Advances in Usability of Formal Methods for Code Verification with Frama-C

Industrial usage of code analysis tools based on semantic analysis, such as the Frama-C platform, poses several challenges, from the setup of analyses to the exploitation of their results.  In this paper, we discuss two of these challenges.  First, such analyses require detailed information about the code structure and the build process, which are often not documented, being part of the implicit build chain used by the developers.  Unlike heuristics-based tools, which can deal with incomplete information, semantics-based tools require stubs or specifications for external library functions, compiler builtins, non-standard extensions, etc.  Setting up a new analysis has a high cost, which precludes industrial users from trying such tools, since the return on investment is not clear in advance: the analysis may reveal itself of little use w.r.t. the invested time.  Improving the usability of this first step is essential for the widespread adoption of formal methods in software development.  A second aspect that is essential for successful analyses is understanding the data and navigating it.  Visualizing data and rendering it in an interactive manner allows users to considerably speed up the process of refining the analysis results.  We present some approaches to both of these issues, derived from experience with code bases given by industrial partners

Forensic analysis of video file formats

AbstractVideo file format standards define only a limited number of mandatory features and leave room for interpretation. Design decisions of device manufacturers and software vendors are thus a fruitful resource for forensic video authentication. This paper explores AVI and MP4-like video streams of mobile phones and digital cameras in detail. We use customized parsers to extract all file format structures of videos from overall 19 digital camera models, 14 mobile phone models, and 6 video editing toolboxes. We report considerable differences in the choice of container formats, audio and video compression algorithms, acquisition parameters, and internal file structure. In combination, such characteristics can help to authenticate digital video files in forensic settings by distinguishing between original and post-processed videos, verifying the purported source of a file, or identifying the true acquisition device model or the processing software used for video processing

Latest Pleistocene and Holocene Floodplain Evolution in Central Europe—Insights from the Upper Unstrut Catchment (NW-Thuringia/Germany)

The upper Unstrut River is located in Germany at the modern Central European climate boundary of Cfb and Dfb climate. The river drains a loess landscape, which has experienced important environmental changes throughout the last 12,000 years. To evaluate the impacts of these changes on floodplain evolution, a multi-proxy research program, consisting of 2D electrical resistivity tomography profiling (ERT), vibracoring, and sedimentological investigations, 14C and OSL dating were applied. From base to top the investigations the following fluvial deposits were revealed: (1) gravels embedded in a fine-grained sediment matrix (interpreted as fluvial bedload deposits); (2) silty sediment with pedogenic features (interpreted as overbank floodplain deposits); (3) peat and tufa deposits (interpreted as wetland deposits) intercalated by pedogenetically influenced silty sediments (interpreted as overbank deposits); (4) humic silty sediment with some pedogenic features (interpreted as overbank floodplain deposits); and (5) silty sediments (interpreted as overbank deposits). Radiocarbon and luminescence dates yielded the following periods for sediment formation: (1) Younger Dryas to Preboreal period (around 11.6 cal ka BP); (2) Preboreal to early Atlantic period (approx. 11.6 to 7.0 cal ka BP); (3) early Atlantic to late Subboreal period (approx. 7.3 to 3.4 cal ka BP); (4) late Subboreal to early Subatlantic period (2.9 to 2.3 cal ka BP); and (5) late Subatlantic period (approx. 1.0 to 0.6 cal ka BP). The results suggest that floodplain development during the latest Pleistocene and early Holocene (approx. 11.6 to 7.0 cal ka BP) was considerably controlled by climatic conditions and short-term climate variabilities, which caused gravel deposition and overbank sedimentation. Afterwards floodplain conditions varied between rather stable (peat and tufa development, initial soil formation) and active periods (deposition of overbank fines)

Classification of dwellings into profiles regarding indoor air quality, and identification of indoor air pollution determinant factors

International audienceThis study aims to identify the most relevant variables, among outdoor measures, building characteristics and socioeconomic situation, for predicting indoor air chemical pollution in dwellings. To achieve this, we propose a two-step plan: first, group the dwellings into classes according to the indoor measured concentrations, then use regression tools to express a dwelling's class as a function of the aforementioned variables. In the first step, we use modelbased clustering algorithms in a multivariate Gaussian mixture context; in the second step, we use binary decision trees in a discrimination context. This approach does not handle the pollutants individually, but considers them together as a multidimensional variable that must be summarized by a categorical variable (the dwelling's class)

