text:
Audi A4 Reviews & Ratings
Read real experiences from Audi A4 owners like you.
Find ratings and reviews for any car
Audi A4 (20 Reviews)
i have had so many problems with m car but i love it and will pay for whaever reapairs t needs
have an audi 2000 a4 the rain water is pooling in the battery housing and then leaking into the drivers side floor area. the water then goes into the rear floor board. have had the car for several years and have had minimal problems but this new one is frustrating the crap out of me. where is the drain for this area??? any ideas??
have a 2000 a4, have been having trouble with the rain water pooling in the battery housing and leaking into the interior of the car. the drivers floor is soaked and then the water goes into the rear seat floor board. any ideas on how to fix problem? where is the drain for this area?? sooo very frustrating
great car minimum of repair issues, but when needed they are pricey. recently used repairpal recommended shop great service fair price
I have a love/hate relationship with Audi -- love Audi performance; hate the dealership staff for their arrogance and attitude towards older Audi model drivers. That's why I prefer Asian models over Audi. Audi acts like you're walking into a Saks 5th Ave. store and you'd better look ultra-professional or else you won't get fair treatment. For the fist time in my life, I had to take a service Audi shop to court for crappy work. I lost the small clams suit against them. The repair was rare an unheard of. Presently, I'm in debt with Audi repairs and I don't even have the car anymore. I've never had debt problems after owning any car. NEVER! I'm not the only one that's had problems with this auto maker. Beware of those German cars, though as they can break like crystal.
2008 A4 Convertible had many issue with the ignition coils since new. Replaced same one twice in the first 2 years. now with 26000 miles the convertible top motors going bad, replaced one today. The are not recalled, but they should be since the dealer says they have been having problems with them. Funny they are putting in a different kind of motor, go figure.
I got this car with 50,000 miles on it,it drives like new only thing went out is the fuel pump,
catalytic converter nightmares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My 2012 A4 has a problem with the all 4 doors unlocking when the key is pulled out of ignition when it is set for only the drivers side opening. During the winter there would be an occasional gas smell in the car upon starting it after being off about 45 min after at least a 30 min trip. It is not happening so far in the warmer weather.
have audi a4 1.8t cimate control module not working cant get any a\c
Tested drive on this car. Feel good on AWD.
great untill you cross100,000 km
i bought my A4 less then 2 years ago and haven't had to many problems - except a new timing belt at 60,000 a new coolent system and sensors - water tank - and fuel pump - also had some electrical problems a random wire was running from a 10amp fuse to a 15amp fuse - really???? It accelerates on its on.. and it is very exspensive to fix.. i love the car - but will probably never buy one again..
just got this car approximately 3 months ago. apparently the TCM is bad. the transmission is very weak and driving at 30 mph the damn car is already on 6th gear. very weak on take off ynless i hit the gas pedle all the way. and even then the transmission is confused. durinig automatic down shift the car transmission kinda bumbs as it goes into first gear. sounds like the TCM (transmission control module) very annoying. the repair is very pricy. only 90 thousand miles. Audi should take resonsibility for this cause this problem happens to alot of their vehicles. especialy the A4
This car has been nothing but a nightmare. First the cooling system broke and it required a new temp sensor and thermostat ($500). Then two weeks later, the check engine light appears and the car now needs a new catalytic converter ($1000). I only purchased the vehicle 4 months ago. It's a fun car to drive but all of the expensive repairs take all the fun out of the experience.
I have a 200 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro. I love it minus the repairs. But I can't thing of buying anything else but Audi in future. May I'll look for 2003-2005 Audi A4.
This car is great. I have had it for two years and I love it. The maintenance its expensive but thats why bought the pre-paid maintenance. Handling while @ 130mph is great, the car sits low as the speed increases. Brakes work great with those four discs you feel you are in control. The suspension its very comfortable and way better than BMW (which was my other car choice when shopping for a car). Very elegant and sporty.
Love the 02 A4. The best part is the control and balance, I can comfortably take sharp curves on the freeway at 70 mph. Maintenance is expensive, the only downside. Highly recommend this car!
Works great under warranty, but very expensive to repair. Mine is 8 years old and I am no longer seeing value in repairing it as I could buy a new car for what it has cost me to repair it recently. Mostly wear and tear items. But for several years I was having to repair cam engine valves (?maybe?) where the engine was leaking oil. Not a cheap repair and it happened 4 times (twice was under the 1 yr parts/labor warranty from the previous repair).
It's a beautiful car that when it works, works verry well. Unfortunatley when it doesn't, it's not the easiest to get fixed... A great car for someone with money to fix it.


text:
|Loren Robin
Author : Hometakes Inc.
Homepage : http://www.lorenrobin.com/
Subscribe : http://hometakes.com/podcasts/lorenrobin/lore (RSS 2.0/UTF-8)
Loren Robin broker associate with Lang Realty was the previous owner of Luxury Real Estate Group International Inc. is a highly regarded real estate professional representing distinctive properties and a discerning clientele. Loren has had a lifelong passion for real estate and continues to network both domestically and internationally. Since 1984 Loren has sold hundreds of millions of dollars in luxurious Waterfront Estates resort style Golf and Country Club residences and prestigious High Rise Beachfront condominiums. Prior to establishing Luxury Real Estate Group International Inc. Loren owned a successful brokerage firm acquired by Prudential Florida WCI. Lorens strong emphasis on exceeding clients expectations has resulted in her consistent record as a leader in the industry ranking her in the top 1 of realtors nationwide. She was also honored as the Top producing agent for the East Coast of Florida at Prudential Florida WCI.Loren is recognized as a CLHMS Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist a prestigious designation for professionals who meet performance standards in the uppertier residential markets. She obtained a CIPS Certified International Property Specialist designation part of a network of professionally skilled Brokers focused specifically on the International Markets. Loren is listed in the Whos Who of Luxury and International Real Estate and has frequently worked with celebrities. As a result of the respect and confidence of her clients the majority of her business consists of referrals and repeat clientele. Loren resides in Jupiter where her fulfilling family life includes friends traveling boating and golf. Her contribution to local charities expresses her level of compassion and commitment. Loren was previously named Woman of the Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.0
moredesc . Test Desc
moredesc .

