The TSIMMIS Approach to Mediation: Data Models and Languages

TSIMMIS—The Stanford-IBM Manager of Multiple InformationSources—is a system for integrating information. It offers a datamodel and a common query language that are designed to support thecombining of information from many different sources. It also offerstools for generating automatically the components that are needed tobuild systems for integrating information. In this paper we shalldiscuss the principal architectural features and their rationale.     

A basis for estimation of consumption: literature values for selected food volatiles. Part I

This paper is a compilation of quantitative data available on volatile compounds reported so far in 18 food items including some legume, cereals, grapes and cheeses as well as crab, lobster, cocoa and chocolate. No publications reporting quantitative data were found for five of these 18 food products, i.e. sultana grape, broad beans, cassava, oat and rye. About 440 volatile compounds have been assayed globally in the other 13 food products and more than 50% of them were found in grape or in grape juice. Levels of these volatile compounds in the selected foods were generally in the ppb range and less often in the low ppm range. Very high levels were found for some carboxylic acids in cheeses and cocoa and for some alcohols and acids as well as for ethyl acetate in grape juice.     

Efficient architectures for modulo 2n − 2 arithmetic units

Moduli of the 2ⁿ and 2ⁿ ± 1 forms are usually employed in designs that adopt the residue number system. However, in several cases such as in finite impulse response filters and communication components, a modulo value equal to 2ⁿ ? 2 can be used. So far, modulo 2ⁿ ? 2 arithmetic units have been based either on look-up tables or on generic modulo arithmetic units. In this work, by taking advantage of the properties of modulo 2ⁿ ? 2 arithmetic, we propose efficient modulo 2ⁿ ? 2 multi-operand adder, multiplier as well as squarer architectures. The proposed circuits are based on the corresponding ones for modulo 2^n?1 ? 1 arithmetic and some simple logic. Experimental results validate that the proposed circuits achieve significant area and delay savings compared to those previously presented.     

Systemic sclerosis in DRw52-positive silica-exposed males: a case report

The excursion resistance between the canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon and A2 pulley was compared after pulley reconstruction using tendon grafts of either intrasynovial or extrasynovial origin at 10 days, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks after surgery. The changes over time in the underlying flexor digitorum profundus tendon after pulley reconstruction were also evaluated. The excursion resistance for both types of pulley reconstruction was significantly greater than that of the control group at all time periods. The excursion resistance of the extrasynovial tendon graft reconstruction was greater than that of intrasynovial pulley reconstruction at all time periods. In conclusion, pulley reconstruction with intrasynovial tendon grafts may facilitate tendon gliding after surgery.     

GOALDS—Goal Based Damage Ship Stability and safety standards

The new probabilistic damaged stability regulations for dry cargo and passenger ships (SOLAS 2009), which entered into force on January 1, 2009, represent a major step forward in achieving an improved safety standard through the rationalisation and harmonization of damaged stability requirements. There are, however, serious concerns regarding the adopted formulation for the calculation of the survival probability of passenger ships, particularly for ROPAX and large cruise vessels. The present paper outlines the objectives, the methodology of work and main results of the EU-funded FP7 project GOALDS (Goal Based Damaged Stability, 2009–2012), which aims to address the above shortcomings by state-of-the-art scientific methods and by formulating a rational, goal-based regulatory framework, properly accounting for the damage stability properties of passenger ships and the risk of people onboard.     

An analysis of peer-to-peer networks with altruistic peers

We develop a new model of the interaction of rational peers in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network that has at its heart altruism, an intrinsic parameter reflecting peers’ inherent willingness to contribute. Two different approaches for modelling altruistic behavior and its attendant benefit are introduced. With either approach, we use Game Theoretic analysis to calculate Nash equilibria and predict peer behavior in terms of individual contribution. We consider the cases of P2P networks of peers that (i) have homogeneous altruism levels or (ii) have heterogeneous altruism levels, but with known probability distributions. We find that, under the effects of altruism, a substantial fraction of peers will contribute when altruism levels are within certain intervals, even though no incentive mechanism is used. Our results corroborate empirical evidence of large P2P networks surviving or even flourishing without or with barely functioning incentive mechanisms. We also enhance the model with a simple but powerful incentive scheme to limit free-riding and increase contribution to the network, and show that the particular incentive scheme on networks with altruistic peers achieves its goal.

CSD-RNS-based Single Constant Multipliers

Architectures for designing single constant multipliers in Residue Number System (RNS) for moduli of the 2 ⁿ −1, 2 ⁿ and 2 ⁿ  + 1 forms are introduced with the constant operand being recoded in Signed-Digit representation. Two methodologies are proposed. In the first one a straightforward implementation of the shift-and-add algorithm is adopted, while in the second one a graph-based approach is used. Both methodologies result in circuits that are shown to be efficient in terms of area and delay.     

Managing the exchange of engineering product data to support through life ship design

An approach for managing the exchange of engineering product data between geographically distributed designers and analysts using a heterogeneous tool set for the through-life design of a ship is described. The approach was developed within a pan-European maritime project called VRShips-ROPAX 2000 that demonstrated how information technology could be integrated into the design process. This paper describes the development of a common model containing neutral ship product data through a bottom-up consideration of the requirements of the tools to be integrated, as well as a top-down consideration of the data requirements for through life design. This common model was supported within an Integrated Design Environment (IDE) that co-ordinated design activity distributed across Europe. The IDE ensured that the users were provided with the right data in the right form at the right time to do the right task, i.e., that the design activity was timely and appropriate. The strengths and weaknesses of the approach are highlighted.