High Level Of Assurance Research Articles

Statistical Testing of Quantum Programs via Fixed-Point Amplitude Amplification

We present a new technique for accelerating quantum program testing. Given a quantum circuit with an input/output specification, our goal is to check whether executing the program on the input state produces the expected output. In quantum computing, however, it is impossible to directly check the equivalence of the two quantum states. Instead, we rely on statistical testing, which involves repeated program executions, state measurements, and subsequent comparisons with the specified output. To guarantee a high level of assurance, however, this method requires an extensive number of measurements. In this paper, we propose a solution to alleviate this challenge by adapting Fixed-Point Amplitude Amplification (FPAA) for quantum program testing. We formally present our technique, demonstrate its ability to reduce the required number of measurements as well as runtime cost without sacrificing the original statistical guarantee, and showcase its runtime effectiveness through case studies.

Digital twin-enabled quality control through deep learning in industry 4.0: a framework for enhancing manufacturing performance

ABSTRACT In the context of Industry 4.0, integrating Digital Twin (DT) technology stands out as a critical challenge for enhancing manufacturing processes and productivity. The combination of DT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a significant benefit for improving processes in real-time. Industries are actively researching these technologies to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology, utilizing virtual representations for efficient real-time monitoring and control. The present paper proposes a new approach that relies on DT technology for monitoring, optimizing manufacturing processes and enabling quality control through Deep learning (DL). The proposed methodology involves creating a digital replica of the physical system and utilizing DL models for quality control purposes. This approach improves automation and productivity while maintaining high levels of quality assurance in factories. DL is deployed within the DT for gathering data from the physical system and making predictions regarding product quality. The approach is illustrated by considering an experimental industrial prototype. The results obtained are particularly intriguing, demonstrating heightened predictive accuracy in assessing product quality and real-time issue resolution. Overall, the findings underscore the significant and interesting impact of DT technology with DL on manufacturing processes in the context of Industry 4.0.

Sec-certs: Examining the security certification practice for better vulnerability mitigation

Products certified under security certification frameworks such as Common Criteria undergo significant scrutiny during the costly certification process. Yet, critical vulnerabilities, including private key recovery (ROCA, Minerva, TPM-Fail...), get discovered in certified products with high assurance levels. Furthermore, assessing which certified products are impacted by such vulnerabilities is complicated due to the large amount of unstructured certification-related data and unclear relationships between the certified products. To address these problems, we conducted a large-scale automated analysis of Common Criteria certificates. We trained unsupervised models to learn which vulnerabilities from NIST’s National Vulnerability Database impact existing certified products and how certified products reference each other. Our tooling automates the analysis of tens of thousands of certification-related documents, extracting machine-readable features where manual analysis is unattainable. Further, we identify the security requirements that are associated with products being affected by fewer and less severe vulnerabilities. This indicates which aspects of certification correlate with higher security. We demonstrate how our tool can be used for better vulnerability mitigation on four case studies of known, high-profile vulnerabilities. All tools and continuously updated results are available at https://sec-certs.org.

Development and Evaluation of "The Delta Plus-Minus Even Distribution Check": A Novel Patient-Based Real-Time Quality Control Method for Laboratory Tests.

Laboratory testing of large sample numbers necessitates high-volume rapid processing, and these test results require immediate validation and a high level of quality assurance. Therefore, real-time quality control including delta checking is an important issue. Delta checking is a process of identifying errors in individual patient results by reviewing differences from previous results of the same patient (Δ value). Under stable analytical conditions, Δ values are equally positively and negatively distributed. The previous 20 Δ values from 3 tests (cholesterol, albumin, and urea nitrogen) were analyzed by calculating the R-value: "the positive Δ value ratio minus 0.5." This method of monitoring optimized R-values is referred to as the even-check method (ECM) and was compared with quality control (QC) testing in terms of error detection. Bias was observed on 4 of the 120 days for the 3 analytes measured. When QC detected errors, the ECM captured the same systematic errors and more rapidly. In contrast, the ECM did not generate an alarm for the one random error that occurred in QC. While QC did not detect any errors, the percentage of R-values exceeding the acceptable range was under 2%, the number of days generating alarms was between 16 and 21 days, with short alarm periods, and a median number of samples per alarm period between 7 and 9 samples. The ECM is a practical real-time QC method, controlled by setting R-value conditions, that quickly detects bias values.

