The Metaflow architecture

The Metaflow architecture, a unified approach to maximizing the performance of superscalar microprocessors, is introduced. The Metaflow architecture exploits inherent instruction-level parallelism in conventional sequential programs by hardware means, without relying on optimizing compilers. It is based on a unified structure, the DRIS (deferred-scheduling, register-renaming instruction shelf), that manages out-of-order execution and most of the attendant problems. Coupling the DRIS with a speculative-execution mechanism that avoids conditional branch stalls results in performance limited only be inherent instruction-level parallelism and available execution resources. Although presented in the context of superscalar machines, the technique is equally applicable to a superpipelined implementation. Lightning, the first implementation of the Metaflow architecture, which executes the Sparc RISC instruction set is described     

Hilfsmittel zum Auffinden einer ersten Gestalt beim methodischen Konstruieren: Gestaltbeeinflussung durch die Verwendung physikalischer Effekte

Zusammenfassung Ziel des Teilvorhabens, über das hier berichtet wird, was es, für eine Auswahl von physikalischen Effekten eine Zuordnung von gestaltbeeinflussenden Merkmalen auf sehr abstrakter Ebene zu erreichen und damit eine n?here Charakterisierung der Wirkfl?chen und Wirkr?ume zu erreichen die zur Umsetzung eines physikalischen Effektes notwendig sind. Die hieraus resultierenden Ergebnisse sind dem Abschlu?bericht zu entnehmen [1]. Weiterführende Themen, die basierend auf den vorliegenden Erkenntnissen bearbeitet werden, haben zum Ziel, die wesentlichen und entscheidenden Parameter einer Konstruktionsaufgabe zu erkennen und zukünftig zielgerichtet L?sungsvarianten zu erstellen, um somit für eine Neukonstruktion sinnvolle L?sungsfelder sehr frühzeitig abzugrenzen.     

Autoxidation of ubiquinol-6 is independent of superoxide dismutase

Ubiquinone (Q) is an essential, lipid soluble, redox component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Much evidence suggests that ubiquinol (QH2) functions as an effective antioxidant in a number of membrane and biological systems by preventing peroxidative damage to lipids. It has been proposed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) may protect QH2 form autoxidation by acting either directly as a superoxide-semiquinone oxidoreductase or indirectly by scavenging superoxide. In this study, such an interaction between QH2 and SOD was tested by monitoring the fluorescence of cis-parinaric acid (cPN) incorporated phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes. Q6H2 was found to prevent both fluorescence decay and generation of lipid peroxides (LOOH) when peroxidation was initiated by the lipid-soluble azo initiator DAMP, dimethyl 2,2'-azobis (2-methylpropionate), while Q6 or SOD alone had no inhibitory effect. Addition of either SOD or catalase to Q6H2-containing liposomes had little effect on the rate of peroxidation even when incubated in 100% O2. Hence, the autoxidation of QH2 is a competing reaction that reduces the effectiveness of QH2 as an antioxidant and was not slowed by either SOD or catalase. The in vivo interaction of SOD and QH2 was also tested by employing yeast mutant strains harboring deletions in either CuZnSOD and/or MnSOD. The sod mutant yeast strains contained the same percent Q6H2 per cell as wild-type cells. These results indicate that the autoxidation of QH2 is independent of SOD.     

What is health promotion?

With change abounding in Canada's health care system, nurses must redefine their roles. One role is in health promotion, a field where nurses have created a unique identity for themselves. But before advocating, the concept must be fully understood.     

Flexible speech translation systems

Speech translation research has made significant progress over the years with many high-visibility efforts showing that translation of spontaneously spoken speech from and to diverse languages is possible and applicable in a variety of domains. As language and domains continue to expand, practical concerns such as portability and reconfigurability of speech come into play: system maintenance becomes a key issue and data is never sufficient to cover the changing domains over varying languages. In this paper, we discuss strategies to overcome the limits of today's speech translation systems. In the first part, we describe our layered system architecture that allows for easy component integration, resource sharing across components, comparison of alternative approaches, and the migration toward hybrid desktop/PDA or stand-alone PDA systems. In the second part, we show how flexibility and reconfigurability is implemented by more radically relying on learning approaches and use our English-Thai two-way speech translation system as a concrete example.     

Prototype implementation of an assembly system for tissue engineered constructs

In the course of the research described in this paper a prototype assembly system for the automated fabrication of customized, biodegradable bone implants for tissue engineering applications has been developed. This work is part of a collaborative effort between the Handling Laboratory (hLab) of Fachhochschule Vorarlberg and the Bone Tissue Engineering Center (BETC) of Carnegie Mellon University. Bone implants are built up using thin layers of highly porous, biodegradable polymer scaffold materials. These layers can be seeded with cells prior to assembly. The main focus of this work is robotic handling of the prefabricated polymer layers. Additional components that are addressed include the cutting of contoured polymer layers from sheetstock and the assembly of the 21/2 dimensional layers to form 3D bone implants. Cutting tests have been performed to assess different cutting technologies. Assembly tests with mechanical connectors and fibrin adhesive have also been conducted. These components are integrated within a robot cell to demonstrate overall system feasibility.     

