System architecture evaluation using modular performance analysis: a case study

Performance analysis plays an increasingly important role in the design of embedded real-time systems. Time-to-market pressure in this domain is high while the available implementation technology is often pushed to its limit to minimize cost. This requires analysis of performance as early as possible in the life cycle. Simulation-based techniques are often not sufficiently productive. We present an alternative, analytical, approach based on Real-Time Calculus. Modular performance analysis is presented through a case study in which several candidate architectures are evaluated for a distributed in-car radio navigation system. The analysis is efficient due to the high abstraction level of the model, which makes the technique suitable for early design exploratio

Современные проблемы профессионального образования рабочих кадров в рамках экономического развития РФ

Рассмотрены проблемы, возникающие при подготовке и переподготовке рабочих кадров в сфере профессионального образования. Предложены меры по повышению эффективности и конкурентоспособности профессионального образования при подготовке рабочих кадров

Non-phenacetin analgesics and analgesic nephropathy: Clinical assessment of high users from a case-control study [1]*

Background. A recent large-scale case-control study on analgesic nephropathy (SAN) [1] found no increased risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in users of combined or single formulations of phenacetin-free analgesics. In a subgroup of 22 high users, however, a dose-dependent increased risk was found, which raised the question if these patients presented or not with analgesic nephropathy (AN). Methods. The individual questionnaires of this subgroup of high users were reviewed, and the total lifetime intake of different types of analgesics was calculated. For evidence of AN, the following data were considered: (1) the amount and type of analgesics consumed, (2) the cause of ESRD, as diagnosed by the nephrologist in charge of the patient and (3) renal imaging and other relevant laboratory data. Results. This group of ESRD patients consumed on average 7.8 kg of antipyretic analgesics (range 30.8-2.7 kg) over an average of 21.5 years (range 35-6 years). Single analgesics were exclusively used by 12 patients (54.5%) and combined analgesics by 5 patients (22.7%), while 5 patients used both. None of the patients was diagnosed as having AN, and a review of the questionnaires did not disclose evidence suggestive of AN. The possibility that, irrespective of AN, the analgesic (ab)use contributed to the progression of existing renal diseases cannot be answered in the absence of well-defined criteria. The data supporting the existence of such an analgesic-associated nephropathy (AAN) are, however, not consistent and most likely due to confounding by indication. Conclusion. In a group of ESRD patients with high use of non-phenacetin analgesics, no evidence of AN was found. There is no evidence that (ab)use of analgesics or NSAIDs other than phenacetin leads to a pathologically or clinically defined renal disease that could be named AN or AA

Identification and structural characterisation of a partially arabinosylated lipoarabinomannan variant isolated from a Corynebacterium glutamicum ubiAmutant

Arabinan polysaccharide side-chains are present in both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Corynebacterium glutamicum in the heteropolysaccharide arabinogalactan (AG), and in M. tuberculosis in the lipoglycan, lipoarabinomannan (LAM). Herein, we show by quantitative sugar and glycosyl linkage analysis that C. glutamicum possesses a much smaller LAM version, Cg-LAM, characterised by single t-Araf residues linked to th

Yersinia pestis DNA from Skeletal Remains from the 6(th) Century AD Reveals Insights into Justinianic Plague.

Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of the disease plague, has been implicated in three historical pandemics. These include the third pandemic of the 19(th) and 20(th) centuries, during which plague was spread around the world, and the second pandemic of the 14(th)-17(th) centuries, which included the infamous epidemic known as the Black Death. Previous studies have confirmed that Y. pestis caused these two more recent pandemics. However, a highly spirited debate still continues as to whether Y. pestis caused the so-called Justinianic Plague of the 6(th)-8(th) centuries AD. By analyzing ancient DNA in two independent ancient DNA laboratories, we confirmed unambiguously the presence of Y. pestis DNA in human skeletal remains from an Early Medieval cemetery. In addition, we narrowed the phylogenetic position of the responsible strain down to major branch 0 on the Y. pestis phylogeny, specifically between nodes N03 and N05. Our findings confirm that Y. pestis was responsible for the Justinianic Plague, which should end the controversy regarding the etiology of this pandemic. The first genotype of a Y. pestis strain that caused the Late Antique plague provides important information about the history of the plague bacillus and suggests that the first pandemic also originated in Asia, similar to the other two plague pandemics

Redox Chemistry and [Au(CN)2-] in the Formation of Gold Metabolites

The role of hypochlorite ion, which can be generated by the enzyme myleoperoxidase, in the biochemistry of gold(I) anti-arthritic drugs was investigated. Sodium hypochlorite (OCl−) directly and rapidly oxidizes AuSTm, Au(CN)2-, AuSTg (gold thioglucose) and auranofin (Et3PAuSATg). The resulting gold(III) species were detected by an Ion Chromotography Ion-Pairing technique that was developed to distinguish gold(I) and gold(III). Formation of Au(III) was also demonstrated spectrophotometrically after the conversion to AuCl4−. The reactions of AuSTm, AuSTg, and auranofin are complex and gold(III) appears only after the initial oxidation of the thiolate (and phosphine) ligands

High Energy Physics Forum for Computational Excellence: Working Group Reports (I. Applications Software II. Software Libraries and Tools III. Systems)

Computing plays an essential role in all aspects of high energy physics. As computational technology evolves rapidly in new directions, and data throughput and volume continue to follow a steep trend-line, it is important for the HEP community to develop an effective response to a series of expected challenges. In order to help shape the desired response, the HEP Forum for Computational Excellence (HEP-FCE) initiated a roadmap planning activity with two key overlapping drivers -- 1) software effectiveness, and 2) infrastructure and expertise advancement. The HEP-FCE formed three working groups, 1) Applications Software, 2) Software Libraries and Tools, and 3) Systems (including systems software), to provide an overview of the current status of HEP computing and to present findings and opportunities for the desired HEP computational roadmap. The final versions of the reports are combined in this document, and are presented along with introductory material.Comment: 72 page

A 15-Year Analysis of Early and Late Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Relapsed, Aggressive, Transformed, and Nontransformed Follicular Lymphoma

AbstractAutologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL). We explored our experience in ASCT for FL among all patients treated over a 15-year period from diagnosis through their entire treatment history including relapse post ASCT. All patients who underwent an unpurged ASCT for relapsed, advanced FL between June 1990 and December 2000 were analyzed. After salvage therapy they received melphalan/etoposide/total body irradiation, BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan (BEAM), or cyclophosphamide BCNU etoposide (CBV) as conditioning for the ASCT. One hundred thirty-eight patients with a median age of 48 years and a median follow-up of 7.6 years were analyzed. The majority were of the subtype grade 1, nontransformed (FL-NT), having had 1 prior chemotherapy. The progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the FL-NT at 10 years were 46% and 57%, respectively, and at 5 years for the transformed (FL-T) were 25% and 56%, respectively, of which only the PFS was significantly different (P = .007). The median OS from diagnosis was 16 years for the FL-NT. ASCT positively altered the trend of shorter remissions with subsequent chemotherapies, and there was no difference in OS between those who had 1, 2, or >2 chemotherapies prior to ASCT. Salvage therapy for relapse post ASCT was effective (OS >1 year) in a third of patients. Unpurged ASCT is an effective tool in the treatment of relapsed, aggressive FL-NT and FL-T, is superior to retreatment with standard chemotherapy, is effective at various stages of treatment, is likely to have a beneficial influence on the natural history of this disease, and the disease is amenable to salvage therapy post-ASCT relapse