High security level must be guaranteed in applications in order to mitigate risks during the deployment of information systems in open network environments. However, a significant number of legacy systems remain in use which poses security risks to the enterprise' assets due to the poor technologies used and lack of security concerns when they were in design. Software reengineering is a way out to improve their security levels in a systematic way. Model driven is an approach in which model as defined by its type directs the execution of the process. The aim of this research is to explore how model driven approach can facilitate the software reengineering driven by security demand. The research in this thesis involves the following three phases. Firstly, legacy system understanding is performed using reverse engineering techniques. Task of this phase is to reverse engineer legacy system into UML models, partition the legacy system into subsystems with the help of model slicing technique and detect existing security mechanisms to determine whether or not the provided security in the legacy system satisfies the user's security objectives. Secondly, security requirements are elicited using risk analysis method. It is the process of analysing key aspects of the legacy systems in terms of security. A new risk assessment method, taking consideration of asset, threat and vulnerability, is proposed and used to elicit the security requirements which will generate the detailed security requirements in the specific format to direct the subsequent security enhancement. Finally, security enhancement for the system is performed using the proposed ontology based security pattern approach. It is the stage that security patterns derived from security expertise and fulfilling the elicited security requirements are selected and integrated in the legacy system models with the help of the proposed security ontology. The proposed approach is evaluated by the selected case study. Based on the analysis, conclusions are drawn and future research is discussed at the end of this thesis. The results show this thesis contributes an effective, reusable and suitable evolution approach for software security.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Multi-Stream Data-Driven Telemetry System (MSDDTS) is a new generation system in China developed by Beijing Research Institute of Telemetry (BRIT) for high bit rate, multi-stream data acquisition, processing and display. Features of the MSDDTS include: .Up to 4 data streams; .Data driven architecture; .Multi-processor for parallel processing; .Modular, Configurable, expandable and programmable; .Stand-along capability; .And, external control by host computer. This paper addresses three very important aspects of the MSDDTS. First, the system architecture is discussed. Second, three basic models of the system configuration are described. The third shows the future development of the system.

The Insight Segmentation and Registration Toolkit (ITK) is a highly utilized open source medical imaging library. Written in C++, ITK provides chiefly the functionality to register, segment, and filter medical images. Although extremely powerful, ITK has a very steep learning curve for users with little or no background in programming. It was for this reason that SimITK was developed. SimITK wraps ITK into the model driven engineering environment Simulink, a part of the Matlab development suite. The first released version of SimITK was a proof of concept, and demonstrated that ITK could be wrapped successfully in Simulink. Very few segmentation and registration functions were available and the system was based on ITK version 3 with a semi-automatic wrapping procedure. In this thesis a new version of SimITK is presented that includes thirty-seven image filter, twelve optimizer, and nineteen transform classes from ITK version 4 which are successfully wrapped and tested. These classes were chosen to represent a broad range of usability (in the case of the filters) and to allow for greater flexibility when creating registration pipelines by having more options for optimizers, transforms, and metrics. Many usability improvements were also implemented for the registration pipeline, including providing the user with the metric value while executing a registration model and allowing the output image size to be specified for certain filters. In order for SimITK to transition to a usable research tool, several usability improvements were needed. These included transitioning from wrapping ITK version 3 to ITK version 4, fully automating the wrapping process, and usability modifications to the registration pipeline including a metric value output. These implementations of an automated wrapping procedure for ITK version 4, and improved usability of the registration pipeline have propelled SimITK on a path towards a usable research tool. The author will be creating a release of these changes, updating installation documentation, and updating tutorials which are available at www.SimITKVTK.com / Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-05 10:15:16.607