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Puzzle of Non-Participation in Continuing Training – An Empirical Study of Permanent vs. Occasional Non-Participation
Although participation in continuing vocational training is often found to be associated with considerable individual benefits, a puzzlingly large number of people still do not take part in training. We argue that in order to solve the puzzle it is important to take selection effects into account when studying the returns to education. It has already been established that training participants and non-participants differ in unobservable charac-teristics and therefore self-select into training or not. We show that even non-participants cannot be treated as a homogeneous group: there are individuals who never take part in training (permanent non-participants) and individuals currently not taking part (occasional non-participants). Using a unique data set of non-participants we sepa-rate and compare those two groups. We find that, if they participated, permanent non-participants would have higher costs than occasional non-participants and the benefits associated with their current jobs would be lower. However, even permanent non-participants would benefit from participation in terms of improved prospects on the la-bor market. The results indicate that permanent non-participants either misperceive fu-ture developments or suffer from an exceptionally high discount rate, which in turn leads in their view to a negative cost-benefit ratio for training.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|46 pages
|Date of creation:
|Aug 2006
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: Plattenstrasse 14, CH-8032 Zürich
Phone: ++41 1 634 29 27
Fax: ++41 1 634 43 48
Web page: http://www.business.uzh.ch
More information through EDIRC
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Puhani, Patrick A., 1997. "Foul or Fair? The Heckman Correction for Sample Selection and Its Critique. A Short Survey," ZEW Discussion Papers 97-07, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
- Anna Vignoles & Fernando Galindo-Rueda & Leon Feinstein, 2004.
"The Labour Market Impact of Adult Education and Training: A Cohort Analysis,"
Scottish Journal of Political Economy,
Scottish Economic Society, vol. 51(2), pages 266-280, 05.
- L Feinstein & Fernando Galindo-Rueda & Anna Vignoles, 2004. "The Labour Market Impact of Adult Education and Training: A cohort analysis," CEE Discussion Papers 0036, Centre for the Economics of Education, LSE.
- Leon Feinstein & Fernando Galindo-Rueda & Anna Vignoles, 2004. "The labour market impact of adult education and training: a cohort analysis," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19470, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
- Edwin Leuven & Hessel Oosterbeek, 2002. "A New Approach to estimate the Wage Returns to Work-related Training," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 02-091/3, Tinbergen Institute.
- Leuven, Edwin & Oosterbeek, Hessel, 2002. "A New Approach to Estimate the Wage Returns to Work-Related Training," IZA Discussion Papers 526, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Joshua Angrist & Victor Lavy, 2009. "The Effects of High Stakes High School Achievement Awards: Evidence from a Randomized Trial," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1384-1414, September.
- Stefan C. Wolter & Samuel Mühlemann & Jürg Schweri, 2006. "Why Some Firms Train Apprentices and Many Others Do Not," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7, pages 249-264, August.
- Wolter, Stefan C. & Mühlemann, Samuel & Schweri, Jürg, 2003. "Why Some Firms Train Apprentices and Many Others Do Not," IZA Discussion Papers 916, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Puhani, Patrick A, 2000. " The Heckman Correction for Sample Selection and Its Critique," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 53-68, February.
- Spitz, Alexandra, 2004. "Are Skill Requirements in the Workplace Rising? Stylized Facts and Evidence on Skill-Biased Technological Change," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-33, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
- Juliane List & Claus Schnabel, 2004. "Bildungsstagnation bei abnehmender Erwerbsbevölkerung," List Forum Chapter,in: List Forum Band 30, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 24, pages 368-388 List Gesellschaft e.V..
- Pfeiffer, Friedhelm, 2000. "Training and individual performance in Europe: evidence from microeconometric studies," ZEW Discussion Papers 00-28, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
- Lucy Chennells & John Van Reenen, 1999. "Has technology hurt less skilled workers? A survey of the micro-econometric evidence," IFS Working Papers W99/27, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
- Budría, Santiago & Pereira, Pedro T., 2004. "On the Returns to Training in Portugal," IZA Discussion Papers 1429, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Andrew Jenkins & Anna Vignoles & Alison Wolf & Fernando Galindo-Rueda, 2003. "The determinants and labour market effects of lifelong learning," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(16), pages 1711-1721.
- Groot, Wim & van den Brink, Henriette Maassen, 2003. "Firm-related training tracks: a random effects ordered probit model," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(6), pages 581-589, December.
- Groot, Wim, 1995. "The Wage Effects of Investments in Enterprise-Related Training," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 133-147.
- Hill, Elizabeth T., 2001. "Post-school-age training among women: training methods and labor market outcomes at older ages," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 181-191, April.
- Bassanini, Andrea & Booth, Alison L. & Brunello, Giorgio & De Paola, Maria & Leuven, Edwin, 2005. "Workplace Training in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 1640, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Andrea Bassanini & Alison Booth & Giorgio Brunello & Maria De Paola & Edwin Leuven, 2006. "Workplace training in Europe," Post-Print halshs-00120601, HAL.
This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0004. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Sara Brunner)
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis using RePEc data.


text:
|06 Apr 2012
Planning my next upgrade with IVY bridge, mobos and memory
I'm sure many of us are watching for information about the release of the new IVY bridge CPUs and supporting hardware like Mobo's and memory.
I'm wondering if in their travels anyone has come across an ASROCK or GIGABYTE motherboard that does NOT have onboard graphics.
Specifically, I'm looking to
Not asking anyone to go and do the research for me, I can do that for myself, but just wondering if anyone is already aware of a graphics-less mobo.
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Isn't the graphics built into the CPU and not the motherboard?
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Windows 10 64bit
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but search for GPU in these
Intel Ivy Bridge CPU Names and Features Revealed - Softpedia
AnandTech - Intel's Ivy Bridge Architecture Exposed
Ivy Bridge (microarchitecture) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
It looks like the 3770 series i7's have graphics on the CPU.
The 3960, 3930, and 3820 do not have graphics on the CPU.
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
It's not the graphics on the CPU I'm concerned about. It's the graphics integrated onto the motherboard.
My concern is the shared and dedicated system memory that is used for graphics, and when you have a discreet graphics card, as would must enthusiasts, grahpics professionals and gamers, then onboard graphics is undesirable.
Some motherboards "appropriate" system memory, the worst I've seen being an ASUS which appropriated 640mb of system memory that you just could not get back. The XP system that it ran suddenly went from 4gb to 3.2gb (because of 32 bit limitations), then to 2.5gb because of the dedicated grapihcs memory.
