SURE reliability analysis: Program and mathematics

The SURE program is a new reliability analysis tool for ultrareliable computer system architectures. The computational methods on which the program is based provide an efficient means for computing accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities of a large class of semi-Markov models. Once a semi-Markov model is described using a simple input language, the SURE program automatically computes the upper and lower bounds on the probability of system failure. A parameter of the model can be specified as a variable over a range of values directing the SURE program to perform a sensitivity analysis automatically. This feature, along with the speed of the program, makes it especially useful as a design tool

The art of fault-tolerant system reliability modeling

A step-by-step tutorial of the methods and tools used for the reliability analysis of fault-tolerant systems is presented. Emphasis is on the representation of architectural features in mathematical models. Details of the mathematical solution of complex reliability models are not presented. Instead the use of several recently developed computer programs--SURE, ASSIST, STEM, PAWS--which automate the generation and solution of these models is described

The fault-tree compiler

The Fault Tree Compiler Program is a new reliability tool used to predict the top event probability for a fault tree. Five different gate types are allowed in the fault tree: AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, INVERT, and M OF N gates. The high level input language is easy to understand and use when describing the system tree. In addition, the use of the hierarchical fault tree capability can simplify the tree description and decrease program execution time. The current solution technique provides an answer precise (within the limits of double precision floating point arithmetic) to the five digits in the answer. The user may vary one failure rate or failure probability over a range of values and plot the results for sensitivity analyses. The solution technique is implemented in FORTRAN; the remaining program code is implemented in Pascal. The program is written to run on a Digital Corporation VAX with the VMS operation system

The Fault Tree Compiler (FTC): Program and mathematics

The Fault Tree Compiler Program is a new reliability tool used to predict the top-event probability for a fault tree. Five different gate types are allowed in the fault tree: AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, INVERT, AND m OF n gates. The high-level input language is easy to understand and use when describing the system tree. In addition, the use of the hierarchical fault tree capability can simplify the tree description and decrease program execution time. The current solution technique provides an answer precisely (within the limits of double precision floating point arithmetic) within a user specified number of digits accuracy. The user may vary one failure rate or failure probability over a range of values and plot the results for sensitivity analyses. The solution technique is implemented in FORTRAN; the remaining program code is implemented in Pascal. The program is written to run on a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX computer with the VMS operation system

Hardware proofs using EHDM and the RSRE verification methodology

Examined is a methodology for hardware verification developed by Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) in the context of the SRI International's Enhanced Hierarchical Design Methodology (EHDM) specification/verification system. The methodology utilizes a four-level specification hierarchy with the following levels: functional level, finite automata model, block model, and circuit level. The properties of a level are proved as theorems in the level below it. This methodology is applied to a 6-bit counter problem and is critically examined. The specifications are written in EHDM's specification language, Extended Special, and the proofs are improving both the RSRE methodology and the EHDM system

A preliminary transient-fault experiment on the SIFT computer system

This paper presents the results of a preliminary experiment to study the effectiveness of a fault-tolerant system's ability to handle transient faults. The primary goal of the experiment was to develop the techniques to measure the parameters needed for a reliability analysis of the SIFT computer system which includes th effects of transient faults. A key aspect of such an analysis is the determination of the effectiveness of the operating system's ability to discriminate between transient and permanent faults. A detailed description of the preliminary transient fault experiment along with the results from 297 transient fault injections are given. Although not enough data was obtained to draw statistically significant conclusions, the foundation has been laid for a large-scale transient fault experiment

