Formal verification of PLC programs using the B Method

PLCs (acronym for Programmable Logic Controllers) perform control operations, receiving information from the environment, processing it and modifying this same environment according to the results produced. They are commonly used in industry in several applications, from mass transport to petroleum industry. As the complexity of these applications increase, and as various are safety critical, a necessity for ensuring that they are reliable arouses. Testing and simulation are the de-facto methods used in the industry to do so, but they can leave flaws undiscovered. Formal methods can provide more confidence in an application s safety, once they permit their mathematical verification. We make use of the B Method, which has been successfully applied in the formal verification of industrial systems, is supported by several tools and can handle decomposition, refinement, and verification of correctness according to the specification. The method we developed and present in this work automatically generates B models from PLC programs and verify them in terms of safety constraints, manually derived from the system requirements. The scope of our method is the PLC programming languages presented in the IEC 61131-3 standard, although we are also able to verify programs not fully compliant with the standard. Our approach aims to ease the integration of formal methods in the industry through the abbreviation of the effort to perform formal verification in PLCs

Structural characterization of 0.5PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O(3)-0.5Ba(x)Pb((1-x))TiO(3) powders

The present work reports the effects caused by barium on phase formation, morphology and sintering of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-50PT). Ab initio study of 0.5PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O(3)-0.5Ba(x)Pb((1-x))TiO(3) ceramic powders, with x = 0, 0.20, and 0.40 was proposed, considering that the partial substitution of lead by barium can reestablish the equilibrium of monoclinic-tetragonal phases in the system. It was verified that even for 40 mol% of barium, it was possible to obtain pyrochlore-free PMN-PT powders. The increase of the lattice parameters of PMN-PT doped-powders confirmed dopant incorporation into the perovskite phase. The presence of barium improved the reactivity of the powders, with an average particle size of 120 nm for 40 mol% of barium against 167 mn for the pure sample. Although high barium content (40 mol%) was deleterious for a dense ceramic, contents up to 20 mol% allowed 95% density when sintered at 1100 degrees C for 4 h. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal structure of human purine nucleoside phosphorylase at 2.3 angstrom resolution

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) catalyzes the phosphorolysis of the N-ribosidic bonds of purine nucleosides and deoxynucleosides. In human, PNP is the only route for degradation of deoxyguanosine and genetic deficiency of this enzyme leads to profound T-cell mediated immunosuppression. PNP is therefore a target for inhibitor development aiming at T-cell immune response modulation and its low resolution structure has been used for drug design. Here we report the structure of human PNP solved to 2.3 Angstrom resolution using synchrotron radiation and cryocrystallographic techniques. This structure allowed a more precise analysis of the active site, generating a more reliable model for substrate binding. The higher resolution data allowed the identification of water molecules in the active site, which suggests binding partners for potential ligands. Furthermore, the present structure may be used in the new structure-based design of PNP inhibitors. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.

On the search for potential anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drugs: Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-hydroxy-3-methylamino and 1,2,3-triazolic naphthoquinoidal compounds obtained by click chemistry reactions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Superstrings in graviphoton background and N=1/2+3/2 supersymmetry

Motivated by Ooguri and Vafa, we study superstrings in flat R-4 in a constant self-dual graviphoton background. The supergravity equations of motion are satisfied in this background which deforms the N = 2 d = 4 flat space super-Poincare algebra to another algebra with eight supercharges. A D-brane in this space preserves a quarter of the supercharges; i.e. N = 1/2 supersymmetry is realized linearly, and the remaining N = 3/2 supersymmetry is realized nonlinearly. The theory on the brane can be described as a theory in noncommutative superspace in which the chiral fermionic coordinates theta(alpha) of N = 1 d = 4 superspace are not Grassman variables but satisfy a Clifford algebra.

Search for associated production of charginos and neutralinos in the trilepton final state using 2.3 fb(-1) of data

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Search for flavor changing neutral currents via quark-gluon couplings in single top quark production using 2.3 fb(-1) of p(p)over-bar collisions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Search for a Vectorlike Quark with Charge 2/3 in t plus Z Events from pp Collisions at root s 7 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Antinociceptive profile of 2,3,6-trisubstituted piperidine alkaloids: 3-O-acetyl-spectaline and semi-synthetic derivatives of (-)-spectaline

In early studies, we have reported the antinociceptive profile of (-)-spectaline, a piperidine alkaloid from Cassia spectabilis. The present study describes the synthesis, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a series of 2,3,6-trialkyl-piperidine alkaloids: the natural (-)-3-O-acetyl-spectaline (LASSBio-755) and ten semi-synthetic spectaline derivatives. Structure-activity relationship (SARs) studies were performed. The structures of all synthesized derivatives were confirmed by means of nuclear magnetic resonance. Compounds were evaluated for their analgesic (acetic acid-induced mouse abdominal constrictions, hot-plate test, formalin-induced pain test) and some of them for the anti-inflammatory activities (carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test). The pharmacological results showed that several of the new compounds given orally at a dose of 100 mu mol/kg significantly inhibited the acetic acid-induced abdominal constrictions, but they were less active than (-)-spectaline. LASSBio-755 and LASSBio-776 were the most actives with 37% and 31.7% of inhibition. In the formalin-induced pain only LASSBio-776 was able to inhibit by 34.4% the paw licking response of the inflammatory phase, (-)-spectaline and LASSBio-755 did show any activity. In the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, only (-)-spectaline exhibited an anti-inflammatory profile, showing an ED(50) value of 56.6 mu mol/kg. Our results suggest different mechanisms of action for the analgesic activity observed for LASSBio-776 (3-O-Bocspectaline), LASSBio-755 (3-O-acetyl-spectaline) and (-)-spectaline (LASSBio-754). The antinociceptive profile of some of the semi-synthetic spectaline derivatives extends our research concerning the chemical and pharmacological optimization of isolated natural products in the search of new drug candidates from brazilian biodiversity.

