Beta: uma ferramenta para geração de testes de unidade a partir de especificações B

Formal methods and software testing are tools to obtain and control software quality. When used together, they provide mechanisms for software specification, verification and error detection. Even though formal methods allow software to be mathematically verified, they are not enough to assure that a system is free of faults, thus, software testing techniques are necessary to complement the process of verification and validation of a system. Model Based Testing techniques allow tests to be generated from other software artifacts such as specifications and abstract models. Using formal specifications as basis for test creation, we can generate better quality tests, because these specifications are usually precise and free of ambiguity. Fernanda Souza (2009) proposed a method to define test cases from B Method specifications. This method used information from the machine s invariant and the operation s precondition to define positive and negative test cases for an operation, using equivalent class partitioning and boundary value analysis based techniques. However, the method proposed in 2009 was not automated and had conceptual deficiencies like, for instance, it did not fit in a well defined coverage criteria classification. We started our work with a case study that applied the method in an example of B specification from the industry. Based in this case study we ve obtained subsidies to improve it. In our work we evolved the proposed method, rewriting it and adding characteristics to make it compatible with a test classification used by the community. We also improved the method to support specifications structured in different components, to use information from the operation s behavior on the test case generation process and to use new coverage criterias. Besides, we have implemented a tool to automate the method and we have submitted it to more complex case studies

Modelo de interoperabilidade para utilização dos recursos dos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem através de dispositivos móveis

The technological evolution has been making the Distance Education accessible for a greater number of citizens anytime and anywhere. The potential increase of the supply for mobile devices integrated to mobile learning environments allows that the information comes out of the physical environment, creating opportunities for students and teachers to create geographically distributed learning scenarios. However, many applications developed for these environments remain isolated from each other and do not become integrated sufficiently into the virtual learning environments (AVA). This dissertation presents an interoperability model between mobile devices and distinct AVA based on webservices. For the conception of this model, requirements engineering and software architecture techniques were used. With the goal of showing the model viability, a mobile application focused on surveys has been developed, and additionally, the main functionalities related to the interoperability were tested

An automated approach for performance deviation analysis of evolving software systems

A manutenção e evolução de sistemas de software tornou-se uma tarefa bastante crítica ao longo dos últimos anos devido à diversidade e alta demanda de funcionalidades, dispositivos e usuários. Entender e analisar como novas mudanças impactam os atributos de qualidade da arquitetura de tais sistemas é um pré-requisito essencial para evitar a deterioração de sua qualidade durante sua evolução. Esta tese propõe uma abordagem automatizada para a análise de variação do atributo de qualidade de desempenho em termos de tempo de execução (tempo de resposta). Ela é implementada por um framework que adota técnicas de análise dinâmica e mineração de repositório de software para fornecer uma forma automatizada de revelar fontes potenciais – commits e issues – de variação de desempenho em cenários durante a evolução de sistemas de software. A abordagem define quatro fases: (i) preparação – escolher os cenários e preparar os releases alvos; (ii) análise dinâmica – determinar o desempenho de cenários e métodos calculando seus tempos de execução; (iii) análise de variação – processar e comparar os resultados da análise dinâmica para releases diferentes; e (iv) mineração de repositório – identificar issues e commits associados com a variação de desempenho detectada. Estudos empíricos foram realizados para avaliar a abordagem de diferentes perspectivas. Um estudo exploratório analisou a viabilidade de se aplicar a abordagem em sistemas de diferentes domínios para identificar automaticamente elementos de código fonte com variação de desempenho e as mudanças que afetaram tais elementos durante uma evolução. Esse estudo analisou três sistemas: (i) SIGAA – um sistema web para gerência acadêmica; (ii) ArgoUML – uma ferramenta de modelagem UML; e (iii) Netty – um framework para aplicações de rede. Outro estudo realizou uma análise evolucionária ao aplicar a abordagem em múltiplos releases do Netty, e dos frameworks web Wicket e Jetty. Nesse estudo foram analisados 21 releases (sete de cada sistema), totalizando 57 cenários. Em resumo, foram encontrados 14 cenários com variação significante de desempenho para Netty, 13 para Wicket e 9 para Jetty. Adicionalmente, foi obtido feedback de oito desenvolvedores desses sistemas através de um formulário online. Finalmente, no último estudo, um modelo de regressão para desempenho foi desenvolvido visando indicar propriedades de commits que são mais prováveis a causar degradação de desempenho. No geral, 997 commits foram minerados, sendo 103 recuperados de elementos de código fonte degradados e 19 de otimizados, enquanto 875 não tiveram impacto no tempo de execução. O número de dias antes de disponibilizar o release e o dia da semana se mostraram como as variáveis mais relevantes dos commits que degradam desempenho no nosso modelo. A área de característica de operação do receptor (ROC – Receiver Operating Characteristic) do modelo de regressão é 60%, o que significa que usar o modelo para decidir se um commit causará degradação ou não é 10% melhor do que uma decisão aleatória.

