A methodology for producing reliable software, volume 2

For abstract, see Vol. 1

A methodology for producing reliable software, volume 1

An investigation into the areas having an impact on producing reliable software including automated verification tools, software modeling, testing techniques, structured programming, and management techniques is presented. This final report contains the results of this investigation, analysis of each technique, and the definition of a methodology for producing reliable software

Automated Derivation of Complex System Constraints from User Requirements

International Space Station (ISS) payload developers submit their payload science requirements for the development of on-board execution timelines. The ISS systems required to execute the payload science operations must be represented as constraints for the execution timeline. Payload developers use a software application, User Requirements Collection (URC), to submit their requirements by selecting a simplified representation of ISS system constraints. To fully represent the complex ISS systems, the constraints require a level of detail that is beyond the insight of the payload developer. To provide the complex representation of the ISS system constraints, HOSC operations personnel, specifically the Payload Activity Requirements Coordinators (PARC), manually translate the payload developers simplified constraints into detailed ISS system constraints used for scheduling the payload activities in the Consolidated Planning System (CPS). This paper describes the implementation for a software application, User Requirements Integration (URI), developed to automate the manual ISS constraint translation process

Early Characterization and Performance of Flexible Pavements Utilizing Asphalt Additives

Asphalt additives have been utilized for years to modify the performance of flexible pavements. They have the potential to lead to long-lasting and sustainable asphalt pavements. In recent years, several new categories of asphalt additives, such as recycled tire rubber, post-consumer recycled plastic, and synthetic fiber, have been introduced to the flexible pavement industry. These new additives are being marketed toward agencies and contractors increasingly with the potential of increased pavement performance or maintaining performance at reduced cost. Field testing, which can confirm or deny the claimed benefits, is costly and time consuming. With the rapidly advancing asphalt additive industry, there is a need to efficiently evaluate and deploy the new asphalt additive technologies. To address this need, the National Center for Asphalt Technology developed the Additive Group Experiment for the 2021 NCAT Test Track research cycle to evaluate a range of new asphalt additive technologies. Full-scale pavement sections, each using a different asphalt additive, were constructed and instrumented at the Test Track. A primary objective of this thesis was to document the construction of these sections. Accelerated trafficking and monitoring of the sections then commenced. The data collected from the monitoring and testing of the sections was then used to achieve the secondary objective: preliminary surface performance evaluations and structural behavior characterizations. The performance and behavior of the additive modified sections were then compared to those of the control section. It was determined that the data analyzed for the relatively short timeframe did not allow for recommendations to be made in this thesis on the viability of the additives for use in real-world paving applications. It was recommended, however, to continue trafficking and field testing of the sections to more comprehensively characterize their performance and behavior

Vegetable Hair: The Spanish Moss Industry in Florida

Some people do not care for Spanish moss. According to an anonymous writer in the American Cyclopedia in 1881 “its effect, on account of its sombre color, is not altogether pleasing.“ However, the moss, eyecatching feature of the southern landscape that it is, has usually been regarded as an aesthetic asset, appealing to tourists and to the romantically-minded. Many people today have forgotten, if they ever knew, that it was once a more direct economic asset, serving a number of utilitarian purposes. Along with its value as a cattle feed and as a cheap packing material for crates of fruits and vegetables, went its value as a processed product. As early as 1773 William Bartram observed that “it seems particularly adapted to the purpose of stuffing mattresses, chairs, saddles, collars, &c; and for these purposes, nothing yet known equals it.

Monge v. Maya Magazines, Inc.: The Demand for Celebrity Gossip and the Doctrine of Transformative Use in the Ninth Circuit

Despite the decreased circulation of traditional newspapers, celebrity gossip magazines continue to flourish in the publishing world. In June 2012, People Magazine reached a paid circulation of over 3.5 million copies, putting the publication at number nine on the top U.S. consumer magazines list for the first half of the year. Public demand for celebrity news and gossip is unwavering. With this popularity come problems - especially for those celebrities whose images end up supplying that high demand. In Monge v. Maya Magazines, Inc., the Ninth Circuit presided over a copyright battle between celebrities and a gossip magazine regarding fair use in the unauthorized publication of photographs in connection with a news story in high public demand. The result was a majority opinion that mischaracterized current Ninth Circuit trends surrounding the application of the transformative-use doctrine, and created the risk of a private use exception for celebrities and their personal photos. Transformative use is an especially potent sub-issue in the concept of fair use; and while a finding of transformativeness is not necessary to trigger an overall finding of fair use, it is sufficient to do so

The Gig Is Up: Examining Side Gig Income and Allowable Deductions

The expansion of the gig economy has provided opportunities and challenges for tax professionals. In this case study, a rideshare driver receives a Form 1099-K for side gig income and seeks tax advice from a friend, ultimately deciding to consult with a tax professional (the student) for income tax preparation. The friend provides a video that describes misleading information giving the students a chance to consider authoritative sources as they research appropriate reporting on an individual income tax return. The case learning objectives are: (1) distinguish between credible and noncredible sources of information; (2) evaluate expenses and income to determine the taxable nature of each item; (3) analyze data for completeness in order to compile all relevant data needed for compliance reporting; (4) apply authoritative sources to resolve tax issues; (5) prepare an accurate individual income tax return; and (6) demonstrate effective written communication skills for business documentation

The Calming Effects of Modified Lighting

This dissertation consists of three articles examining the effects of modified lighting on commonly observed behaviors in children diagnosed with behavior-based disabilities. Prior literature has evaluated the effect of lighting on academic skills. Unfortunately, there is an absence of evidence regarding the effect of lighting on behaviors. Taken together these three articles will clearly display the importance of carefully designing lighting in classrooms, specifically in classrooms that include children with behavior-based disabilities. The first article (Chapter 2) evaluates the effect lighting with low level illumination has on the behaviors commonly observed in a child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The second article (Chapter 3) evaluates the same effect in a child diagnosed with Emotional Disorder (EMD) and ADHD. The third article (Chapter 4) is written with a practitioner focus including recommendation for environmental changes that potentially create a calmer environment. The two studies were conducted using an ABAB design across twenty days in a general education inclusion setting. The researcher requested the general education teacher and special education teacher of record to complete the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) to determine behaviors that were most comto the student participants. The Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools (BOSS) software was used to track frequency of behaviors throughout each phase of the studies. Visual analysis was used and demonstrated change between baseline and intervention phases and sets of data collected by the BOSS software were statistically analyzed by using a nonparametric measure of nonoverlap called Improvement Rate Difference (IRD). The third article consists of a brief literature review, simplified results from articles one and two, a brief case study, and author suggestions for implementation of variable lighting in additional classrooms. Recommendations regarding administrative responsibility in regard to classroom environment improvement are also discussed