Random-Like Testing of Very Large Scale Integration Circuit

A new approach to improve the test efficiency of random testing is presented in this paper. In conventional random testing, each test pattern is selected randomly regardless of the tests previously generated. This paper introduces the concept of random like testing. The method provided appears to have the same concepts as used in random testing,but actually takes an opposite way to it in order to improve the efficiency of random testing.In a random like testing sequence, the total distance among all test patterns is chosen to be maximal so that the fault sets detected by one test pattern are as different as possible from that detected by the tests previously applied. The procedure to construct a random like testing sequence (RLTS) is described in detail. Theorems to justify the effectiveness and usefulness of the procedure presented are developed. Experimental results on benchmark circuits as well as on other circuit are also given to evaluate the performance of the new approach.

Predicting test data of aluminum honeycomb sandwich board based on volterra adaptive filters

Random vibration test was done on aluminum honeycomb sandwich board. The result suggested that chaotic behavior is found in the test data. The Volterra expression can not be gained from the input and output data directly in this paper. The state space reconstruction was used to convert the system observed data into the quasi-input/output pairs, and the second-order Voherra adaptive filter was used to predict the test data. It is shown that combining the state space reconstruction with the Volterra adaptive filter, these chaotic series could be accurately predicted.

An Empirical Study on Automated Test Generation Tools for Java:Effectiveness and Challenges

Automated test generation tools enable test automation and further alleviate the low efficiency caused by writing hand-crafted test cases.However,existing automated tools are not mature enough to be widely used by software testing groups.This paper conducts an empirical study on the state-of-the-art automated tools for Java,i.e.,EvoSuite,Randoop,JDoop,JTeXpert,T3,and Tardis.We design a test workflow to facilitate the process,which can automatically run tools for test generation,collect data,and evaluate various metrics.Furthermore,we conduct empirical analysis on these six tools and their related techniques from different aspects,i.e.,code coverage,mutation score,test suite size,readability,and real fault detection ability.We discuss about the benefits and drawbacks of hybrid techniques based on experimental results.Besides,we introduce our experience in setting up and executing these tools,and summarize their usability and user-friendliness.Finally,we give some insights into automated tools in terms of test suite readability improvement,meaningful assertion generation,test suite reduction for random testing tools,and symbolic execution integration.

Distribution Patterns of Medicinal Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Central Himalaya,Nepal

This study aimed to compare the distribution patterns and trends of plant parts used among different groups of medicinal plants, geographical regions,and between medicinal plants and all vascular plants.We used the published sources for elevation records of 2,331 medicinal plant species to interpolate presence between minimum and maximum elevations and estimated medicinal plant richness for each 100-m elevational band. Monte Carlo simulations were used to test whether differences in elevational distribution between different groups of medicinal plants were significant. Total number of medicinal plants as well as different groups showed unimodal relationship with elevation. The elevational distributions of medicinal plants significantly differ between regions and between medicinal plant groups.When comparing the richness of all medicinal plants to all vascular plants,Monte Carlo simulations indicated that the numbers of medicinal plants are higher than expected at low elevations.The highest richness of medicinal plants at low elevation could be possibly due to favorable environmental factors such as high temperature, rainfall,sunlight or due to higher density of human population and thus higher pressure on use of any plants in lower elevations.

CONSISTENCY OF MLE OF THE PARAMETER OF EXPONENTIAL LIFETIME DISTRIBUTION FOR RANDOM CENSORING MODEL WITH INCOMPLETE INFORMATION

In this paper, we have discussed a random censoring test with incomplete information, and proved that the maximum likelihood estimator(MLE) of the parameter based on the randomly censored data with incomplete information in the case of the exponential distribution has the strong consistency.

Control method for multi-input multi-output non-Gaussian random vibration test with cross spectra consideration

A control method for Multi-Input Multi-Output（MIMO） non-Gaussian random vibration test with cross spectra consideration is proposed in the paper. The aim of the proposed control method is to replicate the specified references composed of auto spectral densities, cross spectral densities and kurtoses on the test article in the laboratory. It is found that the cross spectral densities will bring intractable coupling problems and induce difficulty for the control of the multioutput kurtoses. Hence, a sequential phase modification method is put forward to solve the coupling problems in multi-input multi-output non-Gaussian random vibration test. To achieve the specified responses, an improved zero memory nonlinear transformation is utilized first to modify the Fourier phases of the signals with sequential phase modification method to obtain one frame reference response signals which satisfy the reference spectra and reference kurtoses. Then, an inverse system method is used in frequency domain to obtain the continuous stationary drive signals. At the same time, the matrix power control algorithm is utilized to control the spectra and kurtoses of the response signals further. At the end of the paper, a simulation example with a cantilever beam and a vibration shaker test are implemented and the results support the proposed method very well.

Scan BIST with biased scan test signals

The conventional test-per-scan built-in self-test （BIST） scheme needs a number of shift cycles followed by one capture cycle. Fault effects received by the scan flipflops are shifted out while shifting in the next test vector like scan testing. Unlike deterministic testing, it is unnecessary to apply a complete test vector to the scan chains. A new scan-based BIST scheme is proposed by properly controlling the test signals of the scan chains. Different biased random values are assigned to the test signals of scan flip-flops in separate scan chains. Capture cycles can be inserted at any clock cycle if necessary. A new testability estimation procedure according to the proposed testing scheme is presented. A greedy procedure is proposed to select a weight for each scan chain. Experimental results show that the proposed method can improve test effectiveness of scan-based BIST greatly, and most circuits can obtain complete fault coverage or very close to complete fault coverage.