Typically motherboards will appropriate as much as almost 2gb of system memory (albeit, shared), even when onboard graphics is disabled on the motherboard.
Of the 25 or so asrock and gigabyte boards I've checked out all of them have onboard graphics..
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Windows 7 home premium x64
What is your specific objection to onboard graphics ?
Sure you have a dedicated graphics card, so it's not doing anything apart from possibly providing a fall back position in case your card goes west, at least you can use the onboard for surfin' and such until you get a repair or replace.
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
1. Paying for technology I don't want or need. I will be upgrading at least 6 machines, so whatever the price incrememnt is for graphics on board is multiplied by 6.
2. Losing a percentage of my system memory and not being able to get it back. If I buy and pay for 16gb of RAM, then I don't want my motherboard taking part of that away, regardless of whether you use the "memory is cheap" point of view.
I always have a spare graphics card on hand. I have never had to fall back to using onboard graphics. Actually, I think I have 4 spare graphics cards, but that's just because I'm a tinkerer and I've always had spares of everything lying around.
It's disappointing that motherboard manufacturers have gone this way. I believe there are many, many people who don't want or need on board graphics, and like MIcrosoft, these companies have stopped listening to their customers, and in many ways have a adopted a "one size fits all" approach, possibly for purely economic reasons, and to hell with customers satisfaction.
Anyway, we are getting off topic. It appears that "graphics-less" motherboards have gone the same way as IDE connectors on motherboards... they just don't exist.
So, now it looks like it's going to be a matter of what motherboard will steal zero mb of system RAM when onboard grahics is disabled. That is; I should be rephrasing my original question.
"What Gigabyte or ASrock motherboard allows the onboard graphics to be disabled and gives back all the system memory it would have otherwise appropriated when it is disabled?"
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Windows 7 Pro X64 SP1
It may be early to ask about that series of boards, as they haven't become available yet.
AnandTech - A Brief Look at Some Upcoming 7-Series Motherboards
Looks like all of the chipsets will support CPU graphics. I guess you should be complaining about Intel, rather than the motherboard makers.
I suppose that Intel may make some IB CPUs that do not include the graphics circuitry (as they did for SB), but that may not be soon, and it may not include the high end CPUs.
|My System Specs
|06 Apr 2012
Also, I apologise if I come accross as complaining. I was actually asking if anyone was aware of a motherboard in the Z77 chipset that didn't have graphics ports.
In 10 years this wont be an issue, because (maybe) the onboard graphics will be as good as that as a discrete card (although, I remain skeptical). Lol, I can hear ATI and nVidia groan...
|My System Specs
|Thread Tools
|Similar help and support threads
Planning to upgrade your Graphics Card? Read First...
The most common concern about upgrading your Graphics Card is: "will my PSU handle the new one?" That's why we're here to learn, in this sort of Tutorial i'll try to explain you guys what do you need to consider before buying a new Graphics Card and hopefully avoid any issues related to power...
|Graphic Cards
Still Rocking Windows XP? Start Planning an Upgrade
Read more at: Maximum PC | Still Rocking Windows XP? Start Planning an Upgrade
Planning to Upgrade My Monitors
Is it the graphics cards that determine how large a monitor(s) I can get without losing resolution (quality of image). I saw some 23" and 25" flat screen monitors yesterday that really have me wanting new (larger) monitors. If I had two new flat screens, I would not only have larger screens...
|Graphic Cards
Planning on an upgrade
Hello, Since I've managed to rake in some extra cash I've been planning on an upgrade from my old nVIDIA 9800GT to a GTX460, to accompany my purchase of Battlefield 3, and I also tend to PC game a lot. Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with a computer as most of you may be, so I was wondering...
|Graphic Cards
IE9 Upgrade Tool - Assessment and Planning Toolkit 5.5 Beta
IE9 Upgrade Tool - Assessment and Planning Toolkit 5.5 Beta - Softpedia
please help, planning upgrade to windows 7
i'm planning to upgrade to windows 7. i have an hp pavilion dv5. has all the problems on drivers been resolved? thanks
|Windows Updates & Activation
|Our Sites
|Site Links
|About Us
|Find Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 22:20.


text:
In the aftermath of the heartbreaking tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, my youngest son wrote this statement on Facebook: "I'm not afraid of the world ending in a week; I'm scared that it's never going to change." Praying for the end of the violence and for every single one of those families that lost loved ones.
Lori Ross
Lower Macungie Township


text:
Hello everybody, let me introduce myself, I'm uShield! So basically I need both Avatar and Signature.
Firstly for the Avatar:
I need a Shield something like this, basically a shield with uShield and then below the text write Cinema. It should be the avatar size, but I also want 800x640 version if you could, thanks.
Secondly, the signature:
It has to have shield with letter U, think of something you want, it's your choise.
Then uhh.. I would need a logo. It will be big, 2560x1440, it should have high quality shield with text Cinema below it, if you don't do this it's okay, it's not required, thanks.
Avatar And Signature
Started by uShield, Jul 12 2013 04:48 PM
No replies to this topic
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
F1 Driver Heikki Kovalainen's MTV Commercial: Fish With Your Hands, Bitches
In what might be the greatest Finland reference since Monty Python's "Finland Song", Heikki Kovalainen has participated in a commercial for the 2010 F1 season. He runs with horses. He fishes with his hands. He is Finnish. It's awesome.


text:
Currently accepting applications for Spring 2017.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: IUP IS MOVING TO STANFORD. Stanford website is under construction. Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Brent Haas at firstname.lastname@example.com
Life at Tsinghua
- Introduction
- Student Life
- Housing
- Dining Options
- Local Transportation
- Communications
- Computers
- Libraries
- Medical and Health Care
Local Transportation
Bicycling is the best mode of transportation on and near the Tsinghua campus. Bicycle prices currently start around 150 yuan. Buses and mini-buses are the most common modes of public transportation in Beijing, and there are bus stops near the various gates of Tsinghua University. The subway is the most efficient way to reach many places in Beijing, such as the international business district. There is a light railway station within walking distance of Tsinghua University, which connects to the Beijing subway system. Taxis are readily available and inexpensive, but they are not nearly as inexpensive as the subway, etc. Riding in a taxi after dark, especially for a woman alone, is not altogether safe. If you must be out late at night, it is best that you have a friend with you.


text:
Background and Objective
Emerging evidence indicates that common functional polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene may have an impact on an individual's susceptibility to endometrial cancer, but individually published results are inconclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis is to derive a more precise estimation of the associations between eight polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk.