An automated approach for performance deviation analysis of evolving software systems

A manutenção e evolução de sistemas de software tornou-se uma tarefa bastante crítica ao longo dos últimos anos devido à diversidade e alta demanda de funcionalidades, dispositivos e usuários. Entender e analisar como novas mudanças impactam os atributos de qualidade da arquitetura de tais sistemas é um pré-requisito essencial para evitar a deterioração de sua qualidade durante sua evolução. Esta tese propõe uma abordagem automatizada para a análise de variação do atributo de qualidade de desempenho em termos de tempo de execução (tempo de resposta). Ela é implementada por um framework que adota técnicas de análise dinâmica e mineração de repositório de software para fornecer uma forma automatizada de revelar fontes potenciais – commits e issues – de variação de desempenho em cenários durante a evolução de sistemas de software. A abordagem define quatro fases: (i) preparação – escolher os cenários e preparar os releases alvos; (ii) análise dinâmica – determinar o desempenho de cenários e métodos calculando seus tempos de execução; (iii) análise de variação – processar e comparar os resultados da análise dinâmica para releases diferentes; e (iv) mineração de repositório – identificar issues e commits associados com a variação de desempenho detectada. Estudos empíricos foram realizados para avaliar a abordagem de diferentes perspectivas. Um estudo exploratório analisou a viabilidade de se aplicar a abordagem em sistemas de diferentes domínios para identificar automaticamente elementos de código fonte com variação de desempenho e as mudanças que afetaram tais elementos durante uma evolução. Esse estudo analisou três sistemas: (i) SIGAA – um sistema web para gerência acadêmica; (ii) ArgoUML – uma ferramenta de modelagem UML; e (iii) Netty – um framework para aplicações de rede. Outro estudo realizou uma análise evolucionária ao aplicar a abordagem em múltiplos releases do Netty, e dos frameworks web Wicket e Jetty. Nesse estudo foram analisados 21 releases (sete de cada sistema), totalizando 57 cenários. Em resumo, foram encontrados 14 cenários com variação significante de desempenho para Netty, 13 para Wicket e 9 para Jetty. Adicionalmente, foi obtido feedback de oito desenvolvedores desses sistemas através de um formulário online. Finalmente, no último estudo, um modelo de regressão para desempenho foi desenvolvido visando indicar propriedades de commits que são mais prováveis a causar degradação de desempenho. No geral, 997 commits foram minerados, sendo 103 recuperados de elementos de código fonte degradados e 19 de otimizados, enquanto 875 não tiveram impacto no tempo de execução. O número de dias antes de disponibilizar o release e o dia da semana se mostraram como as variáveis mais relevantes dos commits que degradam desempenho no nosso modelo. A área de característica de operação do receptor (ROC – Receiver Operating Characteristic) do modelo de regressão é 60%, o que significa que usar o modelo para decidir se um commit causará degradação ou não é 10% melhor do que uma decisão aleatória.

Sofrimento psíquico: representações sociais dos enfermeiros em ambiente hospitalar