Toward Higher Levels of Assurance in Remote Identity Proofing

Identity proofing is often a prerequisite for accessing important services (e.g., opening a bank account). The current pandemic has highlighted the need for Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP) that can enable applicants to prove their identity from anywhere, without the need for a special facility. However, the requirements set out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the highest level of assurance in RIDP systems currently rule out fully automated and remote solutions, as they are not yet foolproof. This article aims to propose a way forward for pervasive RIDP solutions and highlights the requirements for accomplishing the highest level of assurance in verifying identity. We pinpoint relevant issues and threats along with the current state-of-the-art countermeasures and discuss what else needs to be done to enable ubiquitous remote identity-proofing systems.

Online Formation of Companies – Serbian Experience and Way Forward

Abstract 481This paper aims at contributing to the existing debate on online formation of companies. It will analyse the current system of full online formation which is available in the Republic of Serbia since 2018 and put it into European perspective. Even though many challenges were related to the full online registration in general, the Republic of Serbia introduced this procedure relatively easy, even though amending the traditional system of registration on several occasions. The last amendments introduced exclusive online formation of companies which is applicable since mid-May 2023. The most challenging issues in regard to full online registration were to accommodate existing system of preventive administrative and prevailingly formal dual control of formation procedure to be performed fully online. In that regard introduction and use of qualified electronic certificate provided high level of assurance in electronic identification, as one of cornerstones of online registration. Nevertheless, this system remained susceptible to negative effects and needs additional attention. It should be important that, beside efficiency, legal certainty and trust in business registers remain the most prominent features of formation of companies, not only in domestic, but above all in cross-border context.482

Process optimization of IC engine testing: SiO2 nanoparticle dosed Azolla methyl ester

AbstractNanoparticles are now widely used in biodiesel‐diesel combinations for improving the engine performance and reduction of emissions. This present study investigates the Bio‐silica (Silicon‐dioxide, SiO2). The statistical and experimental study demonstrates the utilization of various levels of SiO2 in Azolla Biodiesel blend (ABD) with appropriate engine parameters such as fuel injection pressure, fuel injection timing and compression ratio for minimal emissions and optimal performance employing response surface approach. In a mixture of Azolla biodiesel and diesel, SiO2 nanoparticles were utilized at quantities of 25, 50, and 75 ppm. To determine the existence of Silicon‐dioxide, the produced nanoparticles were subjected to tests such as XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDS. The Response Surface optimizer was used with DOE L29 array and the engine predictors with a desirability value of 0.6180, were18.5°bTDC (IT), 238 Bar (IP), 17.1237 (CR), and 45.885 ppm SiO2 nanoparticle. The results were determined to be fit statistically and with high assurance levels. Thus, the addition of SiO2 nanoadditives along with aquatic fern Azolla oil methyl ester reduced the emission without affecting the engine performance.

Assessing Confidence Levels in Endodontic Procedures Among Senior Undergraduate Dental Students at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Background This study aimed to determine the confidence of senior dental students in Qassim University's undergraduate dentistry program in Saudi Arabia regarding their capacity to perform endodontic procedures. The study's objective was to pinpoint areas of weakness and offer suggestions for potential improvement of endodontic and clinical training for dental students. Methodology Using anonymous survey forms, 120 senior dental students were surveyed. Students' self-reported levels of confidence in performing various endodontic procedures, such as periapical radiographs, rubber dam placement, endodontically treated tooth restoration, anesthesia, broken instrument removal, and endodontic retreatment, were studied in this survey. A Likert-style rating scale of 1 to 5 was used in the survey, with 1 denoting high confidence and 5 denoting low confidence. Results The majority of senior dental students at Qassim University reported high levels of confidence in taking periapical radiographs, with 64.04% indicating a high level of confidence. The second most assured field was rubber dam installation, with 47.6% of students expressing high levels of assurance. Confidence levels were noticeably lower during more difficult procedures such as endodontic retreatment and the removal of broken instruments. While 12% of students expressed high confidence in endodontic retreatment, only 3.46% of students expressed high confidence in removing broken instruments. According to Pearson's correlation (r = 0.352, p = 0.001), there was a significant and favorable correlation between competency level and confidence in performing various endodontic procedure-related steps. Conclusions The study's findings suggest that senior dentistry students at Qassim University might benefit from additional training and assistance in some endodontic treatment areas. The lack of confidence displayed during more challenging procedures, such as the removal of broken instruments and endodontic retreatment, demonstrates the need for additional training and supervision in such cases. The results of this study may be useful for educators in other dental colleges who wish to consider developing new teaching techniques, utilizing simulators and digital learning tools, and increasing opportunities for hands-on training and supervision to improve dental students' self-confidence and skills.