A literature search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases was conducted on publications published before November 1st, 2012. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Statistical analyses were performed using the STATA 12.0 software.
Thirteen case-control studies were included with a total of 7,649 endometrial cancer cases and 16,855 healthy controls. When all the eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis, the results indicated that PvuII (C>T) polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer, especially among Caucasian populations. There were also significant associations between rs3020314 (C>T) polymorphism and an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Furthermore, rs2234670 (S/L) polymorphism may decrease the risk of endometrial cancer. However, no statistically significant associations were found in XbaI (A>G), Codon 325 (C>G), Codon 243 (C>T), VNTR (S/L) and rs2046210 (G>A) polymorphisms.
Citation: Zhou X, Gu Y, Wang D-n, Ni S, Yan J (2013) Eight Functional Polymorphisms in the Estrogen Receptor 1 Gene and Endometrial Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE8(4): e60851. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060851
Editor: Matthew L. Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, United States of America
Received: December 21, 2012; Accepted: March 3, 2013; Published: April 8, 2013
Copyright: © 2013 Zhou et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This was funded by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 81101990). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Endometrial cancer is the seventh most common cancer among women worldwide. An estimated of 287,100 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2011 [1]. Many studies have confirmed that genetic predisposition and environmental factors are involved in the etiology of endometrial cancer [2], [3]. However, the interaction between environmental factors and genetic susceptibility remains to be elucidated. Functionally relevant polymorphisms in genes involved in the sex hormone metabolic pathway may alter the exposure to exogenous sex hormones and affect the risks in endometrial cancer development [4]. To date, a number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in sex hormone-related genes, including CYP11A1, CYP17A1, CYP19A1, CYP19, CYP1B1, UGT1A1, PGR, SHBG, AR, ESR1, etc, have been studied. Mutations in these candidate genes have already been linked to elevated risks in developing endometrial cancers [5]–[8].
The ESR1 gene encoding the estrogen receptor 1 is a newly identified oncogene for endometrial cancer [9]. The human ESR1 gene is located on chromosome 6, locus 6p25.1 and consists of approximately 300 kbps, including 8 exons and 7 introns [10]. Genetic and epigenetic changes in ESR1 gene may lead to differences in estrogen metabolism and thereby possibly explain inter-individual differences in endometrial cancer risk [11]. Therefore, it was hypothesized that polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene could be functional and were associated with endometrial cancer risk. A number of studies have been conducted to investigate the potential associations between common polymorphisms in ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk, such as rs2234693 (PvuII; C>T), rs9340799 (XbaI; A>G), rs3020314 (C>T), rs1801132 (Codon 325; C>G), rs4986934 (Codon 243; C>T), VNTR (S/L), rs2234670 (STR; S/L), and rs2046210 (G>A). The Pvu II polymorphism site is located on intron 1, 1400 bps upstream of exon 2, and the Xba I site is approximately 50 bps apart from the Pvu II site. The rs2234670 is also located on exon 1. The synonymous coding rs4986934 and rs1801132 SNPs are located on exon 3 and 4. The SNP rs2046210 is located 29 kb upstream from the first untranslated region (UTR) of the ESR1 gene. Most of the studies support the mechanism in which ESR1 gene mutations promote the development and progression of endometrial cancer by altering estrogen metabolism. However, there are also some studies suggesting that there exists no association between ESR1 gene mutations and their effects on susceptibility to endometrial cancer. A recent meta-analysis of 8 case-control studies by Wang et al have assessed the association between PvuII (rs2234693) and XbaI (rs9340799) polymorphisms of ESR1 gene and the risk of endometrial cancer. Their results indicate that PvuII polymorphisms may be associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer, especially among the Asian-Australian population [12]. However, the previous meta-analysis did not provide convincing and reliable evidences in associating ESR1 polymorphisms to endometrial cancer risk because it presented some obvious shortcomings. Firstly, some eligible studies were not searched and included in the previous meta-analysis, which resulted in their relatively small sample size. Secondly, only two polymorphisms (PvuII and XbaI) in ESR1 gene were evaluated in the previous meta-analysis, while the other common polymorphisms potentially related to endometrial cancer risk were not studied. Thirdly, the authors only performed subgroup analyses by geographical regions in exploring sources of heterogeneity in the previous meta-analysis. However, numerous other factors may also have caused the observed heterogeneity, such as differences in genotype methods, source of controls, ethnicity, etc. In view of the conflicting results from previous studies and the insufficient statistical power of the previous meta-analysis, we performed this updates meta-analysis to provide a more comprehensive and reliable conclusion by reevaluating the association between ESR1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to endometrial cancer.
Materials and Methods
Literature Search
Relevant papers published before November 1st, 2012 were identified through a search in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases using the following terms: ("genetic polymorphism" or "polymorphism" or "SNP" or "single nucleotide polymorphism" or "gene mutation" or "genetic variants") and ("endometrial neoplasms" or "endometrial neoplasm" or "endometrial cancer" or "endometrial carcinoma" or "endometrial tumor") and ("estrogen receptor alpha" or "estradiol receptor alpha" or "estradiol receptor α" or "ER alpha" or "ERα" or "Estrogen Receptor 1" or "Estrogen Receptor α" or "ESR1" or "ESRα"). The references from the eligible articles or textbooks were also reviewed to find other potential sources. Disagreements were resolved through discussions between the authors.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Studies included in our meta-analysis have to meet the following criteria: (a) case-control studies or cohort studies focused on the associations between ESR1 gene polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk; (b) all patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer should be confirmed by pathological or histological examinations; (c) published data about the frequencies of alleles or genotypes must be sufficient. Studies were excluded when they were: (a) not a case-control study or a cohort study; (b) duplicates of previous publications; (c) based on incomplete data; (d) meta-analyses, letters, reviews or editorial articles. If more than one study by the same author using the same case series was published, either the studies with the largest sample size or the most recently published study was included. The supporting PRISMA checklist is available as supporting information; see Supplement S1.
Data Extraction
Data from the published studies were extracted independently by two authors into a standardized form. For each study, the following characteristics and numbers were collected: the first author, year of publication, country, language, ethnicity, study design, numbers of subjects, source of cases and controls, pathological type, detecting sample, genotype method, allele and genotype frequencies, and evidence of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in controls. In case of conflicting evaluations, disagreements were resolved through discussions between the authors.
