Automating allocation of development assurance levels: An extension to HiP-HOPS

Controlling the allocation of safety requirements across a system's architecture from the early stages of development is an aspiration embodied in numerous major safety standards. Manual approaches of applying this process in practice are ineffective due to the scale and complexity of modern electronic systems. In the work presented here, we aim to address this issue by presenting an extension to the dependability analysis and optimisation tool, HiP-HOPS, which allows automatic allocation of such requirements. We focus on aerospace requirements expressed as Development Assurance Levels (DALs); however, the proposed process and algorithms can be applied to other common forms of expression of safety requirements such as Safety Integrity Levels. We illustrate application to a model of an aircraft wheel braking system

Assisted assignment of automotive safety requirements

ISO 26262, a functional-safety standard, uses Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs) to assign safety requirements to automotive-system elements. System designers initially assign ASILs to system-level hazards and then allocate them to elements of the refined system architecture. Through ASIL decomposition, designers can divide a function & rsquo;s safety requirements among multiple components. However, in practice, manual ASIL decomposition is difficult and produces varying results. To overcome this problem, a new tool automates ASIL allocation and decomposition. It supports the system and software engineering life cycle by enabling users to efficiently allocate safety requirements regarding systematic failures in the design of critical embedded computer systems. The tool is applicable to industries with a similar concept of safety integrity levels. © 1984-2012 IEEE

Field Observation and Finite Element Analysis of a Subway Excavation

This paper analyzes a braced excavation executed during the construction of Rio de Janeiro City subway along a street (Catete Street) in which several old and historical buildings existed and should be preserved. The excavation had an average depth of 13 meters and was executed almost ten years ago in a subsoil in which the principal problems were caused by a 6 meters thick loose sand layer, underlaid by a 4 meter thick silty organic clay layer. Several buildings were damaged and had to be repaired. The objective of this paper is to show that even using the incomplete laboratory and field testing data available at the time the design was made, some of this damage could be predicted and, therefore, possibly prevented. The paper firstly describes the excavation and the available information on the subsoil materials. Subsequently, a finite element analysis is made and the results are correlated to observed damage

Expression of MMP-13 in Human Temporomandibular Joint Disc Derangement and Osteoarthritis

Objective: MMP-13 performs digestion of collagen, which is a primary component of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) articular disc. This study evaluated the expression of MMP-13 in patients with anterior disc displacement with (ADDwR) and without reduction (ADDwoR), and in the presence of TMJ osteoarthrosis. Methods: Thirty-nine human temporomandibular joint disc samples were collected and divided in two ways: ADDwR (21 samples), ADDwoR (10 samples), and a control group (8 samples); and with osteoarthrosis (10 samples) and without osteoarthrosis (29 samples). Immunostaining of the TMJ discs was statistically compared between the groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference for the area of MMP-13 immunostaining between the control group, ADDwR, and ADDwoR, nor between groups with and without osteoarthrosis. Conclusion: This study suggests MMP-13 is not significantly involved in collagen degradation in human TMJ disc displacement or osteoarthrosis

A synthesis of logic and bio-inspired techniques in the design of dependable systems

Much of the development of model-based design and dependability analysis in the design of dependable systems, including software intensive systems, can be attributed to the application of advances in formal logic and its application to fault forecasting and verification of systems. In parallel, work on bio-inspired technologies has shown potential for the evolutionary design of engineering systems via automated exploration of potentially large design spaces. We have not yet seen the emergence of a design paradigm that effectively combines these two techniques, schematically founded on the two pillars of formal logic and biology, from the early stages of, and throughout, the design lifecycle. Such a design paradigm would apply these techniques synergistically and systematically to enable optimal refinement of new designs which can be driven effectively by dependability requirements. The paper sketches such a model-centric paradigm for the design of dependable systems, presented in the scope of the HiP-HOPS tool and technique, that brings these technologies together to realise their combined potential benefits. The paper begins by identifying current challenges in model-based safety assessment and then overviews the use of meta-heuristics at various stages of the design lifecycle covering topics that span from allocation of dependability requirements, through dependability analysis, to multi-objective optimisation of system architectures and maintenance schedules

Immunohistochemical Expression of Matrix Metalloprotease-2 and Matrix Metalloprotease-9 in the Disks of Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction

