Automated unit-level testing with heuristic rules

Software testing plays a significant role in the development of complex software systems. Current testing methods generally require significant effort to generate meaningful test cases. The QUEST/Ada system is a prototype system designed using CLIPS to experiment with expert system based test case generation. The prototype is designed to test for condition coverage, and attempts to generate test cases to cover all feasible branches contained in an Ada program. This paper reports on heuristics sued by the system. These heuristics vary according to the amount of knowledge obtained by preprocessing and execution of the boolean conditions in the program

Germplasm Evaluation Program Progress Report No. 19

Breed differences in performance characteristics are an important genetic resource for improving efficiency of beef production. Diverse breeds are required to exploit heterosis and complementarity through crossbreeding and composite populations to match genetic potential with diverse markets, feed resources and climates. Beef producers are under increasing pressure to reduce fat while maintaining or improving tenderness and palatability of products. No single breed excels in all traits of importance to beef production. Previous results have shown that Bos indicus X Bos taurus (e.g., Brahman, Sahiwal and Nellore sired F1 cows out of Hereford and Angus dams) crosses were exceptionally productive and efficient cows, especially in a subtropical environment (e.g., Florida versus Nebraska). However, as the proportion Bos indicus increased, the advantages of Bos indicus crosses were tempered by older age at puberty and reduced meat tenderness. This report presents preliminary results from Cycle V of Germplasm Evaluation Program at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center) focusing primarily on characterization of some heavy muscled continental European breeds and some tropically adapted breeds compared to Hereford and Angus sired crosses for characteristics of importance in beef production

Metabolomic Investigation of Tenderness and Aging Response in Beef Longissimus Steaks

A study was conducted to identify molecular changes reflective of beef tenderness variation and tenderization during postmortem aging. Carcasses (U.S. Select) were selected to represent extremes in tenderness (n = 20; 10 per class). Two pairs of adjacent longissimus lumborum steaks from each strip loin were blocked by location and assigned to each aging time (2, 7, 14, or 28 d postmortem). One steak from each pair was designated for slice shear force determination and the other was used for sarcomere length, western blotting for desmin, and non-targeted LC- and GC–MS metabolite profiling. Tough steaks had higher (P < 0.001) slice shear force values than tender steaks, and increasing aging time decreased (P < 0.001) slice shear force values. Tender steaks had a greater (P < 10–4) proportion of desmin degraded than tough steaks, and increasing aging time increased (P < 10–22) desmin degradation in steaks from both classes. From 2,562 profiled metabolites, 102 metabolites were included in the final analysis after statistical screening. Twenty-eight metabolites could be annotated and loosely categorized into amino acids/peptides (n = 16), metabolism intermediates (n = 7), glycosides (n = 4), and fatty acids and phospholipids (n = 3). Amino acids were primarily associated with desmin degradation. Increased glucose levels were strongly associated to the tender classification and moderately associated to increased proteolysis, while increased glucose-6-phosphate was strongly related to the tender class but was related to decreased proteolysis. Increased malic acid was strongly associated to the tough classification, increased slice shear force, and decreased proteolysis. Increased levels of 3-phosphoglyceric acid and glycerol-3-phosphate was moderately associated with increased slice shear force and decreased proteolysis. These data indicate that accumulation of amino acids during aging is strongly related to postmortem proteolysis and may provide evidence of the fate of proteins degraded postmortem. Measures of glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, and malic acid concentrations may provide a metabolic fingerprint indicative of tenderness differences in beef longissimus

Comparison of Machine Learning Algorithms for Predictive Modeling of Beef Attributes Using Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) Data

Ambient mass spectrometry is an analytical approach that enables ionization of molecules under open-air conditions with no sample preparation and very fast sampling times. Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) is a relatively new type of ambient mass spectrometry that has demonstrated applications in both human health and food science. Here, we present an evaluation of REIMS as a tool to generate molecular scale information as an objective measure for the assessment of beef quality attributes. Eight different machine learning algorithms were compared to generate predictive models using REIMS data to classify beef quality attributes based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality grade, production background, breed type and muscle tenderness. The results revealed that the optimal machine learning algorithm, as assessed by predictive accuracy, was different depending on the classification problem, suggesting that a “one size fits all” approach to developing predictive models from REIMS data is not appropriate. The highest performing models for each classification achieved prediction accuracies between 81.5–99%, indicating the potential of the approach to complement current methods for classifying quality attributes in beef

Genomic instability in human cancer: molecular insights and opportunities for therapeutic attack and prevention through diet and nutrition

Genomic instability can initiate cancer, augment progression, and influence the overall prognosis of the affected patient. Genomic instability arises from many different pathways, such as telomere damage, centrosome amplification, epigenetic modifications, and DNA damage from endogenous and exogenous sources, and can be perpetuating, or limiting, through the induction of mutations or aneuploidy, both enabling and catastrophic. Many cancer treatments induce DNA damage to impair cell division on a global scale but it is accepted that personalized treatments, those that are tailored to the particular patient and type of cancer, must also be developed. In this review, we detail the mechanisms from which genomic instability arises and can lead to cancer, as well as treatments and measures that prevent genomic instability or take advantage of the cellular defects caused by genomic instability. In particular, we identify and discuss five priority targets against genomic instability: (1) prevention of DNA damage; (2) enhancement of DNA repair; (3) targeting deficient DNA repair; (4) impairing centrosome clustering; and, (5) inhibition of telomerase activity. Moreover, we highlight vitamin D and B, selenium, carotenoids, PARP inhibitors, resveratrol, and isothiocyanates as priority approaches against genomic instability. The prioritized target sites and approaches were cross validated to identify potential synergistic effects on a number of important areas of cancer biology

