Preface

Among the many, major changes sweeping acrossEurope in these last few years have been changesin the nature and practice of research and devel-opment in the computer field. As the nations ofEurope draw closer together, cooperation has be-come the mark of many technological programs-cooperation among companies, industries, uni-versities, and governments. In particular, as theend of 1992 nears, much of the structure of theEuropean Community (EC) is taking shape, in-cluding the forms of cooperation for technologicaladvancement. This special issue is an acknowl-edgment and celebration of those changes, con-taining ten papers and an essay that represent asample of the cooperative efforts between IBM inEurope and other European organizations. Weare indebted to L. E. Gullstrom of IBM EuropeHeadquarters in Paris, France, for his enthusiasmand considerable efforts in the creation, planning,and preparation of this special issue.

The first paper, by Elliott, Knapman, and Schle-gel, presents results from a project within the ECAdvanced Informatics in Medicine (AIM) pro-gram. The project, COmputer VIsion in RAdiol-ogy (COYIRA), uses the processing power, speed,and modeling capabilities of computers to mapthe three-dimensional regions requiring radiationtherapy in cancer treatment. The maps can bealtered interactively by medical personnel on thebasis of the display of probabilities for tumoredges and on medical judgment.

Another projectwithin AIM uses the ability of causalprobabilistic networks to model uncertainty for theadjustment of insulin dosages in diabetes. The chal-lenge is to maintain normal blood glucose levelswhile diminishing the risk of a dangerously lowlevel. The technique gives results that are muchlike, and in concert with, the judgments made bymedical personnel. Hovorka et al. describe howcausal probabilistic network modeling was har-

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nessed in support of this medically important treat-ment area.

In the area of computer networks and integratedbroadband communications (me), the EChas em-barked on a major program called Research andDevelopment in Advanced Communications inEurope (RACE). Part of that program is the defi-nition and specification of software engineeringmethods and tools for the creation of the exten-sive and complex software needed to automatethis new rae backbone for Ec-wide telecommu-nications. That project is known as SPECS-Specification and Programming Environment forCommunication Software. Its goals, form, andachievements are documented by Dauphin et aI.

Another paper on the SPECS project, by Bindinget aI., describes the development of an interme-diate language and a prototype compiler for trans-lation of specification languages into executablecode. The specification languages are Languageof Temporal Ordering Specification (LOTOS) andSpecification and Description Language (SDL).This approach supports the SPECS goals of usingformalized specifications and high levels of auto-mation for development of RACE software.

In order to have standardization, openness, inte-gration, and flexibility for the future within RACE,a project called the RACE Open Services Archi-tecture (ROSA) is producing an architecture forRACE, which is intended for international stan-dardization. ROSA, as described by Oshisanwo etaI., will integrate user, control, and managementaspects across data and resource dimensions.

Geihs et aI. discuss the prototype efforts and pre-liminary results from the NEMESYS project that isintended to support the IBN Network (IBCN) inRACE. NEMESYS focuses on the complex task oftraffic and service management for IBCN. Conclu-sions are drawn about advanced object-oriented

IBM SYSTEMS JOURNAL, VOL 31, NO 4, 1992

information processing techniques, the prototypearchitecture and its reduction of complexity, andmanagement standards for increased efficiency ofthe resulting solutions.

Moving away from network design, but staying inthe realm of architecture and information inter-change, the next paper presents the Open Docu-ment Architecture (ODA), an international stan-dard for document interchange, and Piloting theODA (PODA), an Ec-sponsored set of projects forexploiting ODA. Fanderl, Fischer, and Kamperdescribe the ODA technology and the results ofusing ODA across heterogeneous networks. TheHeidelberg System, which is also discussed, isthe enhancement of IBM's OfficeVision* to sup-port ODA-based document interchange in hetero-geneous environments.

The PROgrammation en LOGique (Prolog) pro-gramming language is an example of the approachknown as logic programming. It was developedand has largely been supported throughout its his-tory by the European community. Benichou et aI.describe recent developments in Prolog, experi-mental extensions to it, and the current under-standing of its place as an application develop-ment language. The maturity and power of Prologare demonstrated through descriptions of 15 sig-nificant applications in a variety of applicationdomains, resulting in the conclusion that Prolog isa general-purpose, high-level programming lan-guage.

The next paper, by Papetti et aI., presents theobjectives and technology behind an on-goingprogram of software development for the com-puterized design and simulation of diesel enginesthat lower pollution without a loss of power. Thiswork has largely been a cooperation betweenRenault Vehicules Industriels, Rome University,and the IBM European Center for Scientific andEngineering Computing. The paper focuses onthe challenges of simulating the fluid flow behav-ior of fuel during injection and combustion.

Design criteria for internal combustion enginesare also examined through simulation of reactiveflow and the example of engine knock in a paperby Hebeker, Maly, and SchoeffeI. Due to the highcost and difficulty of direct experimentation inthis field, computers are now being enlisted tosimulate the key fluid flow effects through numer-ical methods. The equations, algorithms, and sys-

IBM SYSTEMS JOURNAL, VOL 31, NO 4, 1992

terns are discussed, with attention to the vector-ization and parallelization of the resultingsoftware.

The final contribution is an essay on the modelingof ocean circulation and convection in the NorthAtlantic and the Greenland-Iceland-NorwegianSea by Aukrust et aI. Such ocean flows and heatexchanges can drive dramatic climatic changesover large expanses of the earth, and are them-selves affected by changes in the atmosphere,clouds, and the influence of pollutants. The re-sults of various simulations and studies areshown.

There have been two changes to the form of theJournal. The first is the inclusion of authors' elec-tronic mail addresses in the biographies, on a vol-untary basis, in order to make it easier for readersto consult with authors. The second is the addi-tion of IBM order numbers to the list of issues andreprints in the annual index, appearing in this is-sue.

The next issue of the Journal will be a special issueon the growing links between a company's busi-ness strategy and its information systems strat-egy, known as strategic alignment.

Gene F. HoffnagleEditor

"Trademark or registered trademark of International BusinessMachines Corporation.

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