Experience with Applying Formal Methods to Protocol Specification and System Architecture

In the last three years or so we at Enterprise Platforms Group at Intel Corporation have been applying formal methods to various problems that arose during the process of defining platform architectures for Intel's processor families. In this paper we give an overview of some of the problems we have worked on, the results we have obtained, and the lessons we have learned. The last topic is addressed mainly from the perspective of platform architects.     

Optimal pruning with applications to tree-structured source codingand modeling

An algorithm introduced by L. Breiman et al. (1984) in the context of classification and regression trees is reinterpreted and extended to cover a variety of applications in source coding and modeling in which trees are involved. These include variable-rate and minimum-entropy tree-structured vector quantization, minimum expected cost decision trees, variable-order Markov modeling, optimum bit allocation, and computer graphics and image processing using quadtrees. A concentration on the first of these and a detailed analysis of variable-rate tree-structured vector quantization are provided. It is found that variable-rate tree-structured vector quantization outperforms not only the fixed-rate variety but also full-search vector quantization. The successive approximation character of variable-rate tree-structured vector quantization permits it to degrade gracefully if the rate is reduced at the encoder. This has applications to the problem of buffer overflow     

Economic analysis and optimization of tool portfolio in semiconductor manufacturing

The tool portfolio of a plant refers to the makeup, in quantity and type, of processing machines in the plant. It is determined by taking into consideration the future trends of process and machine technologies and the forecasts of product evolution and product demands. Portfolio planning is also a multicriteria decision-making task involving tradeoffs among, investment cost, throughput, cycle time, and risk. Tool portfolio planning is a complex task that has strong bearing on manufacturing efficiency. In the first part of this paper, a multicriteria economic decision model is presented for optimal configuration. of the portfolio and to determine the optimal factory loading. The second and third parts of the paper contain applications of the model. If plants are closely located or have a twin-plant design, portfolio planning at multiple plants can be integrated to enhance the overall effectiveness of portfolios. In the second part, a novel methodology for arbitrating capacity backup between plants is described. Because the economic model is constructed upon a valuation of both cycle time and throughput, it is a suitable method for the evaluation of cycle time reduction projects. The application procedure is outlined in the third part.     

Hyperdynamic circulation of cirrhotic rats: role of substance P and its relationship to nitric oxide

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that excessive formation of nitric oxide (NO) is responsible for the hyperdynamic circulation observed in portal hypertension. Substance P is a neuropeptide partly cleared by the liver and causes vasodilatation through the activation of the endothelial NO pathway. However, there are no previously published data concerning the plasma level of substance P in cirrhotic rats and its relationship to NO. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (an index of NO production) were determined in control rats and cirrhotic rats with or without ascites using an enzyme-linked immununosorbent assay and a colorimetric assay, respectively. In addition, systemic and portal hemodynamics were evaluated by a thermodilution technique and catheterization. RESULTS: Cirrhotic rats with and without ascites had a lower systemic vascular resistance (2.6 +/- 0.2 and 3.9 +/- 0.4 mmHg ml(-1) x min x 100 g body weight, respectively) and higher portal pressure (14.6 +/- 0.6 and 11.3 +/- 1.8 mmHg) than control rats (6.5 +/- 0.3 mmHg x ml(-1) x min x 100 g BW and 6.8 +/- 0.2 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05), and cirrhotic rats with ascites had the lowest systemic vascular resistance. Plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite progressively increased in relation to the severity of liver dysfunction (control rats, 2.7 +/- 0.5 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats without ascites, 5.6 +/- 1.3 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats with ascites, 8.3 +/- 2.2 nmol/ml; P < 0.05). Cirrhotic rats with ascites displayed higher plasma values of substance P (57.7 +/- 5.9 pg/ml) than cirrhotic rats without ascites (37.9 +/- 3.1 pg/ml, P < 0.05) and control rats (30.1 +/- 1.0 pg/ml, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma substance P values between control rats and cirrhotic rats without ascites (P > 0.05). No correlation was found between plasma levels of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (r = 0.318, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive formation of NO may be responsible, at least partly, for the hemodynamic derangements in cirrhosis. Although substance P may not participate in the initiation of a hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis, it may contribute to the maintenance of the hyperdynamic circulation observed in cirrhotic rats with ascites.     

