Application for managing test environments in continuous integration testing process

Abstract. Continuous integration enables the rapid development of software where each code change is automatically tested and integrated frequently to a shared code repository. Nowadays, with increasing complexity of embedded systems, continuous principles have been adopted in the development of embedded software. Using continuous principles in development of embedded software provides its unique challenges as the code changes must be tested in the hardware, to ensure that the software works in production environment. Some of the challenges are limited amount of test environments, long test and build times, and wide variety of different hardware used in the testing. Because of these challenges, an application which can be used to manage test environments and hardware is required. At the heart of this thesis is a web application called ReserveTool which provides an interface for management and reservation of test environments. The purpose of the thesis work was to improve the existing application as it had limitations to supporting planned new features. After examining the requirements, it was decided that a new application called ReserveTool 2.0 should be developed. Implementation of the ReserveTool 2.0 consisted of development of a new database and web UI/REST API for management and reservation of test environments. User experiment was carried out to evaluate the usability of the web UI of ReserveTool 2.0. Feedback from the user experiment was positive with a few suggestions that helped in outlining the future development of ReserveTool 2.0.Sovellus testiympäristöjen hallintaan jatkuvan integraation testausprosessissa. Tiivistelmä. Jatkuva integraatio mahdollistaa ohjelmiston nopean kehityksen, missä jokainen koodimuutos automaattisesti testataan ja integroidaan useasti lyhyellä aikavälillä yhteiseen ohjelmavarastoon. Nykyaikana sulautetut järjestelmät muuttuvat koko ajan entistä monimutkaisemmaksi, jonka johdosta jatkuvia periaatteita on alettu ottaa käyttöön sulautetun ohjelmakoodin kehityksessä. Jatkuvien periaatteiden soveltaminen sulautetussa ohjelmistossa tuo mukanaan omat haasteensa, koska muutokset ohjelmakoodissa täytyy testata sulautetuissa laitteissa, jotta muutoksen toimivuus tuotannossa voidaan taata. Haasteisiin kuuluu testiympäristöjen rajallinen määrä, pitkät testaus- ja käännösajat, sekä kattava kirjo erilaisia testauksessa käytettyjä laitteita. Näiden haasteiden johdosta tarvitaan sovellus, jonka avulla voidaan hallita testiympäristöjä ja laiteita. Tämän diplomityön keskiössä on web-sovellus nimeltä ReserveTool, joka tarjoaa rajapinnan testiympäristöjen hallintaan ja varaamiseen. Diplomityön tarkoitus oli parantaa nykyistä sovellusta, sillä siinä oli rajoitteita, jotka vaikeuttivat uusien toimintojen kehitystä. Vaatimusten tutkimisen jälkeen, päätettiin että uusi sovellus nimeltä ReserveTool 2.0 tulisi kehittää. ReserveTool 2.0:an implementaatio koostui uuden relaatiotietokannan, sekä testi ympäristöjen hallitsemiseen ja varaamiseen tarkoitetun web-käyttöliittymän ja REST APIn kehityksestä. ReserveTool 2.0:an web-käyttöliittymän käytettävyys arvioitiin käyttäjäkokeen perusteella. Kokeesta kerätty palaute oli positiivista ja se auttoi kartoittamaan ReserveTool 2.0:n jatkokehitystä

Prednisolone-induced diabetes mellitus in the cat: a historical cohort

Objectives Prednisolone is a commonly used drug in cats and potential adverse effects include hyperglycaemia and diabetes mellitus. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency and investigate potential predisposing risk factors for the development of prednisolone-induced diabetes mellitus (PIDM) in cats. Methods The electronic records of a tertiary referral centre were searched for cats receiving prednisolone at a starting dose of ⩾1.9 mg/kg/day, for >3 weeks and with follow-up data available for >3 months between January 2007 and July 2019. One hundred and forty-three cats were included in the study. Results Of the 143 cats, 14 cats (9.7%) were diagnosed with PIDM. Twelve out of 14 cats (85.7%) developed diabetes within 3 months of the initiation of therapy. Conclusions and relevance Cats requiring high-dose prednisolone therapy should be closely monitored over the first 3 months of therapy for the development of PIDM