Quality Assessment of Included Studies
Two authors independently assessed the quality of included studies according to the modified STROBE quality score systems [13]. Forty assessment items related to quality appraisal were used in this meta-analysis with scores ranging from 0 to 40. Scores of 0–20, 20–30 and 30–40 were defined as low, moderate and high quality, respectively. Disagreements were also resolved through discussions between the authors. The supporting modified STROBE quality score system is available in Supplement S2.
Statistical Analysis
Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association under five genetic models: the allele model, the dominant model, the recessive model, the homozygous model, and the heterozygous model. The statistical significance of the pooled ORs were examined using the Z test. Between-study variations and heterogeneities were estimated using Cochran's Q-statistic with a P-value <0.05 as statistically significant heterogeneity [14]. We also quantified the effect of heterogeneity by using the I2 test (ranges from 0 to 100%), which represents the proportion of inter-study variability that can be contributed to heterogeneity rather than to chance [15]. When a significant Q-test with P<0.05 or I2>50% indicated that heterogeneity among studies existed, the random effects model (DerSimonian Laird method) was conducted for the meta-analysis. Otherwise, the fixed effects model (Mantel-Haenszel method) was used. To explore sources of heterogeneity, we performed subgroup analysis by cancer types, ethnicity, country, source of controls and genotype methods. We tested whether genotype frequencies of controls were in HWE using the χ2 test. Sensitivity was performed through omitting each study in turn to assess the quality and consistency of the results. Begger's funnel plots were used to detect publication biases. Egger's linear regression test which measures funnel plot asymmetry using a natural logarithm scale of OR was also used to evaluate the publication biases [16]. All the P values were two-sided. All analyses were calculated using the STATA Version 12.0 software (Stata Corp, College Station, TX).
Characteristics of Included Studies
In total, 116 articles relevant to the searched keywords were identified. Of these articles, 69 were excluded after reviewing their titles and key words; then, abstract and full text were reviewed, and another 34 papers were excluded. The details of the selection process were presented in a flow chart in Figure 1. Finally, thirteen case-control studies including 7,649 cases and 16,855 controls met the inclusion criteria in this meta-analysis [7], [8], [17]–[27]. The publication years of the involved studies ranged from 2000 to 2012. All patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer were also confirmed by pathological examinations. Six studies used hospital-based controls, while the other seven studies used population-based controls (community populations). Overall, five studies were conducted in Asian populations and eight studies in Caucasian populations. The DNA samples used for examination of ESR1 genetic polymorphisms were extracted from blood in ten studies and from tissues in the remaining three. Genotype methods include polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP), direct DNA sequencing, BeadArray, TaqMan assay, and MassArray. Eight polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene were addressed, including rs2234693 (PvuII; C>T), rs9340799 (XbaI; A>G), rs3020314 (C>T), rs1801132 (Codon 325; C>G), rs4986934 (Codon 243; C>T), VNTR (S/L), rs2234670 (STR; S/L), and rs2046210 (G>A). HWE test was also conducted on the genotype distribution of the controls in all nine studies. Each study did not deviate from the HWE (all P>0.05). All quality scores of included studies were higher than 20 (moderate-high quality). The characteristics of the included studies are summarized in Table 1. The genotype distributions of eight polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene are presented in Supplement S3. Forest plot of ORs on the associations between all eight polymorphisms of ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk are showed in Supplement S4.
Quantitative Data Synthesis
The association of PvuII (C>T) polymorphism with endometrial cancer risk is discussed in nine studies. The heterogeneity is not obvious (P>0.05), so the fixed effects model was used. The meta-analysis results showed that the PvuII polymorphism may increase the risk of endometrial cancer under the allele and homozygous models (T allele vs. C allele: OR = 1.08, 95%CI: 1.00–1.17, P = 0.043; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.00−1.38, P = 0.043) (Figure 2). However, no associations were observed under the dominant, recessive and heterozygous models (all P>0.05). Further subgroup analyses showed that there were significant associations between PvuII polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk in Caucasian populations, population-based and DNA sequencing subgroups (as shown in Table 2).
Seven studies referred to the association between XbaI (A>G) polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk. The heterogeneity was significantly observed under the allele, recessive and homozygous models (P>0.05), which might result from the difference in ethnicity, country, source of controls and genotype methods, so the random effects model was used. Meta-analysis of these studies showed no significant associations between XbaI polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk under all five genetic models (all P>0.05). Stratified analyses also indicated no significant associations between XbaI polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk in each subgroup (as shown in Table 2). Although a significant association was found in DNA sequencing subgroup, this result might have lacked sufficient reliability due to the estimation error from the effect size of a single study.
Two of thirteen studies (involved eight clinical trials) reported results on the association between rs3020314 (C>T) polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk. All these two studies were conducted in Caucasian populations and based on community populations. When all the eligible trials were pooled into the meta-analysis, the results indicated that rs3020314 polymorphism might be associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer (T allele vs. C allele: OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.02−1.10, P = 0.007; TT+CT vs. CC: OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.01−1.11, P = 0.032; TT vs. CC+CT: OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.02−1.19, P = 0.020; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.03−1.22, P = 0.007).
The Codon 325 (C>G) variation was investigated in four publications. Since heterogeneity was observed under the allele, recessive and heterozygous models (all P<0.05), the random effects model was used. The meta-analysis results showed that there were no significant associations between Codon 325 polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk under all five genetic models (G vs. C: OR = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.61−1.11, P = 0.195; GG+CG vs. CC: OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.85−1.15, P = 0.860; GG vs. CC: OR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.38−1.24, P = 0.210; GG vs. CC: OR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.66−1.27, P = 0.600; GG vs. CG: OR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.37−1.26, P = 0.226). Subgroup analyses showed significant associations in hospital-based and PCR-RFLP subgroups (all P<0.05), but these estimates from a single study were also unreliable.
There were only three studies that referred to the associations between Codon 243 (C>T) polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk. All these studies were population-based, including two studies in Caucasian populations and one in Asian populations. We found no significant associations between Codon 243 (C>T) polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk under five genetic models (T allele vs. C allele: OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.80−1.36, P = 0.746; TT+CT vs. CC: OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.80−1.39, P = 0.715; TT vs. CC+CT: OR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.16−3.37, P = 0.690; TT vs. CC: OR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.16−3.39, P = 0.697; TT vs. CT: OR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.14−3.18, P = 0.619). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, we also found no associations between Codon 243 polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk among both Caucasian and Asian populations (all P>0.05).
