Article
Computer Science, Hardware & Architecture
Linas Laibinis, Alexei Iliasov, Alexander Romanovsky
Summary: The article discusses a mutation-based validation technique that helps domain experts in constructing verification rules, using genetic programming to generate well-formed data mutations and synthesize mutation programs. The technique is illustrated through a synthetic running example and discussion of industrial application experiences.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RELIABILITY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian B. Beil, Dennis Pollok, Siegfried R. Waldvogel
Summary: The use of electric current as a traceless activator and reagent is experiencing a resurgence in the field of organic chemistry. With researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds entering this field, there is a diversity in reported parameters and methods, potentially impacting the reproducibility of electroorganic syntheses. This Review provides guidelines to streamline experimental parameters and improve reproducibility in the field.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Chenke Luo, Jiang Ming, Jianming Fu, Guojun Peng, Zhetao Li
Summary: This paper presents a novel reverse engineering technique called interpreter semantics testing for rapidly recovering the semantics of obfuscated Lua bytecode. By constructing a set of LuaGadgets that can adapt to a customized interpreter, generating test cases through mutating unknown opcode values, and observing the expected result when the mutation hits the correct opcode value, our approach provides a cost-effective way to recover the semantics of all obfuscated opcodes. The evaluation results show the effectiveness of our tool, LuaHunt, in recovering obfuscated bytecode within a short time.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INFORMATION FORENSICS AND SECURITY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Steven A. Narod
Summary: The paradigm of precision medicine suggests that breast cancer treatment should be customized based on the individual's inherent risk of recurrence and sensitivity to different chemotherapies. A recent trial of olaparib in women with BRCA1/2 mutation provides evidence for this approach, indicating that identifying genetic variants at diagnosis could benefit a growing number of patients.
NATURE REVIEWS CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Timothy A. Yap, Arya Ashok, Jessica Stoll, Elizabeth Mauer, Vanessa M. Nepomuceno, Kimberly L. Blackwell, Judy E. Garber, Funda Meric-Bernstam
Summary: This study evaluates the prevalence of germline findings in cancer types lacking genetic testing guidelines. The results suggest that there may be clinical implications of germline mutations in these cancer types for patients and their at-risk family members.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Pablo C. Canizares, Alberto Nunez, Rosa Filgueira, Juan de Lara
Summary: Mutation testing is a valuable technique for detecting faults in test suites, but it is computationally expensive. This work proposes a new load distribution algorithm and parallelizes different steps of the process to improve the performance of mutation testing in large-scale systems. Through a thorough empirical evaluation, our proposal outperforms existing solutions by up to 35%, with a maximum reduction in execution time of 99.66%.
CLUSTER COMPUTING-THE JOURNAL OF NETWORKS SOFTWARE TOOLS AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Arzu Behiye Tarimci, Hasan Soezer
Summary: This article introduces a tool called muPLSQL for applying mutation testing on PL/SQL programs and evaluates the applicability and usefulness of this tool and mutation testing through an industrial case study. The study found that mutation testing can improve existing test suites and uncover faults in the source code.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Ana B. Sanchez, Pedro Delgado-Perez, Inmaculada Medina-Bulo, Sergio Segura
Summary: This paper presents a thorough study on the use of mutation testing in GitHub projects, revealing its widespread adoption in development, as well as its less usage in teaching and research. The study also highlights the recent increase in interest and activity in the field of mutation testing.
EMPIRICAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Hardware & Architecture
Yuteng Lu, Weidi Sun, Meng Sun
Summary: This paper introduces a mutation testing framework specialized for RL systems, which evaluates the quality and potential faults of RL systems by simulating possible errors and providing test environments. The evaluation in three popular environments demonstrates the practicality of the proposed framework.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Blake C. Ballif, Lisa J. Emerson, Christina J. Ramirez, Casey R. Carl, Kyle Sundin, Helen Flores-Smith, Lisa G. Shaffer
Summary: This research delves into the genetic origins and phenotypic correlations of merle coat color in dogs, identifying different merle variations and their corresponding phenotypes, as well as the occurrence of hidden merle variants in dachshund breeds. The study also highlights the negative impacts of genetic abnormalities on canine health and emphasizes the importance of merle genetic testing.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mallku Soldevila, Beta Ziliani, Bruno Silvestre
Summary: This article provides a formal semantics for a large subset of the Lua programming language and discusses key aspects of the language, such as data types, meta-programming mechanism, and error handling. The mechanization of the semantics in Redex is validated through testing the reference interpreter's test suite and performing random testing of its fundamental properties. Additionally, performance problems when testing the mechanization in Redex are addressed by implementing a simple garbage collector. The development of the semantics and the implementation of a prototype tool for static analysis of Lua programs are also discussed briefly.