We believe that the dissatisfaction arising from the lack of belief in the possibilities of change in the workplace, which cause difficulties to achieve professional results in the professional psychological distress that currently fits into the context of mental health. This is a qualitative, descriptive and representational research aiming to discover how the professional nurses represent the very psychological distress from work in the hospital environment. Aided and supported by specific objectives of identifying factors that generates this suffering and strategies for defense and confronting these professionals in the hospital. 22 nurses participated in this research, officials of the University Hospital Onofre Lopes, located in the city of Natal / RN, with length of service in the institution more than one year and less than five, and they accepted, by signing the Term of Free and Informed Consent, participate in the study. We use plurimethodological approach: a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview and the design-story with a theme adapted from Trinca with the support of the Theory of Social Representations and that nurses do in their psychological distress of the Central Core. We reviewed the data from the results generated by the ALCESTE software, based on hierarchical categorization downward, leading seven classes used as categories: Work process: completeness vs. incompleteness; labor contradiction of the nurse; qualitative aspects of interpersonal relationships; hospital surveillance: Challenges, muteness and neglect; Expectations, conflicts and feelings in the work process; Leisure: the other side of the work process, and Suffering generating aspects of in the work process. We consider the analysis of quarters generated by the program, which SLQ houses in the central core of the representations; the SRQ and the DLQ the intermediaries elements and the DRQ the peripheral elements that nurses do in their psychological distress. We analytically adequate results in the three belonging dimensions of social representations: the Subjectivity, the Intersubjectivity and Trans-subjectivity. We infer that the interpersonal relationship, the extra work, the deviation in the role of nurse show themself as the factors responsible for psychological distress of it. In that sense, the central core of SR of this profession is based on the level of trans-subjectivity and understood as a Social Representation controversy

Estudo e especificação de um sistema de instrumentação para unidades de elevação de petróleo utilizando tecnologia sem fio

Wireless sensor networks are reality nowadays. The growing necessity of connectivity between existing industrial plant equipments pushes the research and development of several technologies. The IEEE 802.15.4 LR-WPAN comes as a low-cost and powersaving viable solution, which are important concerns while making decisions on remote sensoring projects. This study intends to propose a wireless communication system which makes possible the monitoring of analogic and/or digital variables (i. e., the pressure studied) involved on the artificial methods for oil and gas lifting. The main issues are: To develop a software based on SMAC Standard in order to create a wireless network to monitoring analogic and/or digital variables; To evaluate the communication link based on the number of lost packets tested in different environments (indoor and outdoor) and To propose an instrumentation system consisting of wireless devices

Análise do fluxo d’água na barragem Engenheiro Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves - Açu/RN

The solution of partial differential equation of seepage problems is difficult to find analytically, especially for situations that involve great complexity. To overcome this problem, software based on finite differences and finite elements are usually used. This work presents the use of a finite element software, the GEO5, to solve the seepage problem at a dam of very complex section, the dam Eng. Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves, which at the end of its construction suffered rupture of the upstream slope at the central dam and then went through a process of reconstruction and auscultation. The analyses were performed for the operating condition of the reservoir, with an established flow. A numerical model was developed based on the level readings of the reservoir water and their piezometric readings as a proposal for the evaluation and future behavior prediction of the dam on established flow conditions. The use of constitutive models with the aid of computer systems is reflected in a way to predict future risk situations so they can be prevented

Autonomic hardware manager: uma arquitetura de hardware autonômico usando a solução de repositório ativo de componentes

This Thesis main objective is to implement a supporting architecture to Autonomic Hardware systems, capable of manage the hardware running in reconfigurable devices. The proposed architecture implements manipulation, generation and communication functionalities, using the Context Oriented Active Repository approach. The solution consists in a Hardware-Software based architecture called "Autonomic Hardware Manager (AHM)" that contains an Active Repository of Hardware Components. Using the repository the architecture will be able to manage the connected systems at run time allowing the implementation of autonomic features such as self-management, self-optimization, self-description and self-configuration. The proposed architecture also contains a meta-model that allows the representation of the Operating Context for hardware systems. This meta-model will be used as basis to the context sensing modules, that are needed in the Active Repository architecture. In order to demonstrate the proposed architecture functionalities, experiments were proposed and implemented in order to proof the Thesis hypothesis and achieved objectives. Three experiments were planned and implemented: the Hardware Reconfigurable Filter, that consists of an application that implements Digital Filters using reconfigurable hardware; the Autonomic Image Segmentation Filter, that shows the project and implementation of an image processing autonomic application; finally, the Autonomic Autopilot application that consist of an auto pilot to unmanned aerial vehicles. In this work, the applications architectures were organized in modules, according their functionalities. Some modules were implemented using HDL and synthesized in hardware. Other modules were implemented kept in software. After that, applications were integrated to the AHM to allow their adaptation to different Operating Context, making them autonomic.

