An Automated Framework for Structural Test-data Generation

Structural testing criteria are mandated in many software development standards and guidelines. The process of generating test data to achieve 100% coverage of a given structural coverage metric is labour-intensive and expensive. This paper presents an approach to automate the generation of such test data. The test-data generation is based on the application of a dynamic optimisation-based search for the required test data. The same approach can be generalised to solve other test-data generation problems. Three such applications are discussed-boundary value analysis, assertion/run-time exception testing, and component re-use testing. A prototype tool-set has been developed to facilitate the automatic generation of test data for these structural testing problems. The results of preliminary experiments using this technique and the prototype tool-set are presented and show the efficiency and effectiveness of this approac

Measuring the Cost of Capital in Australia

The cost of capital is the minimum rate of return that an investment project must earn in order to cover its funding costs and any tax liabilities. Australian studies on this subject have produced a wide range of estimates. This paper demonstrates that a wide range of outcomes can result from often arbitrary assumptions used in constructing measures of the cost of funds. The paper suggests that any conclusions drawn about intertemporal trends or international comparisons of the cost of capital should be treated with care. For managers, it serves as a reminder that the use of simple invariant rules-of-thumb for investment decisions may be inappropriate. In particular, changes of tax regime and inflation should be taken into account in setting ‘hurdle rates’ for investment proposals.

Balanced Literacy in an Elementary Classroom

My interest in this topic is to understand the history of balanced literacy, what components are used, what issues have arisen in districts where a balanced literacy framework was adopted, and what impact it has had on student literacy performance. Chapter 2 provides information on the history of balanced literacy, what components are included in a framework implementation, and research on balanced literacy. Chapter 3 provides recommendations for an effective balanced literacy framework implementation and needed on-going support

Qualitative investigation of the role of collaborative football and walking football groups in mental health recovery

Efforts to increase physical activity levels in people with serious mental health conditions are viewed as desirable but little is known about how best to support this group to engage in exercise over extended periods. From a personal recovery perspective, the dominant paradigm in current mental health service delivery, one promising route involves participation with, rather than administration to or supervision of, mental health service users in team sports, usually football, in order to foster sharing of common interests and experiences. We aimed to explore the factors underlying the success of four collaborative mental health football (soccer) projects and the role played by football in mental health care delivery and in personal recovery. We held semi-structured focus groups with service user (n = 18) and staff (n = 7) participants from four football groups (two 'walking' football and two regular football) in two geographical National Health Service Boards in Scotland. Thematic analysis revealed that, central to success, were perceived relational, and personal and physical recovery-related benefits; competition and collaboration-related aspects were important drivers of interest in and commitment to the groups. Further, participants identified barriers to and concerns for continued success; specifically, they expressed that they need more explicit support from senior management. The clear emerging message was that collaborative football groups were perceived by participants as a conduit for recovery and an important aspect of mental healthcare delivery. Playing football was associated with a sense of wellbeing, and enhanced relationships between service users and staff

Long-term cardiorespiratory effects of Mediterranean diet and exercise training intervention in sedentary older participants

Introduction: The cardio-protective benefits of exercise and healthy diets, especially Mediterranean Diet (MD) are well established. Combining MD with exercise training has been recently shown to reverse cardio-metabolic risk in ageing adults. This study tested whether the exercise and MD improvement in cardiorespiratory capacity are sustained after six-months in older participants. Methods: With institutional ethical approval, seventeen sedentary healthy participants (age = 54.7 ± 3.5) completed eight-weeks of moderate aerobic exercise training alone or combined with MD, assessed by MD adherence questionnaire. Cardiorespiratory capacity was assessed by ventilatory threshold (VT) before, after and six-months following the completion of training. Mixed-design ANOVA was used to assess within effects (training and follow-up) and between effects (MD- and Exercise-group). Results: The initial intervention-dependent cardiorespiratory improvement in VT (12.2 ± 3.0 vs. 15.1 ± 3.1 ml.kg-1.min-1, p < 0.01), was maintained after six months compared with baseline (12.2 ± 3.0 vs. 13.2 ± 3.2ml.kg-1.min-1, p < 0.05) with no significant deterioration in the six months after the completion of the intervention. However, no interaction effect was found between MD-group and exercise-group. Within groups comparisons showed a trend, though not significant, towards sustained benefits of the MD group (12.2 ± 2.7, 14.1 ± 3.8, 13.1 ± 3.7 ml.kg-1.min-1, p = 0.078 for main ANOVA effects) in pre-, post-intervention and follow-up respectively. However, this trend was more prominent and significant in the exercise group (12.2 ± 3.3, 15.6 ± 3.0, 13.3 ± 3.2 ml.kg-1.min-1, p = 0.010 for pre-, post-intervention and follow-up respectively. Conclusion: In older sedentary adults, exercise training provides sustained improvement in cardiorespiratory capacity. Combining MD with exercise, though initially effective, require further research to distinguish the specific long-term benefits and adherence to MD

Anatomy of a Community-Level Fiscal Impact Model: FIT-4-NH.

Abstract: This paper describes the development of a fiscal impact tool for New Hampshire communities (HT -4-NH). FIT -4-NH belongs to a family of computergenerated fiscal impact assessment models designed to estimate the impacts to local government revenues and expenditures that result from economic changes. In the past, work in this area has centered on the completion of countylevel models for the midwestern states. FIT-4-NH is unique in that it was designed for rural community-level use in the northern New England region of the country

UTAH: Using Telemedicine to improve early medical Abortion at Home:a protocol for a randomised controlled trial comparing face-to-face with telephone consultations for women seeking early medical abortion

Introduction Early medical abortion (EMA) is a two-stage process of terminating pregnancy using oral mifepristone (a progesterone-receptor antagonist) followed usually 1–2 days later by sublingual, vaginal or buccal misoprostol (a prostaglandin analogue). There are no published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of telemedicine for EMA. Our proposed research will determine if telephone consultations for EMA (the most common method of abortion in the UK) is non-inferior to standard face-to-face consultations with regard to the efficacy of EMA.Methods and analysis This study will be conducted as an RCT. The recruitment target is 1222 participants.The primary outcome is success of EMA (complete abortion rate). This will be determined based on a negative low-sensitivity urine pregnancy test result (2 weeks after misoprostol use) and absence of surgical intervention or diagnosis of ongoing pregnancy (within 6 weeks of misoprostol).Secondary outcomes include total time spent at a clinic appointment to receive EMA, self-reported preparedness for EMA, level of satisfaction with consultation and effective contraception uptake compared with when women attend for a face-to-face consultation.The main analysis will be a modified intention-to-treat analysis. This will include all randomised women (with a viable pregnancy) using EMA and follow-up for the main outcome. The study initiated on 13 January 2020 and is anticipated to finish in late 2021.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was given by the South East Scotland NHS Research Ethics Committee, reference: 19/SS/0111. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at clinical and academic meetings, and shared with participants via the clinic website.Trial registration number NCT04139382