Thermal convection in a horizontal porous layer with spatially periodic boundary temperatures: small Ra flow

This study considers a small Rayleigh number thermal convection in a fluid-saturated porous medium between two infinite-horizontal walls. The lower and upper walls have sinusoidal temperature distributions with a wave number and a phase difference, and the effect of the parameters on the flow and heat transfer characteristics is investigated. For a given wave number, an out-of-phase configuration yields minimum heat transfer at the walls. Maximum heat transfer occurs at the wave number of 2.286 with an in-phase configuration.     

The core symptoms of schizophrenia

We have compared light chain immunohistochemistry in reactive lymphoid tissue and a series of paraffin-embedded B-cell lymphomas using standard trypsin digestion with a heat mediated epitope retrieval method. Fifty-seven B-cell lymphomas (18 high grade, 29 low grade and 10 cases of nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease), two reactive lymph nodes and eight tonsils fixed for known times between 12 h and 2 years were studied. Paraffin-embedded tissue was stained with polyclonal anti-kappa and anti-lambda antibodies. For each antibody staining was performed on two sections, one treated with trypsin digestion and one with microwave heating. Sections were scored from 0 to + + + with 0 representing poor staining and + + + excellent staining. A score of ++ was considered satisfactory. Light chain restriction was recorded if present. Satisfactory staining was obtained in 34/59 cases using trypsin digestion and 56/59 cases using heat retrieval. Light chain restriction was demonstrated in 32/57 (56%) B-cell lymphomas using trypsin digestion and 52/57 (91%) using heat retrieval. Satisfactory staining was obtained in tonsils fixed for up to 48 h using trypsin digestion and up to 2 years using heat retrieval. We have shown that for light chain immunostaining a heat mediated epitope retrieval method produces more consistent and satisfactory results and is effective over a greater range of fixation times than traditional trypsin digestion.     

Transmission Electron Microscopy and Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy Characterization of Glass Phase in Sol-Gel-Derived Mullite

Sol-gel-derived mullite ceramics were processed by pressureless sintering at 1600°, 1650°, and 1700°C for 4 h. Microstructural and microchemical characterization of the mullite materials was performed using transmission electron microscopy, in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Apart from mullite grain diameter and triplepocket size, no major microstructural changes were observed with increasing sintering temperature. Residual glass was present at triple pockets and along two-grain junctions. Not all grain boundaries revealed the presence of a continuous amorphous intergranular film. Clean interfaces were observed only at boundaries with one grain parallel to the [001] orientation (low-energy configuration). Quantitative EELS analysis of mullite grains and glass pockets revealed only small changes in composition with increasing sintering temperature; i.e., the alumina:silica ratio slightly increased for mullite and glass. The analysis implied that mullite with this relatively high aluminum content would not be stable adjacent to residual glass. However, a stable glass-mullite system has been proposed, because impurity cations were detected within glass pockets, which suggested a slight shift of the subsolidus line (glass-mullite/ mullite) to a higher amount of alumina. Energy-loss nearedge structure studies of the Si- L _2,3 edge revealed a similar near-edge structure for the mullite, residual glass, and quartz. Thus, SiO₄ tetrahedra were thought to be the main building units of the glass contained in sintered mullite.     

N-Acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase in milk and blood plasma during dry and early postpartum periods

Milk and plasma N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity was determined for cows during the dry and early postpartum periods. Milk samples were taken from individual quarters of 12 cows from 7 d preceding dry off until calving. Weigh jar milk samples were taken daily for 28 d postpartum from 9 of the 12 cows. Somatic cell concentration was also measured in the postpartum samples. N-Acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity of mammary secretions was significantly elevated in the dry period. Activity in mammary secretions was significantly higher than blood plasma concentrations during the dry period, which suggests that the enzyme present in mammary secretions comes mainly from within the gland. Milk enzyme concentrations declined sharply by 4 d postpartum and gradually declined through 28 d postpartum. Activity was still slightly elevated at 28 d postpartum as compared with normal lactation. Greater daily variability was seen with somatic cells than with N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase. However, somatic cells were more responsive to clinical infections postpartum, showing significant elevations in both clinical episodes. The enzyme was elevated in one clinical case, but relatively unchanged in the other. Plasma levels were constant throughout both trials.