On the use of transgenic mice and optogenetics to characterize genetically defined subpopulations of neurons

Neuroscientists have a variety of perspectives with which to classify different parts of the brain. With the rise of genetic-based techniques such as optogenetics, it is increasingly important to identify whether a group of cells, defined by morphology, function or anatomical location possesses a distinct pattern of expression of one or more genetic promoters. This would allow for better ways to study of these genetically defined subpopulations of neurons. In this work, I present a theoretical discussion and threeexperimental studies in which this was the main question being addressed. Paper I discusses the issues involved in selecting a promoter to study structures and subpopulations in the Ventral Tegmental Area. Paper II characterizes a subpopulation of cells in the Ventral Tegmental Area that shares the expression of a promoter and is anatomically very restricted, and induces aversion when stimulated. Paper III utilizes a similar strategy to investigate a subpopulation in the subthalamic nucleus that expresses PITX2 and VGLUT2 which, when inactivated, causes hyperlocomotion. Paper IV exploits the fact that a previously identified group of cells in the ventral hippocampus expresses CHRNA2, and indicates that this population may be necessary and sufficient for the establishment of the theta rhythm (2-8 Hz) in the Local Field Potential of anesthetized mice. All of these studies were guided by the same strategy of characterizing and studying the role of a genetically defined subpopulation of cells, and they demonstrate the different ways in which this approach can generate new discoveries.

Fuzzy angel: uma arquitetura distribuída de telemedicina para monitoramento de pacientes com esclerose lateral amiotrófica

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness that leads the patient to death, usually due to respiratory complications. Thus, as the disease progresses the patient will require noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and constant monitoring. This paper presents a distributed architecture for homecare monitoring of nocturnal NIV in patients with ALS. The implementation of this architecture used single board computers and mobile devices placed in patient’s homes, to display alert messages for caregivers and a web server for remote monitoring by the healthcare staff. The architecture used a software based on fuzzy logic and computer vision to capture data from a mechanical ventilator screen and generate alert messages with instructions for caregivers. The monitoring was performed on 29 patients for 7 con-tinuous hours daily during 5 days generating a total of 126000 samples for each variable monitored at a sampling rate of one sample per second. The system was evaluated regarding the rate of hits for character recognition and its correction through an algorithm for the detection and correction of errors. Furthermore, a healthcare team evaluated regarding the time intervals at which the alert messages were generated and the correctness of such messages. Thus, the system showed an average hit rate of 98.72%, and in the worst case 98.39%. As for the message to be generated, the system also agreed 100% to the overall assessment, and there was disagreement in only 2 cases with one of the physician evaluators.

Fuzzy angel: uma arquitetura distribuída de telemedicina para monitoramento de pacientes com esclerose lateral amiotrófica

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness that leads the patient to death, usually due to respiratory complications. Thus, as the disease progresses the patient will require noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and constant monitoring. This paper presents a distributed architecture for homecare monitoring of nocturnal NIV in patients with ALS. The implementation of this architecture used single board computers and mobile devices placed in patient’s homes, to display alert messages for caregivers and a web server for remote monitoring by the healthcare staff. The architecture used a software based on fuzzy logic and computer vision to capture data from a mechanical ventilator screen and generate alert messages with instructions for caregivers. The monitoring was performed on 29 patients for 7 con-tinuous hours daily during 5 days generating a total of 126000 samples for each variable monitored at a sampling rate of one sample per second. The system was evaluated regarding the rate of hits for character recognition and its correction through an algorithm for the detection and correction of errors. Furthermore, a healthcare team evaluated regarding the time intervals at which the alert messages were generated and the correctness of such messages. Thus, the system showed an average hit rate of 98.72%, and in the worst case 98.39%. As for the message to be generated, the system also agreed 100% to the overall assessment, and there was disagreement in only 2 cases with one of the physician evaluators.