Examining technology use within the ADDIE framework to develop professional training

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine what technological strategies were used within each of the phases of the ADDIE framework when developing content for professional training. The study also examined the affordances of those technologies in training. Design/methodology/approach A PRISMA systematic review methodology (Moher et al., 2015) was utilized to answer the four questions guiding this study. Specifically, the PRISMA extension Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Protocols (PRISMA-P, Moher et al., 2015) was used to direct each stage of the research, from the literature review to the conclusion. In addition, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA principles; Liberati et al., 2009) are used to guide the article selection process. Findings The findings reveal that the majority of the studies were in healthcare (36%) and education (24%) and used an online format (65%). There was a wide distribution of ADDIE used with technology across the globe. The coding for the benefits of technology use in the development of the training solution revealed four trends: 1) usability, 2) learning approaches, 3) learner experience and 4) financial. Research limitations/implications This systematic review only examined articles published in English, which may bias the findings to a Western understanding of how technology is used within the ADDIE framework. Furthermore, the study examined only peer-review academic articles from scholarly journals and conferences. While this provided a high level of assurance about the quality of the studies, it does not include other reports directly from training providers and other organizations. Practical implications These findings can be used as a springboard for training providers, scholars, funders and practitioners, providing rigorous insight into how technology has been used within the ADDIE framework, the types of technology, and the benefits of using technology. This insight can be used when designing future training solutions with a better understanding of how technology can support learning. Social implications This study provides insight into the uses of technology in training. Many of these findings and uses of technology within ADDIE can also transfer to other aspects of society. Originality/value This study is unique in that it provides the scholarly community with the first systematic review to examine what technological strategies were used within each of the phases of the ADDIE structure and how these technologies provided benefits to developing a training solution.

Designing and implementing temporary works schemes on UK nuclear licensed sites

Nuclear projects in the UK demand high levels of assurance and substantiation during both design and construction. As a result, site licensees must demonstrate control over construction works in the vicinity of, or modifications to safety-related structures, systems and components in accordance with their nuclear site licence conditions. Furthermore, the Office for Nuclear Regulation will scrutinise designs, management controls and processes prior to permissioning the works. This paper discusses examples of additional considerations for the design and implementation of temporary works during the construction phase to demonstrate compliance with the regulators, Safety Assessment Principles and licence conditions, and to demonstrate that nuclear safety risks have been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable. References of good practice are from a confidential BAE Systems project in Cumbria, UK, titled D58, involving nuclear Class 1 concrete construction and informing of the steps taken to obtain Nuclear Safety Committee and regulatory permissioning.

Testing feature‐rich blockchains

Blockchain implementations have become more and more advanced, combining many different features in the same framework (e.g., oracles, names, and state channels). Since the cost of errors in reputation and represented value is high in the blockchain world, software quality is of the utmost importance. One of the main methods used to assure such high software quality is careful testing. However, the number of tests needed to achieve a high level of assurance grows quadratic with the pairs of features of the blockchain, and when testing triples features the growth is cubic. To manually craft the required large number of tests is an almost impossible undertaking in practice. In this article, we describe how property-based testing (PBT) techniques have been used to automate testing of the core part of the Aeternity blockchain, ensuring the high software quality of the blockchain. Even though PBT is a powerful testing technique, applying it to the task of testing a complex system such as a blockchain, is far from trivial. The structure of the Aeternity property-based test model follows the structure of the blockchain, that is, it cleanly separates different blockchain features (e.g., oracles, smart contracts) into different model parts, and moreover, reduces the amount of boilerplate test model code by focusing on the identification of valid blockchain transactions. The test model is evaluated through a careful instrumentation of test code which permits observations of which combinations of features have been tested during a test run, and with which frequency. This article documents the details of how these issues were addressed in the development of the Aeternity test model, providing insights into both the testing of other blockchains as well as the testing of other complex feature based systems.

