A Measurement-Driven Process Model For Managing Inconsistent Software Requirements

Inconsistency is a pervasive issue in software engineering. Both general rules of inconsistency management and special case-based approaches to handling inconsistency have recently been considered. In this paper, we present a process model for handling requirements inconsistency within the Viewpoints framework. In this process model, when an inconsistency among viewpoints is detected, a set of candidate proposals for handling inconsistency will be generated using techniques fromMulti-agent automated negotiations. The proposals are then prioritized using an integrated measurement of inconsistencies. The viewpoints involved in the inconsistency will then enter the negotiations by being presented with the candidate proposals and thus selecting an acceptable proposal based on the priorities associated with each candidate proposal. To facilitate usability, in our process, we assume that the natural language requirements statements are first translated into corresponding logical formulas using a translator software. Moreover, the candidate proposals for handling inconsistency are also translated back from formal logic into natural language before being presented for selection

Segmentation, Reconstruction, and Analysis of Blood Thrombus Formation in 3D 2-Photon Microscopy Images

We study the problem of segmenting, reconstructing, and analyzing the structure growth of thrombi (clots) in blood vessels in vivo based on 2-photon microscopic image data. First, we develop an algorithm for segmenting clots in 3D microscopic images based on density-based clustering and methods for dealing with imaging artifacts. Next, we apply the union-of-balls (or alpha-shape) algorithm to reconstruct the boundary of clots in 3D. Finally, we perform experimental studies and analysis on the reconstructed clots and obtain quantitative data of thrombus growth and structures. We conduct experiments on laser-induced injuries in vessels of two types of mice (the wild type and the type with low levels of coagulation factor VII) and analyze and compare the developing clot structures based on their reconstructed clots from image data. The results we obtain are of biomedical significance. Our quantitative analysis of the clot composition leads to better understanding of the thrombus development, and is valuable to the modeling and verification of computational simulation of thrombogenesis

Development of an expert system to assist in Resource Management

© 2014 IEEE. This paper aims to demonstrate an idea of utilizing Kohonen Maps as a tool to portray and study resource allocations when constructing an expert system to assist in Resource Management. The context of work encompasses resource allocation and management tasks related to design of courses, as well as, various teaching and learning projects. The key aspect is to show the design of an expert system for resource allocation with the use of Kohonen Maps as an alternative way to visualise the demand and availability of project resources

Transverse Velocity Field Measurement in High-Resolution Solar Images Based on Deep Learning

To address the problem of the low accuracy of transverse velocity field measurements for small targets in high-resolution solar images, we proposed a novel velocity field measurement method for high-resolution solar images based on PWCNet. This method transforms the transverse velocity field measurements into an optical flow field prediction problem. We evaluated the performance of the proposed method using the Ha and TiO datasets obtained from New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST) observations. The experimental results show that our method effectively predicts the optical flow of small targets in images compared with several typical machine- and deep-learning methods. On the Ha dataset, the proposed method improves the image structure similarity from 0.9182 to 0.9587 and reduces the mean of residuals from 24.9931 to 15.2818; on the TiO dataset, the proposed method improves the image structure similarity from 0.9289 to 0.9628 and reduces the mean of residuals from 25.9908 to 17.0194. The optical flow predicted using the proposed method can provide accurate data for the atmospheric motion information of solar images. The code implementing the proposed method is available on https://github.com/lygmsy123/transverse-velocity-field-measurement.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Evidence for Two Gaps and Breakdown of the Uemura Plot in Ba0.6_{0.6}K0.4_{0.4}Fe2_2As2_2 Single Crystals

We report a detailed investigation on the lower critical field $H_{c1}$ of the superconducting Ba$_{0.6}$K$_{0.4}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ (FeAs-122) single crystals. A pronounced kink is observed on the $H_{c1}(T)$ curve, which is attributed to the existence of two superconducting gaps. By fitting the data $H_{c1}(T)$ to the two-gap BCS model in full temperature region, a small gap of $\Delta_a(0)=2.0\pm 0.3$ meV and a large gap of $\Delta_b(0)=8.9\pm 0.4$ meV are obtained. The in-plane penetration depth $\lambda_{ab}(0)$ is estimated to be 105 nm corresponding to a rather large superfluid density, which points to the breakdown of the Uemura plot in FeAs-122 superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Structural study on hole-doped superconductors Pr1-xSrxFeAsO

The structural details in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO (1111) superconducting system are analyzed using data obtained from synchrotron X-ray diffraction and the structural parameters are carefully studied as the system is moving from non-superconducting to hole-doped superconducting with the Sr concentration. Superconductivity emerges when the Sr doping amount reaches 0.221. The linear increase of the lattice constants proves that Sr is successfully introduced into the system and its concentration can accurately be determined by the electron density analyses. The evolution of structural parameters with Sr concentration in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO and their comparison to other similar structural parameters of the related Fe-based superconductors suggest that the interlayer space between the conducting As-Fe-As layer and the insulating Pr-O-Pr layer is important for improving Tc in the hole-doped (1111) superconductors, which seems to be different from electron-doped systems.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Higher-Order Band Topology in Twisted Moiré Superlattice

The two-dimensional (2D) twisted bilayer materials with van der Waals coupling have ignited great research interests, paving a new way to explore the emergent quantum phenomena by twist degree of freedom. Generally, with the decreasing of twist angle, the enhanced interlayer coupling will gradually flatten the low-energy bands and isolate them by two high-energy gaps at zero and full filling, respectively. Although the correlation and topological physics in the low-energy flat bands have been intensively studied, little information is available for these two emerging gaps. In this Letter, we predict a 2D second-order topological insulator (SOTI) for twisted bilayer graphene and twisted bilayer boron nitride in both zero and full filling gaps. Employing a tight-binding Hamiltonian based on first-principles calculations, three unique fingerprints of 2D SOTI are identified, that is, nonzero bulk topological index, gapped topological edge state, and in-gap topological corner state. Most remarkably, the 2D SOTI exists in a wide range of commensurate twist angles, which is robust to microscopic structure disorder and twist center, greatly facilitating the possible experimental measurement. Our results not only extend the higher-order band topology to massless and massive twisted moiré superlattice, but also demonstrate the importance of high-energy bands for fully understanding the nontrivial electronics

Isolation, identification and application in lignin degradation of an ascomycete GHJ-4

This study was undertaken to isolate an ascomycete producing ligninolytic enzyme and characterize its lignin degradation capability. Among 20 isolates, GHJ-4 was isolated from decayed wood of Salix matsudana Koidz in Mount Tai, China, by different indicator compounds assay. The taxonomy of the fungi was Paraconiothyrium variabile Damm, Verkley and Crous, which had been confirmed by both morphological and 5.8S rDNA/ITS analyses. The capability of utilizing several lignin model compounds and decoloration of aromatic dyes by GHJ-4 strain revealed its ligninolytic potentiality. After incubation for 40 days, the weight loss of the wood was 20.91% and lignin loss was 22.99%, which indicated that, GHJ-4 strain had higher degradation ability for lignin. To our best of knowledge, this study represented the first report that P. variabile could produce ligninolytic enzyme and degrade lignin.Key words: Ligninolytic enzyme, ascomycete, identification, lignin degradation