Sensory Utilizable Design Elements: Classifications, Applications and Challenges

The sensory acquisition of in situ data in technical systems is one of the key requirements set by ongoing digitalization. The sensory utilization of mechanical design elements is a step towards the accomplishment of this requirement. To set a common ground for further research in the context of sensory utilizable design elements, this paper reviews the current state of research in this topic. First, the aim, potentials and classification of sensory utilizable design elements are introduced. Next, examples of sensory utilizable design elements are presented. These examples are used to demonstrate the technical and methodical challenges that have to be addressed in order to establish sensory utilizable design elements as a solution for the requirements of digitalization

UMA SÍNTESE DA CONTRIBUIÇÃO DO GÊNERO Pinus PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL NO SUL DO BRASIL

The silviculture of the genus Pinus in the South of Brazil was a process stablished as a development strategy for the country in the 60’s and 70’s. Nowadays these man-made forests for wood production maintain a productive chain which has a fundamental participation for the country’s economy. Although some of the specie of the genus Pinus are being classified as exotic and considered dangerous for our natural environment (biological contamination), these species contribute for the environment, social and economic development in the South of Brazil, given the characteristics of the process of the silviculture and management techniques which is sustainable and is included in a global coalition for the “Sustainable Development”. The actual necessity is to stablish a regulation to slow down the effects of the natural regeneration of the genus Pinus due to their characteristics and their high adaptability to our regional edaphic and climate conditions.A silvicultura do gênero Pinus no sul do Brasil foi um processo instituído pela estratégia de desenvolvimento do país nas décadas de 60 e 70. Atualmente, a base de florestas plantadas para a produção de madeira sustenta uma cadeia produtiva que tem participação fundamental na economia do país. Embora algumas espécies do gênero Pinus sejam tidas como exóticas invasoras, elas contribuem ambiental, social e economicamente para o desenvolvimento da região Sul do Brasil, dadas as características do processo de plantio e manejo, o qual é sustentável e enquadra-se nas prerrogativas da coalisão global para o "Desenvolvimento Sustentável". A necessidade atual é a de formalizar uma regulação para amenizar os efeitos negativos da regeneração natural das espécies do gênero Pinus, devido às características e a alta adaptabilidade às condições edafoclimáticas regionais

Extensional and Intensional Strategies

This paper is a contribution to the theoretical foundations of strategies. We first present a general definition of abstract strategies which is extensional in the sense that a strategy is defined explicitly as a set of derivations of an abstract reduction system. We then move to a more intensional definition supporting the abstract view but more operational in the sense that it describes a means for determining such a set. We characterize the class of extensional strategies that can be defined intensionally. We also give some hints towards a logical characterization of intensional strategies and propose a few challenging perspectives

GESTÃO AMBIENTAL NO SETOR HOTELEIRO DO MUNICÍPIO DE SÃO GABRIEL, RS

Atualmente vem crescendo a consciência ambiental nas empresas independente do ramo em que estas atuam. Este trabalho tem como objetivo conhecer a situação da gestão ambiental aplicada no ramo hoteleiro do município de São Gabriel, RS. Para este estudo foi realizada uma pesquisa caracterizada como: quantitativa, descritiva, exploratória. A aplicação do questionário foi realizada durante os meses de setembro a novembro de 2014, contemplando 85% das empresas. Verificou-se que 67% dos administradores do ramo possuem apenas ensino médio completo, mas em sua grande maioria, com bastante experiência na função que desempenha. A maior parte das empresas hoteleiras do município caracteriza-se como empresas de pequeno porte e de administração familiar. Quanto aos danos ambientais, foi possível constatar que 50% dos entrevistados acreditam que hotéis podem vir a causar algum tipo de dano ambiental; contudo, 75% das empresas afirmaram desenvolver alguma ação ambiental. Foi possível observar que, nas empresas que não aplicam alguma forma de gestão ambiental não houve interesse em adotar este tipo de ações, visto que ainda não há exigências legais de obrigatoriedade. Espera-se que este trabalho contribua, junto aos empresários e trabalhadores do ramo, com informações e conscientização de quão importante é conhecer as possíveis melhorias que podem ser realizadas através da aplicação de ferramentas de gestão ambiental, evitando gastos desnecessários e minimizando danos ao meio ambiente