1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of CS2 to the coordinated azide in the cyclopalladated [Pd(bzan)(mu-N-3)](2). Crystal and molecular structure of di(mu-N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-thiolate)bis[(benzylideneaniline-C-2,N)palladium(II)]

The compound [Pd(bzan)(mu -N-3)](2) 1, bzan = benzylideneaniline, was prepared from [Pd(bzan) (mu -OOCCH3)](2) by an anion exchange reaction. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of carbon disulfide to the bridged coordinated azide in the cyclometallated compound I was investigated. The species resulting from this reaction, di(mu -N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazol-5-thiolate)bis[(benzylideneaniline)palladium(II)] 2, was characterized by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The compound 2 is a dimer containing two [Pd(benzylideneaniline)] moieties connected by two vicinal bridging N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-thiolate anions in a square-planar coordination geometry for the palladium atoms.

Novel stereoselective addition of some nucleophiles to 2,3-bis(methylsulfanyl) norbornenobenzoquinone

2,3-Bis(methylsulfanyl)norbomenobenzoquinone undergoes reaction with nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur or carbon nucleophiles to give the trisubstituted adducts containing the new substituent at the ring junction. Their configurations are assigned by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and NOE enhancement experiments. (C) 1997 Elsevier B.V. Ltd.

Cycloaddition reaction of the azido-bridged cyclometallated complex [Pd(dmba)N-3](2) with CS2. Crystal and molecular structure of DI(mu, N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-thiolate) bis[(N,N-dimethylbenzyl-amine-C-2,N)palladium(II)]

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of carbon disulfide to the coordinated azide in the cyclometallated compound [Pd(dmba)(N-3)](2) (1), dmba = N,N-dimethylbenzylamine, was investigated. The compound obtained di(mu, N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-thiolate)-bis[(N,N-dimethylbenzylamine-C-2,N)palladium(II)] (2), was characterized by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Complex (2) is dimeric with the two [Pd(N,N-dimethylbenzylamine)] moieties being connected by the two vicinal bridging N,S-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole-5-thiolate anions in a square-planar coordination for the palladium atoms.

Mono- and dinuclear palladium(II) compounds containing nitrogen ligands. Crystal and molecular structure of [Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)(2,3-lut)] and [Pd(H2CCOMe)Cl(2,2 '-bipy)]

The cyanate-bridged cyclopalladated compound [Pd(N,C-dmba)(mu-NCO)](2) (1) (dmba = PhCH2NMe2) reacts in CH2Cl2 with 2,3-lutidine (2,3- lut), 3,4-lutidine (3,4-lut), 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy) and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), to give [Pd(N, C-dmba)(NCO)(2,3-lut)] (2), [Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)(3,4-lut)] (3), [{Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)}(2)(mu-2,2'-bipy)] .CH2Cl2 (4) and [{Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)}(2)(mu-4,4'-bipy)] . CH2Cl2 (5), respectively. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, i.r. and n. m. r. spectroscopy and also by t.g.a. The i.r. spectra of (2 - 5) display typical bands of monodentate N-bonded cyanate groups, whereas the n. m. r. data of (4) are consistent with the presence of a bridging 2,2'-bipyridine ligand. Complex (4) decomposes slowly in acetone. One of the products formed, [Pd(H2CCOMe) Cl(2,2'-bipy)] (6), was characterized by X-ray diffraction. As inferred from the t.g.a., the thermal stability decreases in the order: [{Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)}(2) (mu-4,4'-bipy)]. CH2Cl2 (5) > [Pd(N,C-dmba)(2,3-lut)( NCO)] (2) = [Pd(N, C-dmba)(3,4-lut)(NCO)] (3) > [{Pd(N,C-dmba)(NCO)}(2)(mu- 2,2'-bipy)] .CH2Cl2 (4). According to thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction patterns compounds (2 - 3) decompose into metallic palladium Pd(0), whereas (4 - 5) decompose with the formation of PdO. The X-ray crystal and molecular structure of [Pd(N, C-dmba)( NCO)(2,3-lut)] (2) was determined. The lutidine unit is perpendicular to the coordination plane.

2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran neolignans from Aristolochia pubescens

From a hexane extract of stems and roots of Aristolochia pubescens, the new neolignans (2S,3S,1'R,2'R)- and (2S,3S, 1'S,2'R)-2,3-dihydro-5-(1',2'-dihydroxypropyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbenzofuran) and (2S,3S,1'R,2'R)- and (2S,3S,1'S,2'R)-2,3-dihydro-5-(1',2'-dihydroxypropyl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-3-methyl-benzofuran were isolated, together with the known neolignan licarin A, and its bisnor-neolignan aldehyde and acid derivatives. In addition, sitosterol, 8R,9R-oxide-beta-caryophyllene, kobusone, ent-kauran-16 alpha, 17-diol, vanillin, vanillic acid, (+)-sesamin, (+)eudesmin, and (-)-cubebin were isolated. The structures of the new compounds have been elucidated by spectroscopic methods and by chemical transformation using Mosher's acid chloride. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.