Background: The importance of supportive business networks has been widely acknowledged in the field of entrepreneurship. Due to the success of informal business networks, the same networking concept is frequently encouraged and applied by regional political authorities. However, when duplicating a certain networking approach in different settings, it is important to address motives and expectations of network actors and be aware of potentially arising threats. Purpose of the study: The purpose of the Master Thesis is to explore and broaden the understanding of the relationship between the two actors: entrepreneurs and policy-driven networks. The Master Thesis aims to provide a theoretical contribution to the field of entrepreneurship in identifying and describing main motives and expectations of both actors, when engaging in a mutual relationship. However, the Thesis will focus on a single actor’s perspective and the main emphasis of the research will be placed on a set of entrepreneurs and their behavior within the analyzed policy-driven network. Ultimately, main emerging challenges between the two actors will be identified and analyzed, as well as appropriate guidance to address it will be provided. Methodological framework: The qualitative research approach was chosen for the conducted study. A multiple case study was completed in the form eight semi- structured interviews with the anagerial levels of the analyzed policy-driven network and local entrepreneurs. Completion and findings: The conducted study reveals that it is a great challenge to implement a certain networking approach in a diverse context. The provided frameworks of entrepreneurship, networking and social embeddedness indicate that, when establishing a policy-driven network a considerable amount of attention should be devoted to main network actors – regional entrepreneurs.

In this thesis, we present an abstract meta-model for model driven development of web applications targeting multiple platforms. We review the existing technologies and the related work in order to obtain a list of requirements for such an abstract model. The abstract model is built by extending an existing UML-based model for web applications. We demonstrate that it is possible to map this abstract model to more than one specific development platform by providing transformations for these mappings. We also lay out the general outline of a model-driven process based on the proposed abstract model. The abstract model and the model-driven process are supported by a set of tools, case studies and a visual modeling notation. Model-driven techniques have been used in the area of web development to a great extent. Most of the existing approaches are tuned toward specific platforms or develop only certain parts of web applications. These approaches generally use meta-models adapted to their targeted platforms. In order to flexibly target multiple platforms, the level of abstraction of the meta-model must be raised. Such a meta-model must allow the description of relevant features of web applications independently from the specificities of specific platforms. Additionally, transformations mapping from abstract to specific web descriptions must be expressible in a flexible way. In this thesis, we propose such an abstract meta-model. Mappings that transform abstract models to specific platforms are also presented. Different benefits can be foreseen from this approach. By relieving developers from low-level platform-specific related design, the approach has the potential to shift the development task to issues related to business needs. Another benefit is shortened development time. This could help web developers to overcome the problem of schedule delays, which is recognized as one of the top five most-cited problems with large-scale web systems. The approach is specifically suitable for information-intensive web-based systems. These applications typically involve large data stores accessed through a web interface. A distinctive aspect of this approach is its use of a specification of the data mapping as part of its high-level input. More importantly, the common features required to process data and communicate data objects between different layers and components are targeted.

Title: Universal Constraint Language Author: Peter Piják Department / Institute: Department of Software Engineering Supervisor of the master thesis: Mgr. Martin Nečaský, Ph.D. Abstract: Today's software applications are typically compound of system of more application components. By modeling of software, various integrity constraint languages are used for particular parts of model (e.g. OCL for UML class diagrams, Schematron for XML or SQL triggers for relational databases). Constraint expressions need to be converted to expressions over different meta-models. These tasks are non-trivial. In this thesis, a new common language Universal Constraint Language (UCL) for expressing integrity constraints over various data meta-models is introduced. It is formally defined and also its parser is implemented. We also present semi-automatic translating between constraints over various meta-models; and deriving constraints from the introduced language to constraints in specific constraint languages. Keywords: constraint language, model-driven architecture, universal formalism

Using data to improve educational practice in schools has become a popular reform strategy that has grown as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Districts and schools across the United States are under a great deal of pressure to collect and analyze data in hopes of identifying student weaknesses to implement corrective action plans that will lead to overall student achievement in the classroom. Technology tools such as computer-based assessment and reporting systems have provided schools with immediate access to student-level data. The problem is the lack of direction in how to use the information to make instructional changes in the classroom. A review of literature provided an overview of research-based strategies that support data-driven decision making (DDDM) in the classroom. Three case studies in Louisiana were examined to build a conceptual understanding about how districts and schools use data to make informed decisions. Three research questions guided the investigation and focused on the tools used to assess, store, and retrieve student data, evidence that connects the data and improvements in teaching, and recommendations for other districts and schools. Educational practices were documented through a collection of documents, interview/questionnaire data, and physical artifacts. Results were reported in a question and answer format for three case studies. School administrators reported using data to plan, evaluate, and provide feedback to teachers. In contrast, teachers and instructional specialists revealed that data were used to assess and measure student's weekly performance. All schools utilized at least two computer-based assessment and/or reporting systems to manage student-level data within the district and/or school. Instructional coaches provided direct support to teachers. Data analysis revealed that teachers collaborated and supported each other through data team meetings and working sessions. Principals and teachers monitored student behavior through use of data management and reporting tools. Schools showed promising and positive attitudes about making changes and building a data-driven culture. Findings were supported through current research on DDDM.