JOURNAL OF AUTOMATED REASONING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Inas Elsayed, Robert Geraghty, Salwa O. Mekki, Ahmed A. Mohamedani, Susan Ahern, Omer E. H. Salim, Balgis B. M. Khalil, Sawsan Abdelrahim, Suliman H. Suliman, Moawia M. A. Elhassan, Salah O. Salah, Mohamed E. Salih, Abubakr H. Widatalla, Osman S. Abdelhamed, Xiaosheng Wang, Eanna J. Ryan, Des Winter, Salih Bakhiet, Kieran Sheahan
Summary: There is a significant clinical need for molecular pathology services for colorectal cancer in Sudan. In this study, researchers aimed to introduce a molecular genetic service for colorectal cancer in Sudan and explore the molecular features and their relationship to patient survival and clinicopathological characteristics. They found that a subtype of mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer was present in 16% of cases, and a presumptive diagnosis of Lynch Syndrome was made in 14% of patients. The study also revealed a high mortality rate in Sudanese colorectal cancer patients, which was correlated with advanced disease stage and mismatch repair status.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Sport Sciences
Keenan B. MacDougall, Tara M. Falconer, Brian R. MacIntosh
Summary: Efficiency in cycling, defined as the ratio of energy output to input, is an important metric that is often misunderstood. Factors affecting cycling efficiency are complex, including both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Current measurement methods limit our understanding of the energetics of high-intensity exercise.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert W. Field, Jun Jie Wu
Summary: This article discusses the difference between concentration polarization and fouling, addresses questions surrounding modeling, and emphasizes the importance of pilot plant data.
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Dong-Gun Lee, Yeong-Seok Seo
Summary: In software engineering, testing is an important research area in maintenance. This paper proposes a method that uses mutation testing to identify defects that are not discovered in a single round of testing. By applying multiple mutants simultaneously to define and record relationships between lines of code, the method examines these relationships and recommends potential defects from recorded candidates. The evaluation shows that the proposed method outperforms seven other fault localization methods.
MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Editorial Material
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Robert M. Hierons, Tao Xie
SOFTWARE TESTING VERIFICATION & RELIABILITY
(2021)
Review
Computer Science, Information Systems
Andrew G. Clark, Neil Walkinshaw, Robert M. Hierons
Summary: This research presents a summary of state-of-the-art techniques for test case generation in agent-based models, highlighting the effectiveness of techniques for testing functional requirements at the agent and integration levels with a lack of capabilities for testing society-level behavior. The majority of techniques also fall short in testing non-functional requirements or "soft goals".
INFORMATION AND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Robert M. Hierons, Tao Xie
SOFTWARE TESTING VERIFICATION & RELIABILITY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Robert M. Hierons, Tao Xie
SOFTWARE TESTING VERIFICATION & RELIABILITY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Krishna Patel, Robert M. Hierons, David Clark
Summary: This study aims to assess the testability of the system under test (SUT) by devising new measures, particularly in relation to Failed Error Propagation (FEP). The experiments demonstrate a strong correlation between the new measures and the probability of FEP occurring, highlighting the simplicity and effectiveness of the Normalised Squeeziness measure.
INFORMATION AND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Robert M. Hierons
SOFTWARE TESTING VERIFICATION & RELIABILITY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Robert M. Hierons, Tao Xie
SOFTWARE TESTING VERIFICATION & RELIABILITY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
James Baxter, Ana Cavalcanti, Maciej Gazda, Robert M. Hierons
Summary: This research introduces a new approach for timed refinement and testing using a dialect of CSP called tock-CSP. It provides a novel semantics for testing by distinguishing input and output events in tock-CSP. Additionally, a new testing theory for timewise refinement is presented, based on novel definitions of test and test execution. The paper also establishes a relationship between timed ioco testing and refinement in tock-CSP with inputs and outputs.
ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL LOGIC
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Hardware & Architecture
Mohammad Reza Mousavi, Ana Cavalcanti, Michael Fisher, Louise Dennis, Rob Hierons, Bilal Kaddouh, Effie Lai-Chong Law, Rob Richardson, Jan Oliver Ringer, Ivan Tyukin, Jim Woodcock
Summary: Autonomous systems have the potential to solve societal challenges, but trustworthiness is crucial. A U.K. consortium conducted research to address the central issue of establishing verifiability.
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Neil Walkinshaw, Robert M. Hierons
Summary: In this article, a method for modelling finite state machines using Subjective Logic is introduced. This method allows modellers to capture their own uncertainty about the stated probabilities, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the models.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Maciej Gazda, Robert M. Hierons
Summary: We investigate the problem of finding a minimal complete test suite for refusal trace semantics. Our approach is based on generating a minimal complete set of forbidden refusal traces and utilizing insightful insights into the semantics. We identify a key class of refusals called fundamental refusals, which essentially determine the refusal trace semantics and associated equivalence relation. We propose a small but not necessarily minimal test suite and provide a method to remove redundant traces while maintaining uniform completeness if desired.
INFORMATION AND COMPUTATION
(2023)
Review
Computer Science, Information Systems
Richard J. Somers, James A. Douthwaite, David J. Wagg, Neil Walkinshaw, Robert M. Hierons
Summary: This study aims to summarize the existing literature on digital-twin-based testing. Digital twins enhance physical systems through visualization, future state prediction, and communication. The adoption of digital twin testing has been increasing in different domains, and the testing techniques are continuously evolving.
INFORMATION AND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Uraz Cengiz Turker, Robert M. Hierons, Gerassimos Barlas, Khaled El-Fakih
Summary: The increasing complexity and criticality of software systems have led to a growing interest in automated test generation, particularly using model-based testing (MBT). This study proposes a generalization of incomplete adaptive distinguishing sequences (ADSs) to handle non-deterministic partial and observable finite state machines (FSMs). It also presents a novel algorithm to generate incomplete ADSs and demonstrates its superior performance in identifying states of the implementation under test (IUT) compared to existing methods.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Manuel Nunez, Robert M. Hierons, Raluca Lefticaru
Summary: This paper focuses on systematically testing robotic control software based on state-based models. It provides a testing theory for cyclic systems, where time is represented and probabilities are used to model non-deterministic choices. The paper also considers refusals and different testing scenarios, leading to a range of implementation relations. It offers formal definitions of implementation relations that can be used for sound automated testing and validates them through alternative characterizations using observers.
ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Steve Counsell, Robert M. Hierons, Krishna Patel
Summary: The study found limited evidence supporting the 80-20 rule in refactoring activities, with only two systems showing clear indications. The main aspects included large-scale movements of class fields and methods, as well as the deliberate collapsing of class hierarchies using inheritance-based refactorings.
2021 47TH EUROMICRO CONFERENCE ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND ADVANCED APPLICATIONS (SEAA 2021)
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Amel Mammar, Meriem Belguidoum, Saddam Hocine Hiba
Summary: This paper introduces a formal EVENT-B-based approach for modeling and verifying the deployment of component-based applications. By gradually refining an abstract model, a precise specification is built, and mathematical reasoning is used to prove its correctness. The presented approach validates the deployment in a cloud environment using PROB and ensures the construction of a correct system that meets the constraints.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Shuqi Liu, Yu Zhou, Longbing Ji, Tingting Han, Taolue Chen
Summary: In this paper, we propose a framework that combines GUI events deduplication with an adaptive semantic matching strategy to enhance the usability of reused tests. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the framework improves widget mapping performance, significantly reduces event redundancy, and reduces the manual effort of creating tests for similar applications.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Xiangyu Mu, Lei Liu, Peng Zhang, Jingyao Li, Hui Li
Summary: The aim of this study is to reduce the size of the test case set required to detect the commutativity problem of the reduce function. By determining the pattern of the function and selecting corresponding test cases, the proposed test case generation strategy can achieve the same accuracy with a smaller test case set. It has been shown to be effective and has a high recall rate.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Padmalata Nistala, Asha Rajbhoj, Vinay Kulkarni, Sapphire Noronha, Ankit Joshi
Summary: This paper presents an automated proposal development approach using a combination of model-based and AI-enabled techniques, and discusses the successful deployment and user feedback of the system.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Jacco O. G. Krijnen, Manuel M. T. Chakravarty, Gabriele Keller, Wouter Swierstra