Furthermore, we have evaluated the associations of VNTR, STR (S/L) and rs2046210 (G>A) polymorphisms with endometrial cancer risk. There were only two studies referring to VNTR, and each one study referring to rs2234670 (S/L), and rs2046210 (G>A). Our results showed that rs2234670 (S/L) polymorphism may decrease the risk of endometrial cancer under the allele, recessive and homozygous models (L allele vs. S allele: OR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.76−0.99, P = 0.040; LL vs. SS+SL: OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.62−0.99, P = 0.039; LL vs. SS: OR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.76−0.98, P = 0.037), but these results were also extracted from a single study. However, there were also no significant associations of VNTR and rs2046210 (G>A) polymorphisms to the risk of endometrial cancer (all P>0.05).
Sensitivity Analysis and Publication Bias
Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the influence of each individual study on the pooled ORs through omitting of individual studies. The analysis results suggested that no individual studies significantly affected the pooled ORs under any genetic models of PvuII (C>T) and XbaI (A>G) polymorphisms (Figure 3), indicating a statistically robust result.
Results were computed by omitting each study in turn. Meta-analysis random-effects estimates (exponential form) were used. The two ends of the dotted lines represent the 95%CI.
Publication biases within available research results might not be representative of all research results. Begger's funnel plot and Egger's linear regression test were performed to assess the publication biases of included studies. The shapes of the funnel plots did not reveal any evidence of obvious asymmetry under the dominant model of PvuII (C>T) and XbaI (A>G) polymorphisms (Figure 4). Egger's test also showed that there was no strong statistical evidence of publication bias (PvuII: t = −1.31, P = 0.232; XbaI: t = −0.73, P = 0.496).
Each point represents a separate study for the indicated association. Log[OR], natural logarithm of OR. Horizontal line, mean magnitude of the effect. Note: Funnel plot with pseudo 95% confidence limits was used.
ESR1 gene is critical for hormone binding, DNA binding, and activation of transcription because it encodes an estrogen receptor that is key in the mediation of hormonal response in estrogen-sensitive tissues [24]. Thus, genetic mutations in ESR1 gene may contribute to its abnormal expression and are probably linked to increased risk of hormone-related cancers such as the breast, prostate, and endometrial cancers [28]. Li et al performed a meta-analysis that evaluated the association between ESR1 gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in diverse populations [29]. There results suggests that variant genotypes of PvuII and rs1801132 (Codon 325) may contribute to breast cancer susceptibility. Several ESR1 gene polymorphisms have been identified as candidates for prostate cancer susceptibility and among these, ESR1 PvuII and XbaI SNPs were suggested to possess significant associations with the development of prostate cancer [30]. Many previous genetic studies have suggested that ESR1 gene polymorphisms may play an important role in endometrial carcinogenesis [17]–[19], [22], [24], [25], [27], while other studies found no convincing evidence of these polymorphisms in increasing endometrial cancer susceptibility [7], [8], [21], [23], [26]. This controversy could be explained with several reasons, including the differences in study designs, sample size, ethnicity, statistical methods, etc. A recent meta-analysis by Wang et al indicated that PvuII polymorphism in the ESR1 gene could increase the risk of endometrial cancer, while XbaI polymorphism was not associated with susceptibility to endometrial cancer. However, they failed to assess the relationship between the other common polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk. This recent meta-analysis is aimed to update previous meta-analysis, as well as to provide a more comprehensive and reliable conclusion on the associations between eight common functional polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer susceptibility.
In this meta-analysis, 13 independent case-control studies were included with a total of 7,649 endometrial cancer cases and 16,855 healthy controls. When all the eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis, the results showed that PvuII (C>T) polymorphism was associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer, especially among Caucasian populations, while similar associations were not observed among Asian populations. Although the exact function of PvuII (C>T) polymorphism in the development of endometrial cancer among different populations is not yet clear, a possible reason could be that inherited mutations in ESR1 might be associated with changes in estrogen metabolism and thereby could possibly explain inter-individual differences in disease incidences of endometrial cancer [18]. However, no statistically significant associations were found between XbaI (A>G) polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk. The findings from this meta-analysis were consistent with the previous meta-analysis conducted by Wang et al, suggesting PvuII may be linked to the development of endometrial cancer. In addition to the previous meta-analysis, we also found a significant association between rs3020314 (C>T) polymorphism and an increased risk of endometrial cancer development, while the rs2234670 (S/L) polymorphism might decrease the risk of endometrial cancer development. Nevertheless, Codon 325 (C>G), Codon 243 (C>T), VNTR (S/L) and rs2046210 (G>A) polymorphisms showed no associations with the risk of endometrial cancer. These findings are consistent with the previous hypothesis that variability in the ESR1 gene may alter the risk of developing endometrial cancer, suggesting that they may be useful as biomarkers in predicting an individual's genetic susceptibility to endometrial cancer.
Similar to other meta-analyses, our study also bears some limitations and shortages. First, the sample size is still relatively small and may not provide sufficient statistical power to estimate the correlations between ESR1 gene polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk. Second, in this meta-analysis, potential sources of heterogeneity could include many other factors, such as age and sex structure, characteristics of healthy control, pre- and post-menopause, etc. Third, as a type of a retrospective study, a meta-analysis may encounter recall or selection bias, possibly influencing the reliability of our study results. Furthermore, in this meta-analysis, there is a significant difference in numbers between cancer cases and healthy controls, which may be one source of heterogeneity and may have some unfavorable effects on the reliability of our results. Finally, our lack of access to the original data from the studies limited further evaluation of potential interactions such as gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. In spite of these limitations, however, our present meta-analysis includes the largest number of eligible studies relevant to the relationship between ESR1 polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk reported to date.
In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that PvuII (C>T) and rs3020314 (C>T) polymorphisms may be risk factors in endometrial cancer development, especially among Caucasian populations. These relationships will promise us a functional profiling of ESR1 gene and an understanding of the biological processes associated with endometrial cancer development and progression. It may also be further utilized as a diagnostic tool, as well as, an accurate determination of endocrine therapeutic strategies in endometrial cancer. However, further studies are still needed in order to validate the associations between polymorphisms in ESR1 and endometrial cancer.
Supporting Information
Supplement S1.
PRISMA Checklist.
Supplement S2.