Ariel - Volume 8 Number 5

Executive Editor James W. Lockard. Jr. Business Manager Neeraj K. Kanwal University News Martin Trichtinger World News Doug Hiller Opinions Elizabeth A. McGuire Features Patrick P. Sokas Sports Desk Shahab S. Minassian Managing Editor Edward H. Jasper Managing Associate Brenda Peterson Photography Editor Robert D. Lehman, Jr. Graphics Christine M. Kuhnl

ranacapa: An R package and Shiny web app to explore environmental DNA data with exploratory statistics and interactive visualizations.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is becoming a core tool in ecology and conservation biology, and is being used in a growing number of education, biodiversity monitoring, and public outreach programs in which professional research scientists engage community partners in primary research. Results from eDNA analyses can engage and educate natural resource managers, students, community scientists, and naturalists, but without significant training in bioinformatics, it can be difficult for this diverse audience to interact with eDNA results. Here we present the R package ranacapa, at the core of which is a Shiny web app that helps perform exploratory biodiversity analyses and visualizations of eDNA results. The app requires a taxonomy-by-sample matrix and a simple metadata file with descriptive information about each sample. The app enables users to explore the data with interactive figures and presents results from simple community ecology analyses. We demonstrate the value of ranacapa to two groups of community partners engaging with eDNA metabarcoding results

New kid on the ID block: Neural functions of the Nab2/ZC3H14 class of Cys3His tandem zinc-finger polyadenosine RNA binding proteins

Polyadenosine RNA binding proteins (Pabs) play critical roles in regulating the polyadenylation, nuclear export, stability, and translation of cellular RNAs. Although most Pabs are ubiquitously expressed and are thought to play general roles in post-transcriptional regulation, mutations in genes encoding these factors have been linked to tissue-specific diseases including muscular dystrophy and now intellectual disability (ID). Our recent work defined this connection to ID, as we showed that mutations in the gene encoding the ubiquitously expressed Cys3His tandem zinc-finger (ZnF) Pab, ZC3H14 (Zinc finger protein, CCCH-type, number 14) are associated with non-syndromic autosomal recessive intellectual disability (NS-ARID). This study provided a first link between defects in Pab function and a brain disorder, suggesting that ZC3H14 plays a required role in regulating RNAs in nervous system cells. Here we highlight key questions raised by our study of ZC3H14 and its ortholog in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, dNab2, and comment on future approaches that could provide insights into the cellular and molecular roles of this class of zinc finger-containing Pabs. We propose a summary model depicting how ZC3H14-type Pabs might play particularly important roles in neuronal RNA metabolism

Feeding and Manual Brushing Influence the Release of Oxytocin, ACTH and Cortisol Differently During Milking in Dairy Cows.

Aim This study aimed to examine the effects of feeding or abdominal brushing on the release of the hormones oxytocin, ACTH and cortisol during milking in dairy cows. Methods Twelve cows in early lactation were used (2 × 2 factorial experimental design), testing the effects of two types of sensory stimulation during milking over a 3 day period; feeding concentrate or manual abdominal brushing (1 stroke/s). Blood samples for hormone analyses were collected at time at -15, -1, 0 (onset of cluster), every min for 8 min, at 10, 12, 14, 16, 30, and 60 min. Hormone levels were assayed and AUC was calculated. Results Milking was associated with an immediate and significant rise of oxytocin. When milking was combined with feeding, significantly higher levels of oxytocin were observed at 2 and 4 mins (p < 0.05). No effect of brushing on oxytocin levels was observed. Milking alone was associated with a significant rise of ACTH levels. Feeding in connection with milking reduced the immediate rise of ACTH levels (p < 0.05) and AUC (p < 0.02), whereas no effects of brushing were found. Milking caused a progressive rise of cortisol levels. Concomitant feeding did not influence cortisol levels, whereas brushing significantly decreased cortisol levels at 1, 5 and 14 mins after onset of milking (p < 0.05). Conclusion Feeding increases oxytocin release in response to milking and decreases ACTH levels. Abdominal brushing did not influence these variables, but decreased cortisol levels. These data demonstrate that activation of afferent vagal nerve fibres and of cutaneous sensory nerves originating from the abdominal skin in front of the udder influence milking related hormone release differently

Feeding and Manual Brushing Influence the Release of Oxytocin, ACTH and Cortisol Differently During Milking in Dairy Cows

AimThis study aimed to examine the effects of feeding or abdominal brushing on the release of the hormones oxytocin, ACTH and cortisol during milking in dairy cows. MethodsTwelve cows in early lactation were used (2 x 2 factorial experimental design), testing the effects of two types of sensory stimulation during milking over a 3 day period; feeding concentrate or manual abdominal brushing (1 stroke/s). Blood samples for hormone analyses were collected at time at -15, -1, 0 (onset of cluster), every min for 8 min, at 10, 12, 14, 16, 30, and 60 min. Hormone levels were assayed and AUC was calculated. ResultsMilking was associated with an immediate and significant rise of oxytocin. When milking was combined with feeding, significantly higher levels of oxytocin were observed at 2 and 4 mins (p < 0.05). No effect of brushing on oxytocin levels was observed. Milking alone was associated with a significant rise of ACTH levels. Feeding in connection with milking reduced the immediate rise of ACTH levels (p < 0.05) and AUC (p < 0.02), whereas no effects of brushing were found. Milking caused a progressive rise of cortisol levels. Concomitant feeding did not influence cortisol levels, whereas brushing significantly decreased cortisol levels at 1, 5 and 14 mins after onset of milking (p < 0.05). ConclusionFeeding increases oxytocin release in response to milking and decreases ACTH levels. Abdominal brushing did not influence these variables, but decreased cortisol levels. These data demonstrate that activation of afferent vagal nerve fibres and of cutaneous sensory nerves originating from the abdominal skin in front of the udder influence milking related hormone release differently