Validation of a Sporicidal Bio-Decontamination Process for use in Pharmaceutical Isolators in an NHS Aseptic Manufacturing Unit

The recently published revision of EU GMP Annex 1 Manufacture of Sterile Medicinal Products includes a requirement for pharmaceutical isolators to undergo a bio-decontamination process of the interior which should be automated, validated and controlled within defined cycle parameters and include a sporicidal agent. It is widely accepted that the easiest way to achieve this is by converting Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) liquid into a state that will diffuse readily through the closed isolator chamber leading to bio-decontamination of all surfaces which it comes into contact with. The technology to do this has been around for years and can be validated to give a high level of assurance of surface bio-decontamination comparable with sterilization when used on surfaces in the isolator critical work zone. This type of activity is routinely used in large-scale sterile manufacturing that takes place in the pharmaceutical industry where the amount of materials and timescales involved make this viable. In the NHS, aseptic preparation and manufacture of sterile products is carried out in isolators both for immediate use and for stock in anticipation of demand. Automated bio-decontamination systems are available but their use is much less than in the pharmaceutical industry and reliance is still placed on manual spraying and wiping of surfaces with disinfectant agents such as alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. This brings a degree of variability and is more difficult to validate. For sterile manufacturing units holding an MHRA Specials Manufacturing licence the expectation is that proper consideration is given to using an automated bio-decontamination process or there is justification for not doing it. For units preparing products for immediate use there is not the same expectation but as standards are improved, it is reasonable to assume it may become the case in the future. To use this type of process requires it to be integrated into the isolator, meaning either buying a new isolator or retrofitting to an existing one. The relatively high cost of this is a barrier to pharmacy department aseptic units using the technology. There is a range of bio-decontamination systems on the market from Devea (www.devea environnement.com)which are claimed to be suitable for use in hospital pharmacy clean room facilities. One model from this range, the Phileas Genius is a simple, stand-alone battery powered unit that generates vapourized hydrogen peroxide of particle size 5-10 µm from 7.4% solution using novel spinning disc technology. This generator can be transferred into and out of any closed isolator work zone through the transfer hatch (as long as the hatch door is wide enough) and can be used to do pre-programmed cycles (called zones) to routinely decontaminate inner surfaces.

Critical Success Factors of Franchising Firms: A Study on Franchisors and Franchisees

The franchising sector demands a high level of assurance and commitment. This is because creating entrepreneurial value is at the core of any franchising strategy. However, little is understood about what causes franchised businesses’ critical success factors, particularly in developing nations like Malaysia. Hence, this study aims to identify the critical success factors in franchising business firms. The characteristics of franchisors and franchisees that can contribute to the franchise system’s success in Malaysia were discovered using a focus group method by inviting franchisors and franchisees who are already running their businesses. In addition, Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS) and the Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA), together with academicians, were also invited as a part of the focus group discussion. The findings show that three critical success factors emerged from this study, the franchisor’s capability, interconnection with franchisees, and constant innovation. These three elements demonstrated that there is still room for a more significant expansion. Therefore, anyone considering joining a franchise should know it is an option. Additionally, this research helps produce a valuable model of the franchising business process that regulators, franchisors, and franchisees can use as a guide. Finally, this study also offers directions for further research.

Corporate incentives for obtaining higher level of carbon assurance: seeking legitimacy or improving performance?

PurposeWith the growing attention around carbon emissions disclosure, the demand for external carbon assurance on emissions reports has been increasing by stakeholders as it provides additional credibility and confidence. This study investigates the association between the higher level of external carbon assurance and improvement in a firm's carbon emissions. It provides an understanding of corporate incentives for obtaining a higher level of carbon assurance, particularly in relation to carbon performance enhancements.Design/methodology/approachData are collected from 170 US companies for the period 2012–2017 and are analysed using a change analysis. Generalised method of moment (GMM) is used to address endogeneity.FindingsFollowing the rationales taken by legitimacy and “outside-in” management views, the findings reveal that a higher level of carbon assurance (i.e. reasonable assurance) marginally improves firms' carbon performance (i.e. reported carbon emissions). This is consistent with “outside-in” management view suggesting that a higher level of assurance could be utilised as a tool for accessing more information about stakeholders' needs and concerns, which can be useful in enhancing carbon performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are generalisable to US firms and may not extend to other contexts.Practical implicationsThe implication of this study for companies is that a high level of sustainability assurance is a useful tool to access detailed information about stakeholder concerns, of which internalisation can help to marginally improve carbon performance. For policymakers, the insights into and enhanced understanding of the incentives for obtaining carbon assurance can help policymakers to develop effective policies and initiatives for carbon assurance. Considering the possible improvements in carbon performance when obtaining a high level of sustainability verification, governments need to consider mandating carbon assurance.Originality/valueThis study extends the existing studies of assurance in sustainability context as well as in carbon context by explaining why companies voluntarily get expensive external verification (i.e. higher level of assurance) of their carbon emissions disclosure. This study responds to calls in the literature for empirical research investigating the association between environmental performance and external assurance with a focus on level of assurance.HighlightsA higher level of carbon assurance Marginally improves firms' carbon performance.Corporate incentives to obtain higher level of carbon assurance is beyond seeking legitimacy.Higher level of assurance is a useful tool for accessing more information about stakeholders' concerns.Consistent with “ouside-in”management view, companies internalise stakeholders' concerns to marginally improve performance.