Dos requisitos à arquitetura em linhas de produtos de software: uma estratégia de transformações entre modelos

The tracking between models of the requirements and architecture activities is a strategy that aims to prevent loss of information, reducing the gap between these two initial activities of the software life cycle. In the context of Software Product Lines (SPL), it is important to have this support, which allows the correspondence between this two activities, with management of variability. In order to address this issue, this paper presents a process of bidirectional mapping, defining transformation rules between elements of a goaloriented requirements model (described in PL-AOVgraph) and elements of an architectural description (defined in PL-AspectualACME). These mapping rules are evaluated using a case study: the GingaForAll LPS. To automate this transformation, we developed the MaRiPLA tool (Mapping Requirements to Product Line Architecture), through MDD techniques (Modeldriven Development), including Atlas Transformation Language (ATL) with specification of Ecore metamodels jointly with Xtext , a DSL definition framework, and Acceleo, a code generation tool, in Eclipse environment. Finally, the generated models are evaluated based on quality attributes such as variability, derivability, reusability, correctness, traceability, completeness, evolvability and maintainability, extracted from the CAFÉ Quality Model

Squid impact analyser: uma ferramenta para análise de impacto de mudança em linhas de produto de software

Software Products Lines (SPL) is a software engineering approach to developing software system families that share common features and differ in other features according to the requested software systems. The adoption of the SPL approach can promote several benefits such as cost reduction, product quality, productivity, and time to market. On the other hand, the SPL approach brings new challenges to the software evolution that must be considered. Recent research work has explored and proposed automated approaches based on code analysis and traceability techniques for change impact analysis in the context of SPL development. There are existing limitations concerning these approaches such as the customization of the analysis functionalities to address different strategies for change impact analysis, and the change impact analysis of fine-grained variability. This dissertation proposes a change impact analysis tool for SPL development, called Squid Impact Analyzer. The tool allows the implementation of change impact analysis based on information from variability modeling, mapping of variability to code assets, and existing dependency relationships between code assets. An assessment of the tool is conducted through an experiment that compare the change impact analysis results provided by the tool with real changes applied to several evolution releases from a SPL for media management in mobile devices

Uma ferramenta de análise automatizada de técnicas de seleção de testes de regressão baseada em mineração de repositórios de software

The main goal of Regression Test (RT) is to reuse the test suite of the latest version of a software in its current version, in order to maximize the value of the tests already developed and ensure that old features continue working after the new changes. Even with reuse, it is common that not all tests need to be executed again. Because of that, it is encouraged to use Regression Tests Selection (RTS) techniques, which aims to select from all tests, only those that reveal faults, this reduces costs and makes this an interesting practice for the testing teams. Several recent research works evaluate the quality of the selections performed by RTS techniques, identifying which one presents the best results, measured by metrics such as inclusion and precision. The RTS techniques should seek in the System Under Test (SUT) for tests that reveal faults. However, because this is a problem without a viable solution, they alternatively seek for tests that reveal changes, where faults may occur. Nevertheless, these changes may modify the execution flow of the algorithm itself, leading some tests no longer exercise the same stretch. In this context, this dissertation investigates whether changes performed in a SUT would affect the quality of the selection of tests performed by an RTS, if so, which features the changes present which cause errors, leading the RTS to include or exclude tests wrongly. For this purpose, a tool was developed using the Java language to automate the measurement of inclusion and precision averages achieved by a regression test selection technique for a particular feature of change. In order to validate this tool, an empirical study was conducted to evaluate the RTS technique Pythia, based on textual differencing, on a large web information system, analyzing the feature of types of tasks performed to evolve the SUT

Uma abordagem para evolução e reconciliação de linhas de produtos de software clonadas

Software product line engineering promotes large software reuse by developing a system family that shares a set of developed core features, and enables the selection and customization of a set of variabilities that distinguish each software product family from the others. In order to address the time-to-market, the software industry has been using the clone-and-own technique to create and manage new software products or product lines. Despite its advantages, the clone-and-own approach brings several difficulties for the evolution and reconciliation of the software product lines, especially because of the code conflicts generated by the simultaneous evolution of the original software product line, called Source, and its cloned products, called Target. This thesis proposes an approach to evolve and reconcile cloned products based on mining software repositories and code conflict analysis techniques. The approach provides support to the identification of different kinds of code conflicts – lexical, structural and semantics – that can occur during development task integration – bug correction, enhancements and new use cases – from the original evolved software product line to the cloned product line. We have also conducted an empirical study of characterization of the code conflicts produced during the evolution and merging of two large-scale web information system product lines. The results of our study demonstrate the approach potential to automatically or semi-automatically solve several existing code conflicts thus contributing to reduce the complexity and costs of the reconciliation of cloned software product lines.