Structural discordance between neogene detachments and frontal Sevier thrusts, central Mormon Mountains, southern Nevada

Detailed geologic mapping in the Mormon Mountains of southern Nevada provides significant insight into processes of extensional tectonics developed within older compressional orogens. A newly discovered, WSW-directed low-angle normal fault, the Mormon Peak detachment, juxtaposes the highest levels of the frontal most part of the east-vergent, Mesozoic Sevier thrust belt with autochthonous crystalline basement. Palinspastic analysis suggests that the detachment initially dipped 20–25° to the west and cut discordantly across thrust faults. Nearly complete lateral removal of the hanging wall from the area has exposed a 5 km thick longitudinal cross-section through the thrust belt in the footwall, while highly attenuated remnants of the hanging wall (nowhere more than a few hundred meters thick) structurally veneer the range. The present arched configuration of the detachment resulted in part from progressive “domino-style” rotation of a few degrees while it was active, but is largely due to rotation on younger, structurally lower, basement-penetrating normal faults that initiated at high-angle. The geometry and kinematics of normal faulting in the Mormon Mountains suggest that pre-existing thrust planes are not required for the initiation of low-angle normal faults, and even where closely overlapped by extensional tectonism, need not function as a primary control of detachment geometry. Caution must thus be exercised in interpreting low-angle normal faults of uncertain tectonic heritage such as those seen in the COCORP west-central Utah and BIRP's MOIST deep-reflection profiles. Although thrust fault reactivation has reasonably been shown to be the origin of a very few low-angle normal faults, our results indicate that it may not be as fundamental a component of orogenic architecture as it is now widely perceived to be. We conclude that while in many instances thrust fault reactivation may be both a plausible and attractive hypothesis, it may never be assumed

Designing a broad-spectrum integrative approach for cancer prevention and treatment

Targeted therapies and the consequent adoption of "personalized" oncology have achieved notablesuccesses in some cancers; however, significant problems remain with this approach. Many targetedtherapies are highly toxic, costs are extremely high, and most patients experience relapse after a fewdisease-free months. Relapses arise from genetic heterogeneity in tumors, which harbor therapy-resistantimmortalized cells that have adopted alternate and compensatory pathways (i.e., pathways that are notreliant upon the same mechanisms as those which have been targeted). To address these limitations, aninternational task force of 180 scientists was assembled to explore the concept of a low-toxicity "broad-spectrum" therapeutic approach that could simultaneously target many key pathways and mechanisms. Using cancer hallmark phenotypes and the tumor microenvironment to account for the various aspectsof relevant cancer biology, interdisciplinary teams reviewed each hallmark area and nominated a widerange of high-priority targets (74 in total) that could be modified to improve patient outcomes. For thesetargets, corresponding low-toxicity therapeutic approaches were then suggested, many of which werephytochemicals. Proposed actions on each target and all of the approaches were further reviewed forknown effects on other hallmark areas and the tumor microenvironment. Potential contrary or procar-cinogenic effects were found for 3.9% of the relationships between targets and hallmarks, and mixedevidence of complementary and contrary relationships was found for 7.1%. Approximately 67% of therelationships revealed potentially complementary effects, and the remainder had no known relationship. Among the approaches, 1.1% had contrary, 2.8% had mixed and 62.1% had complementary relationships. These results suggest that a broad-spectrum approach should be feasible from a safety standpoint. Thisnovel approach has potential to be relatively inexpensive, it should help us address stages and types ofcancer that lack conventional treatment, and it may reduce relapse risks. A proposed agenda for futureresearch is offered

Germplasm Evaluation Program- Progress Report No. 18

Breed differences in performance characteristics are an important genetic resource for improving efficiency of beef production. Diverse breeds are required to exploit heterosis and complementarity through crossbreeding and composite populations to match genetic potential with diverse markets, feed resources and climates. Beef producers are under increasing pressure to reduce fat while maintaining or improving tenderness and palatability of products. No single breed excels in all traits of importance to beef production. Previous results have shown that Bos indicus X Bos taurus (e.g., Brahman, Sahiwal and Nellore sired F1cows out of Hereford and Angus dams) crosses were exceptionally productive and efficient cows, especially in a subtropical environment (e.g., Florida versus Nebraska). However, as the proportion Bos indicus increased, the advantages of Bos indicus crosses were tempered by older age at puberty and reduced meat tenderness. This report presents preliminary results from Cycle V of Germplasm Evaluation Program at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center) focusing primarily on characterization of some heavy muscled continental European breeds and some tropically adapted breeds compared to Hereford and Angus sired crosses for characteristics of importance in beef production

Germplasm Evaluation Program- Progress Report No. 15

Preliminary Results From Cycle V of The Cattle Germplasm Evaluation Program At The Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center Breed differences in performance characteristics are an important genetic resource for improving efficiency of beef production. Diverse breeds are required to exploit heterosis and complementarity through crossbreeding and new composite breeds to match genetic potential with diverse markets, feed resources and climates. Beef producers are under increasing pressure to reduce fat while maintaining or improving tenderness and palatability of products. No single breed excels in all traits of importance to beef production. Previous results have shown that Bos indicus X Bos taurus (e.g., Brahman, Sahiwal and Nellore sired F1 cows out of Hereford and Angus dams) crosses were exceptionally productive and efficient cows, especially in a subtropical environment(e.g., Florida versus Nebraska). However, as the proportion Bos indicus increased, the advantages of Bos indicus crosses were tempered by older age at puberty and reduced meat tenderness. This report presents preliminary results from Cycle V of Germplasm Evaluation Program at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal. Research Center (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center) focusing primarily on characterization of some heavy muscled continental European breeds and some tropically adapted breeds compared to Hereford and Angus sired crosses for characteristics of importance in beef production