Determinant Parents Of Student’s Decision In Choosing Junior High School (SMP) Education Services In Banten Province And Its Implications On Student Parent Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the effect of service quality on decisions, costs on decisions, CRM on decisions on satisfaction, service quality on satisfaction, costs on satisfaction, CRM on satisfaction, service quality on satisfaction through decisions and costs on satisfaction through decisions. and knowing CRM to satisfaction through decisions. The population of this research is parents of students who send their children to private junior high schools in Banten Province with a total of 4,707 schools and a sample of 200 schools while the number of parents of students is 370. The research method used in this study is a quantitative method with explanatory survey approach and data analysis methods using SEM with the help of SmartPLS. Based on the results of the study, the following findings were obtained: service quality has a positive and significant effect on decisions, costs have a positive and significant effect on decisions, CRM has a positive and significant effect on decisions, decisions affect satisfaction and service quality has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction, cost has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction and CRM has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction, service quality, cost, CRM has a positive effect on satisfaction through decisions. Therefore, the decision variable is a full mediating variable.The implication of the results of this study is that to increase Parental Satisfaction of Students at Junior High Schools in Banten Province, especially in the high level of Always Buying, it will be able to be increased if Junior High Schools in Banten Province are able to improve Parental Decisions in Choosing Schools, especially on the high dimensions of product choice (choice of choice). product), where the Decision of Parents of Students in Choosing Junior High Schools in Banten Province will be able to be improved if Junior High Schools in Banten Province are able to improve Customer Relationship Management, especially in the high development and increase in Education Costs, especially in the high cost of school supplies and equipment and improve the quality of service, especially in the high level of assurance (guarantee).

Flexible Loading Pattern Approach in Overkill Steam Sterilization Based on the Physical Properties of Steam and Thermodynamics of Sterilization.

Because overkill steam sterilization processes in autoclaves are considered critical, they are highly scrutinized, and the use of autoclaves in fixed loading patterns is a common approach to the interpretation of regulatory requirements. Many such regulations are attributed to tradition and a buildup of restrictions that aim to improve the levels of assurance of the process and minimize risk. However, these measures complicate the operation and qualification of autoclaves, becoming cumbersome, time-consuming, and costly. In actuality, overkill sterilization is one of several processes in the pharmaceutical industry that provides the highest levels of sterility assurance. This method provides a minimum reduction of highly durable spore populations of 12 logs, achieving a probability of a nonsterile unit (PNSU) of 10-6 Because these spores are far sturdier than the common microorganisms that can be found in pharmaceutical facilities, overkill sterilization effects significantly lower PNSU values for the latter. The physical properties of steam and the thermodynamics of steam sterilization constitute a predictable and repeatable process that can be monitored and verified. The high assurance level of overkill sterilization, combined with the properties of steam, actualizes a high safety margin that encompasses nearly every load type and load configuration when the cycle is performed under certain basic rules. The aim of this article is to present data that advocate and favor an approach that allows greater freedom and variability in arranging items in an autoclave when running overkill cycles, without the need to qualify each configuration.

Using Sensitivity Analysis to Simplify the Virus Safety Factor Calculation in the Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals.