Palvelunestohyökkäykseen osallistuvan IoT-laitteen havaitseminen tukiasemassa

Tiivistelmä. Esineiden internet (Internet of things, IoT) tulee kasvamaan huomattavasti tulevaisuudessa ja markkinoille ilmestyy jatkuvasti heikolla tietoturvalla varustettuja IoT-laitteita. Palvelunestohyökkäyksiä tekevät bottiverkot ovat alkaneet suosimaan niitä ja ne koostuvatkin suurimmaksi osaksi saastuneista IoT-laitteista. Tällaisten IoT-laitteiden tietoturvan parantamiseen tarvitaan jatkuvasti uusia tietoturvaratkaisuja, joiden avulla voidaan ehkäistä palvelunestohyökkäyksiä ja siten suojata sekä internetin käyttäjiä että palveluita bottiverkkojen luomalta kasvavalta uhalta. Työssä toteutettiin langattomassa tukiasemassa ajettava ohjelma, jonka tarkoitus on havaita palvelunestohyökkäykseen osallistuva tukiasemaan yhdistetty IoT-laite. Ohjelma suunniteltiin havaitsemaan UDP-, TCP SYN-, DNS- ja ICMP-tulva-hyökkäykset. Havaitseminen tapahtuu tarkkailemalla ja analysoimalla tukiasemaan yhdistyneiden IoT-laitteiden verkkoliikennettä. Havaittuaan hyökkäävän laitteen, ohjelma ilmoittaa hyökkäyksestä tallentamalla hyökkäykseen liittyvät tiedot paikalliselle verkkosivulle. Ohjelmaa testattiin simuloimalla edellä mainittuja palvelunestohyökkäystyyppejä itsetehdyillä DoS-työkaluilla. Testien perusteella todettiin, että ohjelma pystyy onnistuneesti havaitsemaan kaikki testeissä simuloidut palvelunestohyökkäystyypit, vaikka ohjelman rajallinen suorituskyky vaikutti negatiivisesti ohjelman kapasiteettiin analysoida verkkoliikennettä. Lisäksi huomattiin, että ohjelma voi tulkita suuren määrän normaalia UDP-verkkoliikennettä palvelunestohyökkäykseksi

Analytical considerations in deriving 99th percentile upper reference limits for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays: Educational recommendations from the IFCC committee on clinical application of cardiac bio-markers

The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Committee on Clinical Application of Cardiac Bio-Markers provides evidence-based educational documents to facilitate uniform interpretation and utilization of cardiac biomarkers in clinical laboratories and practice. The committee’s goals are to improve the understanding of certain key analytical and clinical aspects of cardiac biomarkers and how these may interplay in clinical practice. Measurement of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays is a cornerstone in the clinical evaluation of patients with symptoms and/or signs of acute cardiac ischemia. To define myocardial infarction, the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction requires patients who manifest with features suggestive of acute myocardial ischemia to have at least one cTn concentration above the sex-specific 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) for hs-cTn assays and a dynamic pattern of cTn concentrations to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for MI. This special report provides an overview of how hs-cTn 99th percentile URLs should be established, including recommendations about prescreening and the number of individuals required in the reference cohort, how statistical analysis should be conducted, optimal preanalytical and analytical protocols, and analytical/biological interferences or confounds that can affect accurate determination of the 99th percentile URLs. This document also provides guidance and solutions to many of the issues posed.publishedVersio

Sound archaeology: terminology, Palaeolithic cave art and the soundscape

This article is focused on the ways that terminology describing the study of music and sound within archaeology has changed over time, and how this reflects developing methodologies, exploring the expectations and issues raised by the use of differing kinds of language to define and describe such work. It begins with a discussion of music archaeology, addressing the problems of using the term ‘music’ in an archaeological context. It continues with an examination of archaeoacoustics and acoustics, and an emphasis on sound rather than music. This leads on to a study of sound archaeology and soundscapes, pointing out that it is important to consider the complete acoustic ecology of an archaeological site, in order to identify its affordances, those possibilities offered by invariant acoustic properties. Using a case study from northern Spain, the paper suggests that all of these methodological approaches have merit, and that a project benefits from their integration