On the detection of motion and the computation of optical flow

A method for the detection of motion in image sequences is presented. In this method, the intensity history at each pixel is convolved with the second derivative in time of a temporal Gaussian smoothing function. The zero crossings in a single frame of the resulting function indicate the positions of moving edges. Intensity changes in time due to illumination effects do not produce zero crossings; thus, they are not interpreted as motion by the present method. It is also shown that the spatial and temporal derivatives of this function can be used to compute the component of the optical flow that is normal to the zero-crossing contours. This computation is also insensitive to nonconvective temporal and spatial variations in the image intensity that are caused by illumination effects     

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in primates infected with a simian immunodeficiency virus

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSG) with endothelial tubuloreticular inclusions (TRIs) is the typical lesion of human HIV-associated glomerulopathy. Autopsy studies showed the presence of FSG in 3 of 15 macaques dying 15-120 weeks after experimental infection with a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVMne). Ultrastructural studies generally revealed numerous endothelial TRIs (also present in normals), mesangial expansion, and evidence of mesangial cell injury. One additional animal had a small-vessel polyarteritis with a proliferative and focally crescentic glomerulonephritis; seven animals had mild, multifocal interstitial nephritis. All animals had documented viremia after infection; 14 of 15 developed antibodies to SIV postinoculation. Additional postmortem findings included severe enterocolitis, encephalitis, and opportunistic infections. In contrast, autopsy studies of macaques infected with a type D simian retrovirus (SAIDS-D/Washington, SRV-2) for similar periods of time (n = 40) showed no evidence of FSG. One SRV-infected animal had a mild proliferative glomerulonephritis. These studies indicate SIV-infected primates may provide a relevant model for study of human HIV-associated nephropathy. They also indicate the variable pathology that can be seen in primate infections of distinct retrovirus types, each of which produces a simian immunodeficiency state that resembles human AIDS.     

Reliability assessment for solders with a stress buffer layer using ball shear strength test and board-level finite element analysis

The stress buffer layer (SBL) is a widely applied improvement in many advanced packages used to release the stress concentration at solder joints. However, it has been generally found that the metal line adjacent to the SBL may suffer larger deformation and its reliability should be addressed. In this study, the panel level package (PLP) technology with solder on polymer (SOP) structure is selected as the testing sample to investigate the effect of SBL. The ball shear strength test is conducted first to investigate the reliability of metal trace in PLP. In addition, finite element (FE) analysis is applied to understand the actual thermo-mechanical behavior of PLP after its assembly. The package-level and board-level reliability assessments are compared, and the suggested layout of the redistribution layer on the SBL is provided herein.     

Stabilised p53 facilitates aneuploid clonal divergence in colorectal cancer

Mutations in the p53 tumour suppressor gene are amongst the most frequent genetic abnormalities acquired in tumours. Recent studies in vitro suggest that mutant p53 destabilises the genome and facilitates development of aneuploidy. Here, in a study of 83 colorectal carcinomas, we demonstrate that alterations in p53 (detected by immunocytochemical stabilisation) precede and apparently facilitate divergence of aneuploid sub-clones. Aneuploidy in these tumours (but not those with normal p53) is predominantly in the subtetraploid range, suggesting that endoreduplication is important in its origin. This association with a specific phase of carcinoma progression is not shared by other commonly acquired genetic abnormalities in these tumours. These observations highlight the critical role of p53 in the regulation of abnormal chromosome replication and afford an explanation for the association between p53 abnormalities, aneuploidy and biological aggression in cancer.