Virus safety of biopharmaceuticals produced in cells of animal origin is governed by regulatory guidelines. It is ensured through raw material controls, cell substrate testing, and evaluation of the purification process for virus clearance capability. An additional control for cell lines that contain endogenous viruses is the virus safety factor (VSF) calculation, to demonstrate that the virus clearance exceeds the amount of potential endogenous virus in a dose of product. Product-specific input data (product titer, process yield, intended dose, purification process virus clearance capability, and the measured titer of endogenous virus produced by the cells) are typically used for the calculation. A wide range of relevant data was obtained from the production of monoclonal antibodies in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, and a sensitivity analysis was performed by using Monte Carlo simulations to determine which input data had the most significant impact on the range and distribution of the VSF. The sensitivity analysis suggested that the VSF calculation can be streamlined to include virus clearance capability, the endogenous virus titer, and dose while excluding product titer and process yield. Furthermore, the simulated VSF exceeded 4 log10 in 96% of the simulations, providing a high level of assurance of virus safety for antibodies produced in CHO cells and purified within specified operational parameters.

Smartphone-based Biometric Authentication Scheme for Access Control Management in Client-server Environment

As the information put together by the blend of smartphones, the cloud, the IOT, and ubiquitous computing continue to expand at an alarming rate, a data breach increases. Today, users' strong authentication and authorization approaches are increasingly important to secure sensitive, confidential, secret information. Possession and knowledge-based authentication techniques for computers, the internet, email accounts, etc., are commonly used to access vital information; they do not link a user to an established identity, resulting in most security vulnerabilities. Biometric authentication, on the other hand, has the privilege of being more reliable than traditional authentication as biometric characteristics of a person can’t be lost; they are tough to distribute, exchange or duplicate; and it requires the user to be present during the authentication process, thereby relating the users to established identities. Biometrics provides a higher level of assurance that the individual attempting to ascertain is the individual in question. Thus, resulting in a more reliable, usable, and cost-effective model with a higher level of protection to deter an attacker from obtaining entry to a computer or network and gaining access to confidential data. This paper introduces a novel fingerprint-based authentication scheme for mobile environments, enabling user authentication based on fingerprint features using a challenge-response-based authentication process. In this study, the proposed authentication system has been developed on a real Android-based smartphone, tested on actual users, and performance analysis has been carried out; empirical results reveal that the proposed authentication scheme achieves increased performance. Moreover, a usability analysis has been done to determine efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction. The evaluation results indicate its feasibility to use it as an effective authentication mechanism for mobile phone environments.

Super-optimization of Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are programs deployed on a blockchain. They are executed for a monetary fee paid in gas —a clear optimization target for smart contract compilers. Because smart contracts are a young, fast-moving field without (manually) fine-tuned compilers, they highly benefit from automated and adaptable approaches, especially as smart contracts are effectively immutable, and as such need a high level of assurance. This makes them an ideal domain for applying formal methods. Super-optimization is a technique to find the best translation of a block of instructions by trying all possible sequences of instructions that produce the same result. We present a framework for super-optimizing smart contracts based on Max-SMT with two main ingredients: (1) a stack functional specification extracted from the basic blocks of a smart contract, which is simplified using rules capturing the semantics of arithmetic, bit-wise, and relational operations, and (2) the synthesis of optimized blocks , which finds—by means of an efficient SMT encoding—basic blocks with minimal gas cost whose stack functional specification is equal (modulo commutativity) to the extracted one. We implemented our framework in the tool syrup 2.0 . Through large-scale experiments on real-world smart contracts, we analyze performance improvements for different SMT encodings, as well as tradeoffs between quality of optimizations and required optimization time.

Cerium Ruthenium Low-Energy Antineutrino Measurements for Safeguarding Military Naval Reactors

The recent agreement to transfer nuclear submarine reactors and technology from two nuclear-weapon states to a non-nuclear-weapon state (AUKUS deal) highlights an unsolved problem in international safeguards: how to safeguard naval reactor fuel while it is on board an operational nuclear submarine. Proposals to extend existing safeguards technologies and practices are complicated by the need for civilian international inspectors to gain access to the interior of the submarine and the reactor compartment, which raises national security concerns. In this Letter we show that implementing safeguards on submarine propulsion reactors using a low-energy antineutrino reactor-off method, between submarine patrols, can by-pass the need for onboard access all together. We find that, using inverse beta decay, detectors can achieve a timely and high level of assurance that a submarine's nuclear core has not been diverted (detector mass of around 100kg) nor its enrichment level changed (detector mass of around 10tons).