2‐(aryloxymethyl)‐5‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐1H‐pyridin‐4‐ones 10a – 10g were the most cytotoxic; they inhibited the growth of almost all the cancer cells tested. On the contrary, compound 8a (a mean GI₅₀=27.8 μM ), 8b (38.5), 8d (11.0), and 8e (30.5) are especially active against the growth of SK‐MEL‐5 (a melanoma cancer cell) with a GI₅₀ of <0.01, 5.65, 0.55, and 0.03 μM , respectively (cf. Table 2).