This paper presents a tool, dubbed FaultySheet Detective, for aiding in spreadsheet fault localization, which combines the detection of bad smells with a generic spectrum-based fault localization algorithm.

Given a monoid defined by a presentation, and a homotopy base for the derivation graph associated to the presentation, and given an arbitrary subgroup of the monoid, we give a homotopy base (and presentation) for the subgroup. If the monoid has finite derivation type (FDT), and if under the action of the monoid on its subsets by right multiplication the strong orbit of the subgroup is finite, then we obtain a finite homotopy base for the subgroup, and hence the subgroup has FDT. As an application we prove that a regular monoid with finitely many left and right ideals has FDT if and only if all of its maximal subgroups have FDT. We use this to show that a finitely presented regular monoid with finitely many left and right ideals satisfies the homological finiteness condition FP3 if all of its maximal subgroups satisfy the condition FP_3.

http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/lblm/files/chemrev-2014-114-5273_0.pdf

Previous researches on punching of post-tensioned slabs have shown a number of phenomena significantly influencing their strength and behaviour. However, no general agreement is yet found on a physical theory (either in codes of practice or in design models) suitably describing the influence of prestressing and how should it be accounted on the punching shear behaviour. In this paper, the authors present the results of tests on 15 slabs (3000. ??. 3000. ??. 250. mm) tested to failure under different loading conditions. The aim of the tests was to investigate in a separate manner the different actions induced by prestressing on the punching shear strength (in-plane forces, bending moments and bonded tendons). These results are finally investigated on the basis of the physical model of the Critical Shear Crack Theory. The fundamentals of this theory are presented and adapted to post-tensioned slabs, providing a rational explanation of the observed phenomena and measured strengths. ?? 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

The lipoxygenase (LOX) products have been identified as mediators of a series of inflammatory diseases, namely rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, allergic rhinitis, atherosclerosis and certain types of cancer. Hence, LOX inhibitors are of interest for the modulation of these phenomena and resolution of the inflammatory processes. During LOX activity, peroxyl radical complexes are part of the reaction and may function as sources of free radicals. Thus antioxidants, such as flavonoids, capable of inhibiting lipid peroxidation and scavenging free radicals, may act as LOX inhibitors. The aim of this work was to assess the structure–activity relationship among a series of flavonoids concerning 5-LOX inhibition, through a systematic study of the inhibition of the formation of LTB4 in human neutrophils. The type of inhibition of the flavonoids was further studied using soybean LOX, type I, and Saturation Transfer Difference 1H NMR (STD-1H NMR) was used to characterize the binding epitopes of the compounds to LOX-1. The obtained results reinforce flavonoids as effective inhibitors of LTB4 production in human neutrophils. It was also possible to establish a structure/activity relationship for the inhibitory activity and the type of inhibition.

This paper showcases MDSheet, a framework aimed at improving the engineering of spreadsheets. This framework is model-driven, and has been fully integrated under a spreadsheet system. Also, its practical interest has been demonstrated by several empirical studies.

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The paleontological richness of Morocco has been scientifically known since at least the early 20th century. The region of the Middle Atlas, more specifically the Boulemane area, has been however only sparsely studied since the 1960s when it provided vertebrate fossils from the Middle Jurassic. In September 2013, a Moroccan-Portuguese expedition to the village of Taghrout, Boulemane, made excavations in a Pleistocene fossil site that once was a small high-altitude sedimentary basin, uncharted in previous geological maps. The excavations yielded bone material from large mammals, the most common findings are elephants ascribed to Elephas, but artiodactyls, turtles, and in-situ Acheulean tools were also collected. This represents a new and important paleontological and archeological site. In addition to the discoveries of Taghrout, the expedition also retrieved Quaternary vertebrate material from a nearby cave and found new Jurassic localities, with arcosaur bones and dinosaur footprints, in El Mers.

Motivated by the need to describe bear-bull market regime switching in stock prices, we introduce and study a stochastic process in continuous time with two regimes, threshold and delay, given by a stochastic differential equation. When the difference between the regimes is simply given by a different set of real valued parameters for the drift and diffusion coefficients, with changes between regimes depending only on these parameters, we show that if the delay is known there are consistent estimators for the threshold as long we know how to classify a given observation of the process as belonging to one of the two regimes. When the drift and diffusion coefficients are of geometric Brownian motion type we obtain a model with parameters that can be estimated in a satisfactory way, a model that allows differentiating regimes in some of the NYSE 21 stocks analyzed and also, that gives very satisfactory results when compared to the usual Black–Scholes model for pricing call options.

Transactional memory (TM) is an increasingly popular technique for synchronising threads in multi-threaded programs. To address both correctness and performance-related issues of TM programs, one needs to monitor and analyse their execution. However, monitoring concurrent programs (including TM programs) may have a non-negligible impact on their behaviour, which may hamper the objectives of the intended analysis. In this paper, we propose several approaches for monitoring TM programs and study their impact on the behaviour of the monitored programs. The considered approaches range from specialised lightweight monitoring to generic heavyweight monitoring. The implemented monitoring tools are publicly available to the scientific community, and the implementation techniques used for lightweight monitoring of TM programs may be used as an inspiration for developing other specialised lightweight monitors.

Regime switching processes are usually defined with an external random source driving the regime changes. In this article, we define and study a regime switching diffusion considering two thresholds, and regime switching occurring, by a change in the diffusion drift and volatility, whenever the trajectory touches the upper threshold after having crossed, or touched, the lower threshold or touches the lower threshold after having crossed, or touched, the upper threshold. We develop an estimation procedure for the thresholds and for the regime parameters of the diffusions. We show that a generalized Black–Scholes model with the regime switching diffusion as the law of the risky asset is arbitrage free and complete under an additional hypothesis on the diffusion coefficients of the two regime diffusions.

One possibility for strengthening existing flat slabs consists on gluing fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) at the concrete surface. When applied on top of slab-column connections, this technique allows increasing the flexural stiffness and strength of the slab as well as its punching strength. Nevertheless, the higher punching strength is associated to a reduction on the deformation capacity of the slab-column connection, which can be detrimental for the overall behaviour of the structure (leading to a more brittle behaviour of the system). Design approaches for this strengthening technique are usually based on empirical formulas calibrated on the basis of the tests performed on isolated test specimens. However, some significant topics as the reduction on the deformation capacity or the influence of the whole slab (accounting for the reinforcement at mid-span) on the efficiency of the strengthening are neglected. In this paper, a critical review of this technique for strengthening against punching shear is investigated on the basis of the physical model proposed by the Critical Shear Crack Theory (CSCT). This approach allows taking into account the amount, layout and mechanical behaviour of the bonded FRP's in a consistent manner to estimate the punching strength and deformation capacity of strengthened slabs. The approach is first used to predict the punching strength of available test data, showing a good agreement. Then, it is applied in order to investigate strengthened continuous slabs, considering moment redistribution after concrete cracking and reinforcement yielding. This latter study provides valuable information regarding the differences between the behaviour of isolated test specimens and real strengthened flat slabs. The results show that empirical formulas calibrated on isolated specimens may overestimate the actual performance of FRP's strengthening. Finally, taking advantage of the physical model of the CSCT, the effect of the construction sequence on the punching shear strength is also evaluated, revealing the role of this issue which is also neglected in most empirical approaches.