The modified STROBE quality score systems.
Supplement S3.
The genotype distributions of ESR1 polymorphism in case and control groups.
Supplement S4.
Forest plot of ORs by random effects model for all eight polymorphisms of ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk under five genetic models: the allele model (A), the dominant model (B), the recessive model (C), the homozygous model (D), and the heterozygous model (E).
We would like to acknowledge the helpful comments on this paper received from reviewers. We thank all our colleagues working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University.
Author Contributions
Financial support: XZ. Final approval of manuscript: XZ. Conceived and designed the experiments: XZ. Performed the experiments: YG JY. Analyzed the data: DW SN. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: DW SN. Wrote the paper: XZ YG.
- 1. Jemal A, Bray F (2011) Center MM, Ferlay J, Ward E, et al (2011) Global cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin 61: 69–90.
- 2. Amant F, Moerman P, Neven P, Timmerman D, Van Limbergen E, et al. (2005) Endometrial cancer. Lancet 366: 491–505.
- 3. Long J, Zheng W, Xiang YB, Lose F, Thompson D, et al. (2012) Genome-wide association study identifies a possible susceptibility locus for endometrial cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 21: 980–987.
- 4. Olson SH, Bandera EV, Orlow I (2007) Variants in estrogen biosynthesis genes, sex steroid hormone levels, and endometrial cancer: a HuGE review. Am J Epidemiol 165: 235–245.
- 5. McKean-Cowdin R, Feigelson HS, Pike MC, Coetzee GA, Kolonel LN, et al. (2001) Risk of endometrial cancer and estrogen replacement therapy history by CYP17 genotype. Cancer Res 61: 848–849.
- 6. Kataoka N, Cai Q, Xu WH, Xiang YB, Cai H, et al. (2007) Association of endometrial cancer risk with a functional polymorphism (Asp(327)Asn) in the sex hormone-binding globulin gene. Cancer 109: 1296–1302.
- 7. Yang HP, Gonzalez Bosquet J, Li Q, Platz EA, Brinton LA, et al. (2010) Common genetic variation in the sex hormone metabolic pathway and endometrial cancer risk: pathway-based evaluation of candidate genes. Carcinogenesis 31: 827–833.
- 8. Lundin E, Wirgin I, Lukanova A, Afanasyeva Y, Krogh V, et al. (2012) Selected polymorphisms in sex hormone-related genes, circulating sex hormones and risk of endometrial cancer. Cancer Epidemiol 36: 445–452.
- 9. Lluis-Ganella C, Lucas G, Subirana I, Escurriol V, Tomas M, et al. (2009) Qualitative assessment of previous evidence and an updated meta-analysis confirms lack of association between the ESR1 rs2234693 (PvuII) variant and coronary heart disease in men and women. Atherosclerosis 207: 480–486.
- 10. Tsezou A, Tzetis M, Gennatas C, Giannatou E, Pampanos A, et al. (2008) Association of repeat polymorphisms in the estrogen receptors alpha, beta (ESR1, ESR2) and androgen receptor (AR) genes with the occurrence of breast cancer. Breast 17: 159–166.
- 11. Jongen V, Briet J, de Jong R, ten Hoor K, Boezen M, et al. (2009) Expression of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta and progesterone receptor-A and -B in a large cohort of patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol 112: 537–542.
- 12. Wang Y, Cui M, Zheng L (2012) Genetic polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor-alpha gene and the risk of endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 91: 911–916.
- 13. da Costa BR, Cevallos M, Altman DG, Rutjes AW, Egger M (2011) Uses and misuses of the STROBE statement: bibliographic study. BMJ Open 1: e000048.
- 14. Higgins JP, Thompson SG (2002) Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Stat Med 21: 1539–1558.
- 15. Zintzaras E, Ioannidis JP (2005) Heterogeneity testing in meta-analysis of genome searches. Genet Epidemiol 28: 123–137.
- 16. Peters JL, Sutton AJ, Jones DR, Abrams KR, Rushton L (2006) Comparison of two methods to detect publication bias in meta-analysis. JAMA 295: 676–680.
- 17. Weiderpass E, Persson I, Melhus H, Wedren S, Kindmark A, et al. (2000) Estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk. Carcinogenesis 21: 623–627.
- 18. Sasaki M, Tanaka Y, Kaneuchi M, Sakuragi N, Dahiya R (2002) Polymorphisms of estrogen receptor alpha gene in endometrial cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 297: 558–564.
- 19. Iwamoto I, Fujino T, Douchi T, Nagata Y (2003) Association of estrogen receptor alpha and beta3-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms with endometrial cancer. Obstet Gynecol 102: 506–511.
- 20. Shan D, Ben JH, Guo YY (2003) [Study on the relationship between polymorphism of the estrogen receptor gene and endometrial carcinoma]. Chin J Clin Obstet Gynecol 4: 201–205.
- 21. Yang XS, Liu J, Zhong YH, Zhang X, Wang Y (2007) The relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in estrogenmetabolizing genes CYP1A1,CYP17,COMT and estrogen receptor alpha and the risk of endometrial adenocarcinoma among the Chinese women. Prog Obstet Gynecol 16: 76–80.
- 22. Wedren S, Lovmar L, Humphreys K, Magnusson C, Melhus H, et al. (2008) Estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphism and endometrial cancer risk–a case-control study. BMC Cancer 8: 322.
- 23. Sobczuk A, Smolarz B, Romanowicz-Makowska H, Pertynski T (2009) Estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) gene polymorphism in patients from the Lodz region of Poland with sporadic endometrial cancer. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 30: 431–434.
- 24. Ashton KA, Proietto A, Otton G, Symonds I, McEvoy M, et al. (2010) Polymorphisms in genes of the steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism pathways and endometrial cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol 34: 328–337.
- 25. Sliwinski T, Sitarek P, Stetkiewicz T, Sobczuk A, Blasiak J (2010) Polymorphism of the ERalpha and CYP1B1 genes in endometrial cancer in a Polish subpopulation. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 36: 311–317.
- 26. Healey CS, Ahmed S, O'Mara TA, Ferguson K, Lambrechts D, et al. (2011) Breast cancer susceptibility polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk: a Collaborative Endometrial Cancer Study. Carcinogenesis 32: 1862–1866.
- 27. Li G, Xiang YB, Courtney R, Cheng JR, Huang B, et al. (2011) Association of a single nucleotide polymorphism at 6q25.1,rs2046210, with endometrial cancer risk among Chinese women. Chin J Cancer 30: 138–143.
