Abstract. This chapter is to provide a tutorial and pointers to results and related work on timed automata with a focus on semantical and algorithmic aspects of verification tools. We present the concrete and abstract semantics of timed automata (based on transition rules, regions and zones), decision problems, and algorithms for verification. A detailed description on DBM (Difference Bound Matrices) is included, which is the central data structure behind several verification tools for timed systems. As an example, we give a brief introduction to the tool UPPAAL.

Abstract. Uppaal is a tool suite for automatic verification of safety and bounded liveness properties of real-time systems modeled as networks of timed automata. It includes: a graphical interface that supports graphical and textual representations of networks of timed automata, and automatic transformation from graphical representations to textual format, a compiler that transforms a certain class of linear hybrid systems to networks of timed automata, and a model-checker which is implemented based on constraint-solving techniques. Uppaal also supports diagnostic model-checking providing diagnostic information in case verification of a particular real-time systems fails. The current version of Uppaal is available on the World Wide Web via the Uppaal home page

BackgroundThe doubling of the number of people with dementia in the coming decades coupled with the rapid decline in the working population in our graying society is expected to result in a large decrease in the number of professionals available to provide care to people with dementia. As a result, care will be supplied increasingly by untrained informal caregivers and volunteers. To promote effective care and avoid overburdening of untrained and trained caregivers, they must become properly skilled. To this end, the European Skills Training and Reskilling (STAR) project, which comprised experts from the domains of education, technology, and dementia care from 6 countries (the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Malta, Romania, and the United Kingdom), worked together to create and evaluate a multilingual e-learning tool. The STAR training portal provides dementia care training both for informal and formal caregivers.ObjectiveThe objective of the current study was to evaluate the user friendliness, usefulness, and impact of STAR with informal caregivers, volunteers, and professional caregivers.MethodsFor 2 to 4 months, the experimental group had access to the STAR training portal, a Web-based portal consisting of 8 modules, 2 of which had a basic level and 6 additional modules at intermediate and advanced levels. The experimental group also had access to online peer and expert communities for support and information exchange. The control group received free access to STAR after the research had ended. The STAR training portal was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial among informal caregivers and volunteers in addition to professional caregivers (N=142) in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Assessments were performed with self-assessed, online, standardized questionnaires at baseline and after 2 to 4 months. Primary outcome measures were user friendliness, usefulness, and impact of STAR on knowledge, attitudes, and approaches of caregivers regarding dementia. Secondary outcome measures were empathy, quality of life, burden, and caregivers’ sense of competence.ResultsSTAR was rated positively by all user groups on both usefulness and user friendliness. Significant effects were found on a person-centered care approach and on the total score on positive attitudes to dementia; both the experimental and the control group increased in score. Regarding empathy, significant improvements were found in the STAR training group on distress, empathic concern, and taking the perspective of the person with dementia. In the experimental group, however, there was a significant reduction in self-reported sense of competence.ConclusionsThe STAR training portal is a useful and user-friendly e-learning method, which has demonstrated its ability to provide significant positive effects on caregiver attitudes and empathy.

Purpose: To identify variables that influence compliance with information security policies of organizations and to identify how important these variables are. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review of empirical studies described in extant literature is performed. This review found 29 studies meeting its inclusion criterion. The investigated variables in these studies and the effect size reported for them were extracted and analysed. Findings: In the 29 studies more than 60 variables have been studied in relation to security policy compliance and incompliance. Unfortunately, no clear winners can be found among the variables or the theories they are drawn from. Each of the variables only explain a small part of the variation in people's behaviour and when a variable has been investigated in multiple studies the findings often show a considerable variation. Research limitations/implications: It is possible that the disparate findings of the reviewed studies can be explained by the sampling methods used in the studies, the treatment/control of extraneous variables and interplay between variables. These aspects ought to be addressed in future research efforts Practical implications: For decision makers who seek guidance on how to best achieve compliance with their information security policies should recognize that a large number of variables probably influence employees' compliance. In addition, both their influence strength and interplay is uncertain and largely unknown. Originality/value: This is the first systematic review of research on variables that influence compliance with information security policies of organizations.

With the suggested adaptations, the CDN is expected to be a useful tool for supporting community-dwelling persons with mild dementia and their carers.