This thesis aims at developing a data visualization tool to enhance database learning based on the Verification Driven Learning (VDL) model. The goal of the VDL model is to present abstract concepts in the contexts of real-world systems to students in the early stages of computer science program. In this project, a personnel/training management system has been turned into a learning platform by adding a number of features for visualization and quizzing. We have implemented various tactics to visualize the data manipulation and data retrieval operations in database, as well as the message contents in data messaging channels. The results of our development have been utilized in eight learning cases illustrating the applications of our visualization tool. Each of these learning cases were made by systematically implanting bugs in a functioning component; the students are assigned to identify the bugs and at the same time to learn the structure of the software system active

The <i>spin</i> of an electron has for long excited researchers both with respect to its fundamental physics and technological applications. Consequently, the traditional field driven switching of ferromagnets gave way for more scalable current driven switching based on the well-known spin transfer torque phenomenon. However, in the quest for better energy-efficiency, the manipulation of electron spin through pure voltage driven or voltage-assisted mechanisms are being intensely explored. In this research, we demonstrate that the very physics and the characteristics of such voltage driven devices enable interesting possibilities with respect to memory, neuromorphic and logic applications. We rely on the recent experimental demonstrations of two novel voltage effects on nano-magnets - the voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) and the pure voltage driven magneto-electric (ME) effect. Specifically, we propose in-situ, in-memory, vector logic operations by exploiting the voltage asymmetry and precessional switching dynamics of the VCMA effect to construct 'stateful' logic gates. Stateful logic are those in which the same device acts as a storage element and compute engine, simultaneously. In addition, we show that the pure voltage driven mono-domain switching and domain-wall motion of nano-magnets through the ME effect can be leveraged to construct neuro-mimetic devices exhibiting leaky-integrate-fire dynamics of biological neurons and as well as non-volatile synaptic elements. Further, we propose a voltage driven logic-device using the ME switching and demonstrate that the proposed logic-device can be used to construct a complete cascadable logic family including XNOR, IMP (implication), NAND and NOR gates. Additionally, we present an energy and area efficient content addressable memory using a logic compatible ME-XNOR device. The presented research shows that voltage driven switching can augment the very functionality and widen the application scope of spin based devices and circuits.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo propor a utilização de soluções pré-definidas e comprovadas na abordagem MDA, auxiliando o desenvolvedor na resolução de problemas recorrentes ao desenvolvimento de software. A utilização destas soluções pré-definidas leva a um aumento de produtividade no contexto MDA e na geração de software baseado em boas práticas. Para que este objetivo seja cumprido, é empreendida uma análise sobre o MDA e sobre como operacionalizar as transformações entre modelos. Também é empreendida uma análise sobre o suporte fornecido pela UML e sobre reutilização em desenvolvimento orientado a modelos. Por fim este trabalho apresenta partes de uma aplicação protótipo, construída para ser uma prova de conceito de código gerado através da combinação de UML e soluções pré-definidas. / The goal of this work is to propose the use of pre-defined solutions on MDA approach, supporting the developer in solving recurrent problems of software development. The use of these pre-defined solutions leads to an increase of productivity in MDA context, and in the generation of software based on best practices. To reach this goal, an analysis of MDA is undertaken, as well as an analysis of how to enable the transformations between models. It is also undertaken an analysis about the use of UML and the reuse in model driven development. Finally this work presents portions of a prototype application, constructed to be a proof-of-concept of generated code, combining UML and the pre-defined solutions.