TOXICITY OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS TO PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have become ubiquitous in consumer products and industrial applications, and consequently the environment. Much of the environmentally released ENMs are expected to enter terrestrial ecosystems via land application of nano-enriched biosolids to agricultural fields. Among the organisms most likely to encounter nano-enriched biosolids are the key soil bacteria known as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). I reviewed what is known concerning the toxicological effects of ENMs to PGPR and observed the need for high-throughput methods to evaluate lethal and sublethal toxic responses of aerobic microbes. I addressed this issue by developing high-throughput microplate assays which allowed me to normalize oxygen consumption responses to viable cell estimates. Oxygen consumption is a crucial step in cellular respiration which may be examined relatively easily along with viability and may provide insight into the metabolic/physiological response of bacteria to toxic substances. Because many of the most toxic nanomaterials (i.e. metal containing materials) exhibit some level of ionic dissolution, I first developed my methods by examining metal ion responses in the PGPR, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GB03. I found this bacterium exhibits differential oxygen consumption responses to Ag+, Zn2+, and Ni2+. Exposure to Ag+ elicited pronounced increases in O2 consumption, particularly when few viable cells were observed. Also, while Ni2+ and Zn2+ are generally thought to induce similar toxic responses, I found O2 consumption per viable cell was much more variable during Ni2+ exposure and that Zn2+ induced increased O2 utilization to a lesser extent than Ag+. Additionally, I showed my method is useful for probing toxicity of traditional antibiotics by observing large increases in O2 utilization in response to streptomycin, which was used as a positive control due to its known effects on bacterial respiration. After showing the utility of my method for examining metal ion responses in a single species of PGPR, I investigated the toxicity of silver ENMs (AgENMs) and ions to three PGPR, B. amyloliquefaciens GB03, Sinorhizobium meliloti 2011, and Pseudomonas putida UW4. The ENM exposures consisted of untransformed, polyvinylpyrrolidone coated silver ENMs (PVP-AgENMs) and 100% sulfidized silver ENMs (sAgENMs), which are representative of environmentally transformed AgENMs. I observed species specific O2 consumption responses to silver ions and PVP-AgENMs. Specifically, P. putida exhibited increased O2 consumption across the observed range of viable cells, while B. amyloliquefaciens exhibited responses similar to those found in my first study. Additionally, S. meliloti exhibited more complex responses to Ag+ and PVP-AgENMs, with decreased O2 consumption when cell viability was ~50-75% of no metal controls and increased O2 consumption when cell viability was \u3c50%. I also found the abiotically dissolved fraction of the PVP-AgENMs was likely responsible for most of the toxic response, while abiotic dissolution did not explain the toxicity of sAgENMs. My work has yielded a straightforward, cost-effective, and high-throughput method of evaluating viability and oxygen consumption in aerobic bacteria. I have used this method to test a broad range of toxic substances, including, metal ions, antibiotics, and untransformed and transformed ENMs. I observed species specific toxic responses to Ag+, PVP-AgENMs, and sAgENMs in PGPR. These results not only show the clear utility of the methodology, but also that it will be crucial to continue examining the responses of specific bacterial strains even as nanotoxicology, as a field, must move toward more complex and environmentally relevant systems

Homiletics Courses in Five Major Protestant Denominations: A Rhetorical Analysis

I. The Nature and Purpose of the Study. The hypothesis of this study was that the nature of the rhetorical training currently offered by major Protestant denominations could be discovered by analyzing the homiletic texts used by those denominations in their respective homiletics courses. It was the purpose of this study, through analyzing the homilectics textbooks used, to answer two questions: (1) What rhetorical canons are being included, or excluded from, the basic homiletics courses of the Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians? and (2) What differences and similarities, if any, exist in the homiletics courses of the Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians and Episcopalians? II. The Evaluative Tool. An outline of the canons of rhetoric according to Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian was invented. The outline consisted of the five canons and their component parts. The canons identified were invention, arrangement, style, delivery, and memory. The component parts of invention were: discovery of topics, discovery of ideas, and discovery of the modes of persuasion. The component parts of arrangement were: divisions of the speech, and relationship of ideas. The component parts of style were: the types of style, and stylistic devices. The component parts of delivery were: body and voice. The component parts of memory were: mnemonics and extemporaneous delivery. The content of the homiletics textbooks used by each denomination was analyzed with the classical canon outline. That analysis provided answers to the questions asked. Ill. Conclusions. Based upon the canon outlines of the texts used by each denomination, a summary statement of rhetorical inclusions and exclusions was made. Next, a summary statement of the similarities and differences of the rhetorical training of the denominations was made. Based upon the summary statements the following conclusions were drawn: None of the denominations are teaching all component parts of all of the classical canons. Some of the denominations are teaching all aspects of at least one canon. Some denominations are teaching part of a canon or parts of several canons. Some of the content taught is classical although the terminology differs from traditional rhetorical terminology. All writers of the homiletics textbooks studied seemed to be unaware of the classical canons. References to classical concepts seemed to be more accidental than intentional. Compared to the classical canons of rhetoric, current homiletics training seems to be unorganized and/or lacks completeness. Most of the textbooks used in the homiletics courses were recently published. Perhaps the older homiletics textbooks would do a better job of presenting the classical canons

Use Of Agricultural Video News Releases By Television News Outlets

The purpose of this study was to answer questions regarding television news outlet decisions-makers\u27 use and perception of agricultural video news releases (VNRs)

Adapting Prior Television Production Experience for Distance Education Instructional Design

The Purpose of this study was to examine what previously learned television production-related experiences and knowledge television production specialists adapted in their instructional design of distance education programming