Probabilistic Models for Estimation of Random and Pseudo-Random Test Length

A new probabilistic testability measure is presented to ease test length analyses of random testing and pseudorandom testing.The testability measure given in this paper is oriented to signal conflict of reconvergent fanouts.Test length analyses in this paper are based on a hard fault set,calculations of which are practicable and simple.Experimental results have been obtained to show the accuracy of this test length analyser in comparison with that of Savir,Chin and McCluskey,and Wunderlich by using a pseudorandom test generator combined with exhaustive fault simulation.

Meta analysis of the curative effect of acupuncture on post-stroke depression

OBJECTIVE:To systematically evaluate the curative effect of acupuncture on post-stroke depression(PSD).METHODS:The internet was used to retrieve the Wanfang Medical Data System,Chinese Periodical Net,the Weipu Information Resources System,PubMed and the Cochrane Library Database.Relevant articles,up to September 2010,were manually retrieved.These papers included studies that had performed random and semi-random control trials for the use of acupuncture to treat PSD.Fifteen random control tests involving 1096 patients were included in this study and individual cases,interventional measures and curative effects were extracted from this research.Grade methodological quality evaluation and meta-analysis were performed on these studies.RESULTS:Comparison between the acupuncture group and the Western medicine group for the curative rate on PSD revealed an OR of 1.48,95% CI = [1.11 1.97] and P=0.008.Comparison of obviously effective rate shows that OR=1.39,95% CI=[1.08 1.80] and P=0.01.Comparison of effective rate showsthatOR=0.83,95%CI=[0.631.09]andP=0.18.CONCLUSION:Comparison between the acupuncture group and Western medicine group in treating PSD revealed that there is a statistical difference in curative rate and remarkably effective rate,but no difference in effective rate.

Evaluation of the Potential Inhibitory Activity of A Combination of L.Acidophilus,L.Rhamnosus and L.Sporogenes on Helicobacter Pylori：A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective： To investigate whether three strains of probiotics, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes, had significant inhibitive effects on Helicobacter pylori（H. pylori）. Methods： This is a 4-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, doubled-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Fifty patients with a positive H. pylori infection urea breath test（△UBT） result 〉 10% and without ulcer symptoms were randomized into a treatment group and a placebo group by a computer generated allocation sheet with 1：1. These subjects took one capsule of probiotics or placebo twice daily. The primary measurement was the change in △UBT values. Results： The △UBT values during the 4-week treatment period and the 2-week follow-up period were not significantly different between the treatment group and the placebo group, indicating that the inhibitive effects on H. pylori were comparable between both groups. The monocyte count（%） was 5.77±1.11 in the treatment group versus 5.09±1.12 in the placebo group（P=0.044）, and the basophile count was 0.55±0.32 in the treatment group versus 0.36±0.23 in the placebo group（P=0.024） at week 2 of the treatment period, both of which reached statistical significance. The monocyte count was 5.75±1.26 in the treatment group and 4.72±0.99 in the placebo group at the end of the follow-up period（P=0.003）. Conclusions： There was no significant inhibitive effects of the three probiotic strains（L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes） on H. pylori. Probiotics can not play the same role as antibiotics in the eradication of H. pylori, the role of probiotics is likely to be important as adjuvant to the triple or quadruple therapy for H. pylori, especially in resistance cases.

Effect of a Traditional Chinese Medicine combined therapy on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis:a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) therapy versus conventional treatment on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.METHODS:One hundred twenty outpatients with mild and moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were randomly divided into a TCM group(TCMG)and a brace group(CG).TCMG patients underwent Daoyin,Tuina,and acupotomology therapies.CG patients were treated with a Milwaukee brace.Each patient's Cobb angle was measured after 12 and 24 months of treatment,and pulmonary function was determined after 12 months of treatment.Average electromyogram(AEMG) ratio of the surface electromyogram was measured after 6 and 12 months of treatment and followed-up after 18 and 24 months.RESULTS:The Cobb angle significantly decreased in both groups after 12 months of treatment compared with before treatment(P< 0.05).The percentages of original Cobb angle in TCMG and CG were51.4%and 47.8%(P > 0.05) after 12 months and62.5%and 34.7%(P < 0.05) after 24 months,respectively.Pulmonary function significantly improved after 12 months in TCMG(P < 0.05) but significantly decreased in CG(P < 0.05).The AEMG ratio was significantly lower(P < 0.01) and tended to remain at1 after stopping treatment in TCMG,but increased in CG(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:TCM combined therapy can prevent the progression of scoliosis.The AEMG ratio is a promising index that could replace radiography in the evaluation of treatment effect and progression in scoliosis.

On the Longest Length of Consecutive Integers

Choose m numbers from the set {1,2,... ,n} at random without replacement. In this paper we first establish the limiting distribution of the longest length of consecutive integers and then apply the result to test randomness of selecting numbers without replacement.