Proposed Test Scheme Research Articles

Proposed Integrated Decision-tree Testing Strategies for Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity in Relation to the EU REACH Legislation

Liverpool John Moores University and FRAME recently conducted a research project sponsored by Defra, on the status of alternatives to animal testing with regard to the European Union REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) system for the safety testing and risk assessment of chemicals. The project covered all the main toxicity endpoints associated with the REACH system. This paper focuses on the prospects for using alternative methods (both in vitro and in silico) for mutagenicity (genotoxicity) and carcinogenicity testing - two toxicity endpoints, which, together with reproductive toxicity, are of pivotal importance for the REACH system. The manuscript critically discusses well-established testing approaches, and in particular, the requirement for short-term in vivo tests for confirming positive mutagenicity, and the need for the rodent bioassay for detecting non-genotoxic carcinogens. Recently-proposed testing strategies focusing on non-animal approaches are also considered, and our own testing scheme is presented and supported with background information. This scheme makes maximum use of pre-existing data, computer (in silico) and in vitro methods, with weight-of-evidence assessments at each major stage. The need for the improvement of in vitro methods, to reduce the generation of false-positive results, is also discussed. Lastly, ways in which reduction and refinement measures can be used are also considered, and some recommendations are made for future research to facilitate the implementation of the proposed testing scheme.

Web Software Evaluation Using Artificial Neural Networks

Software testing is one of the most important phases in the software development procedure which ensures the accordance of the software and its description. Testing is mainly a manual task accomplished by the human operators. This results in increasing the cost and time of the software development process. Also, due to the uncertain nature of the human activities, software reliability will be under threat and the probability of having some aspects and parts of the software untested always would be high. Therefore, the more automatic, the more intelligent, and the more reliable testing procedure always would be of interest. In this paper we introduce a new approach to the software testing automation in web based applications, using Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The applied ANN will be trained by diverse pairs of input/output data provided according to the software functionality, then it attempts to model a testing tool for the software. Next we can use this ANN-based testing tool to evaluate and test the software. We apply the proposed testing scheme on a modified version of a web based university course registration software and show its performance on both error-free and faulty cases.

A Testing Scheme for the Detection of Mycobacterium Avium subsp. Paratuberculosis in Bovine Feces Utilizing the ESP Para-JEM Liquid Culture System

A testing scheme for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in broth cultures of bovine fecal samples carried out in ESP para-JEM System was evaluated. The scheme included acid-fast staining (on signal-positive and signal-negative samples), and confirmation by PCR for 2 MAP-specific targets and subculture of all acid-fast positive PCR-negative samples. Two hundred and fifty bovine fecal samples were evaluated for the presence of MAP using this scheme. Thirty-seven (15%) of 250 fecal samples had a positive culture result when the proposed testing scheme was used, compared to 14 (6%) positive results when using the standard ESP para-JEM protocol (requiring samples to have a positive signal from the system, a positive acid-fast stain, and a positive IS900 PCR result), and 20 (8%) positives when conventional culture was performed on Herrold egg yolk (HEY) media. A preliminary comparison of real-time and conventional PCR on DNA extracted from 15 MAP-positive broth cultures by 3 different protocols suggested that conventional PCR may be a better choice for the confirmation of the presence of MAP in the liquid cultures than real-time PCR.

An Investigation Into Measurement of Handset Antennas

This paper describes the investigation into the effects of signal cables on the operating frequencies, radiation patterns, and gains of handset antennas under test by using a proposed testing scheme. In this simple testing method, a coaxial signal cable feeds the handset antenna under test through a microstrip transmission-line etched onto a printed circuit board. The studies of the influences of different feeding schemes and cable arrangements on two commonly used handset antennas are carried out experimentally and numerically. Also, the distributions of the fields close to the antenna, handset chassis, and the cable are measured and simulated to explore the cable-related influences.

Statistical Compact Testing of Binary Systems using Spectral Data

Statistical compact test scheme for fault detection in binary logical system is presented here utilizing a subset of Rademacher-Walsh spectra covering the entire-range of stuck-at faults on input lines. The results obtained are useful for getting circuit signature, test length critical region and power of test. The performance of the scheme has been analyzed in terms of the probabilities of rejecting a good circuit and accepting a bad one. The proposed test scheme is time efficient and is capable of covering the entire set of stuck-at faults on the input lines.

Magnetic media durability: a system's approach

A series of test methods has been identified which can be used to evaluate media durability. Test schemes have been developed for high-density flexible disk media. These schemes are combined test schemes of accelerated failure testing and simulated long-term drive testing. The results were correlated to a final system long-term testing. This final test scheme can be extended to any other media durability test method by modifying the operating conditions and system variables, such as flying height, head-media coupling pressure, and speed, and by using an appropriate head penetration for the system. On the basis of the proposed test schemes, a relative ranking of media durability was assessed. In addition, development of a working hypothesis of wear mechanism was attempted by examining physical wear patterns generated at various states of the testing.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Functional testing of EPROMs

The aim of this paper is to develop a testing scheme for EPROM memories. The starting point is the assumed general model of EPROM memory logic structure. For this model, an adequate fault model is developed. The class of faults taken into consideration includes faults in input-output buffers, faults in address decoding circuitry, and faults in memory cell arrays. The proposed testing scheme makes possible the detection of all faults included in the assumed fault model. This scheme takes into account technological and economic aspects. The method proposed is illustrated by detailed solutions for the 2716 EPROM memory.