Purpose Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are tissue-remodeling enzymes that function during the remodeling process, such as in immune-inflammatory diseases. Metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) and metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) are gelatinases that degrade several types of extracellular matrix collagen. It is hypothesized that in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels may be elevated. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the association of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression with temporomandibular joint dysfunction using an immunohistochemical approach to evaluate the joint disk. Material and Methods A total of 45 human temporomandibular joint samples were collected, with 36 samples in the test group (patients with anterior disk displacement with reduction (n = 29) and without reduction (n = 7)) and nine samples in the control group. The immunostaining of the TMJ disks was statistically compared between the groups (P \u3c 0.05). Results There was a statistically significant difference for the area of MMP-2 immunostaining between the control group and the displacement disks with reduction group (ADDwR) (P = 0.048) and between the groups with disk displacement and without reduction (ADDwoR) (P = 0.029). The expression of MMP-2 was significantly elevated in the ADDwoR group. Conclusion No statistically significant difference was found between the variable area of MMP-9 expression in the disk with and without disk displacement, as determined by immunohistochemical analysis. However, there was an elevation of MMP-2 expression in the disks of patients with displacement and without reduction (more severe alteration)

FasL Expression in Articular Discs of Human Temporomandibular Joint and Association with Osteoarthrosis

Background Apoptosis is a programme of cell death which does not induce an inflammatory response. Recent previous research has suggested a correlation between temporomandibular internal derangement and apoptosis. Fas ligand (FasL) is an apoptosis‐inducing factor, known to trigger apoptosis through distinct signal pathways. This study aims to examine, by immunohistochemistry, the expression of FasL in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) articular discs of patients with anterior disc displacement with reduction (ADDwR) and without reduction (ADDwoR) in patients with and without osteoarthrosis (OA). Methods Forty‐two (n = 42) TMJ articular discs were divided into two cut‐offs: (i) 8 control, 17 ADDwR, 17 ADDwoR, and (ii) without OA (n = 25) and with OA (n = 17). The area of immunostaining was compared statistically between groups (P \u3c 0.05). Results Statistically significant differences were found in the expression of FasL in TMJ discs between the three groups (P = 0.001). ADDwR presented significant higher FasL expression when compared with ADDwoR (P \u3c 0.001). Significant higher FasL expression was observed in the group without OA (P = 0.001). All patients without OA presented ADDwR, while all the patients with OA presented ADDwoR. Conclusion A higher area of in situ immunostaining of FasL was found in temporomandibular discs with reduction, which is the less severe condition. Moreover, a reduced expression of FasL in the discs of patients with osteoarthrosis was found, suggesting that some aspects of apoptosis might underlie the progression of TMJ disorders

Breast cancer screening in Brazil

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Hospital Pérola Byington Centro de Referência da Saúde da Mulher do Estado de São PauloUNIFESPSciEL

Interleukin-6 Expression in Disc Derangement of Human Temporomandibular Joint and Association with Osteoarthrosis

The inflammatory process is a coordinated response that protects host after infection or trauma, involving several molecular reactions. Once the inflammation is closely linked to the process of destruction of the temporomandibular joint, this study aims to examine, by immunohistochemistry, the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), an important inflammatory marker, in temporomandibular articular discs of patients with anterior disc displacement with (ADDwR) and without reduction (ADDwoR) and its association with osteoarthrosis (OA). Thirty-eight (n = 38) articular discs were divided into two cutoffs: 1) analysis 1: 4 control (acute pathology), 17 ADDwR, 17 ADDwoR; and 2) analysis 2: without OA (n = 21) and with OA (n = 17). The area of immunostaining was compared statistically between groups (p \u3c 0.05). In the disc samples, no significant differences were observed between the groups ADDwR and ADDwoR, and with and without OA, in respect to the expression of IL-6 by immunohistochemical examination. Future studies should be conducted with a larger sample size, which could clarify the association of the inflammatory mediator IL-6 with temporomandibular joint dysfunction

Managing QoS in a NGN using a PBM approach

Next Generation Network (NGN) management represents an enormous challenge due to the large number of managed elements, the variety of roles the managed entities play in the network and the difficulty of orchestrating management actions. Several NGN standardization bodies point toward Policy Based Management as the best approach for NGN network management. This paper describes a management solution for a NGN IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) QoS management scenario based on WBEM technology. The proposal is for a WBEM-based policy server, a graphical policy editor application and instrumentation logic for the NGN QoS Management. The graphical policy editor reduces the learning curve imposed by the policy specification language, allowing the specification of policies through a rich and user-friendly visual interface, hiding the CIM syntax complexity but keeping CIM’s potential