Summary: Compiler correctness is a long-standing problem, and it becomes more significant with the rise of smart contracts on blockchains. A translation certification framework can address the trust issue for low-level code on the blockchain, allowing users to have confidence in the compilation process of smart contracts.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Phillip James, Faron Moller, Filippos Pantekis
Summary: OnTrack is a tool that supports railway verification workflows using model driven engineering frameworks, allowing railway engineers to interact with verification procedures through encapsulating formal methods.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Oleg Kiselyov
Summary: Heterogeneous metaprogramming systems leverage higher-level host languages to generate lower-level object language code, enabling faster production of high-performant code with correctness guarantees. This paper presents two systems with OCaml as the host language and C as the object language, discussing their implementation and applications.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Conor Reynolds, Rosemary Monahan
Summary: This paper provides a detailed approach to formalize a fragment of the theory of institutions in the Coq proof assistant. The approach is illustrated and evaluated by instantiating the framework with specific institution examples.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Herbert Rausch Fernandes, Giovanni Freitas Gomes, Antonio Carlos Pinheiro de Oliveira, Sergio Vale Aguiar Campos
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia with no effective drug treatment available. In this study, a statistical model checking approach was used to analyze protein and drug interactions and evaluate the effects of different drugs on the components contributing to Alzheimer's disease. The results showed that rapamycin could slow down the biological process causing neuronal death, while LY294002 and NVP-BEZ235 may increase tau phosphorylation. These findings provide important insights for the scientific community and raise awareness about potential side effects of PI3K inhibitor drugs.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Erwan Mahe, Christophe Gaston, Pascale Le Gall
Summary: This paper presents an Interaction Language to encode Sequence Diagrams (SD) and associates it with three different formal semantics. This allows for direct formal verification of SD, while preserving traceability of SD concepts and executed actions, and addressing the translation of problematic operators.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Joan Giner-Miguelez, Abel Gomez, Jordi Cabot
Summary: Datasets are crucial for training and evaluating machine learning models, but they can also lead to undesirable behaviors like biased predictions. To tackle this issue, the machine learning community suggests adopting consistent guidelines for dataset descriptions. However, these guidelines rely on natural language descriptions, which hinder automated computation and analysis. To overcome this, we present DescribeML, a language engineering tool that provides precise, structured descriptions of machine learning datasets, including their composition, provenance, and social concerns.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Andrey Sadovykh, Bilal Said, Dragos Truscan, Hugo Bruneliere
Summary: In this paper, the authors report on their 7 years of practical experience with an iterative Model-based Requirements Engineering (MBRE) approach and language in five large European collaborative projects. They demonstrate through significant data sets that this model-based approach provides interesting benefits in terms of scalability, heterogeneity, adaptability, traceability, automation, consistency and quality, and usefulness or usability. Concrete examples from these projects are provided to illustrate the application of the MBRE approach and language, and the authors discuss the general benefits and limitations of using such an approach, as well as the lessons learned over the years.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Alfa Yohannis, Dimitris Kolovos, Antonio Garcia-Dominguez
Summary: Picto Web is a multi-tenant web-based tool that allows exploration of complex models by transforming them into various transient web-based views using rule-based transformations. It uses a lazy view computation approach to efficiently support large models and complex transformations, and includes monitoring and push notification facilities for automatic recomputation of views and updated delivery to clients.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Enes Yigitbas, Maximilian Schmidt, Antonio Bucchiarone, Sebastian Gottschalk, Gregor Engels
Summary: UML has become a popular modeling language used in computer science courses, and various interactive learning applications have been developed to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. However, these applications have not successfully created immersive environments for students. Therefore, this study introduces GaMoVR, a VR-based and gamified learning environment, which provides an interactive and fun learning experience for students learning about UML modeling.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Yaxin Zhao, Lina Gong, Wenhua Yang, Yu Zhou
Summary: Accessible design aims to enable as many people as possible to access software products and services. This study investigates the interaction between accessibility issues and other factors affecting software performance. By analyzing a large number of accessibility issues, the study reveals the characteristics of these issues and their relationship with software quality attributes.
SCIENCE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
(2024)