- 28. Koukouras D, Marioli DJ, Papadopoulos K, Adonakis GL, Armeni AK, et al. (2012) Association of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene polymorphisms with endometrial thickness and lipid profile in women with breast cancer treated with aromatase inhibitors. Gynecol Endocrinol 28: 859–862.
- 29. Li N, Dong J, Hu Z, Shen H, Dai M (2010) Potentially functional polymorphisms in ESR1 and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 121: 177–184.
- 30. Safarinejad MR, Safarinejad S, Shafiei N (2012) Estrogen receptors alpha (rs2234693 and rs9340799), and beta (rs4986938 and rs1256049) genes polymorphism in prostate cancer: evidence for association with risk and histopathological tumor characteristics in Iranian men. Mol Carcinog 51 Suppl 1E104–117.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|6 Feb 2007
|Filing date
|31 Jan 2000
|Priority date
|20 Dec 1996
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Martin Vorbach, Robert Münch
|Original Assignee
|Pact Xpp Technologies Ag
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (103), Non-Patent Citations (62), Referenced by (7), Classifications (14), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of application 08/946,998 filed Oct. 8, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,490.
The present invention relates to reprogrammable units.
Programmable units with a two- or multi-dimensional cell architecture (in particular FPGAs, DPGAs and DFPs, etc.) are programmed today in two different ways.
In addition to FPGAs, there are also DPGAs. These units store a number of different configurations which are selected by a special data packet. Run-time reconfiguration of these memory devices is impossible.
Major problems are posed by run-time reconfiguration of all programmable units or parts thereof, especially synchronization. All the possibilities proposed so far involve stopping the processing of the entire unit during reconfiguration. Another problem is selection of the new subconfiguration to be loaded and integration of this subconfiguration into the existing configuration.
The method according to the present invention makes it possible to reload a run-time reconfigurable unit efficiently and without having any effect on the areas not involved in the reconfiguration. In addition, this method makes it possible to select configurations as a function of the prevailing configuration. The problem of synchronizing the areas involved in the reconfiguration with those not involved in the reconfiguration is also solved.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for reconfiguring programmable units having a two- or multi-dimensional cell arrangement. The method of the present invention makes it possible to reconfigure the unit(s) without limiting the operability of the cells not involved in the reconfiguration. This method makes it possible to load complete configurations or subconfigurations into the programmable unit(s).
The method in accordance with the exemplary embodiment that is described herein presupposes a programmable unit which has the following properties:
Structure of a configuration string: The PLU in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a state machine that can process configuration strings.
In addition to configuration strings for cells, there are entries which can be recognized as commands by the PLU. It is thus possible to differentiate whether the contents of the configuration string are to be transmitted to a cell or whether they represent a command for the state machine.
A configuration string which is transmitted to cells of the unit must contain at least the following data:
Configuration string which is transmitted to the cell.
Identifiers and commands for the PLU: For correct operation of the PLU, it must be able to recognize only two command strings, namely:
This is a command that sets the PLU in a state in which it waits for the arrival of events from cells (
The PLU enters the value of the address parameter into the address, which is given by the entry number parameter, of the jump table.
In addition, the PLU can recognize an entry as a blank entry. This is accomplished by defining a certain bit pattern as a blank identifier which can be recognized by the PLU.
The jump table: There is a jump table (0506) in the configuration memory. The size of the jump table is selected, for example, so that there is exactly one single entry for each cell that can be addressed by the PLU. For each cell address there is exactly one single entry in the jump table which can be calculated by the PLU (
There is a memory address (0601) in an entry in the jump table. This memory address indicates where additional configuration data (0508) from the configuration memory are to be read if there is a feedback from this cell to the PLU.
Start of the system: By resetting the system, the PLU begins to receive or load configuration data from a memory into the configuration memory (0101). All the cells of the unit are in the state in which they can be configured. Then, by loading the program counter (PC) (0505), the PLU jumps to a memory site containing (0102) the address of a start configuration (0507). This start configuration is processed until the PLU recognizes an END identifier (0103). This start configuration programs the unit in such a way that processing of data can begin. After entering the start configuration, the PLU changes on the basis of the END identifier to a state in which it waits for results from the cells (0104).
Arrival of an event from a cell: After processing data, a cell can send a feedback to the PLU. This feedback (event) indicates that the cell and thus the macro in which the cell is contained has completed its work and reloading can begin.
However, before beginning with the loading of a new configuration, the FIFO memory (first-in-first-out memory) described below is processed (0201).
It is advantageous for the memory to be organized as a FIFO memory. This organization guarantees, for example, that cells which could not be reloaded in the first attempt are guaranteed to be the first in line in the second attempt. This prevents cells which have signaled in the meantime that they can be reconfigured from slipping to the back in processing. In this case, a deadlock situation could occur in which one macro can be reconfigured only when another macro has been reconfigured.
Through the feedback to the PLU, the PLU also receives the address or the number of the cell that triggered the feedback. With this number, the proper entry in the jump table is selected (0203, 0204). The address contained in this entry indicates the start of the configuration to be loaded within the configuration memory (0205).
FIFO memory: The method in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention takes into account the fact that some cells might not have completed their work, although these cells should already be reloaded. All configuration data of cells in which such a condition applies are copied to a special memory area (FIFO memory) (0506).
Each time before a new configuration is to be loaded, the FIFO memory is run through. Since a new configuration is to be loaded, some cells have completed their work and have entered the "reconfigurable" state. These cells may also include those in which reconfiguration by the PLU has failed in a previous attempt because these cells had not yet completed their work but now this reconfiguration can be performed successfully.
This PLU loads the PC with the contents of the register which indicates the start of FIFO memory (FIFO start REG) (0502) and reads data out of the FIFO memory. A comparison ascertains whether the end of the FIFO memory has been reached (0301). If this is the case, the system returns to the point in the state machine where reconfiguration is continued (0202).
The FIFO memory is processed like a configuration within the configuration memory. The case can occur where a cell cannot be reconfigured even with another attempt. In this case the configuration data is copied (0302) to this memory location if there is an empty memory location closer to the front of FIFO memory.
This copying operation is accomplished by virtue of the fact that the PLU has stored the start address of the FIFO memory in FIFO start REG (0502) and the end address in FIFO end REG (0503). In addition, the PLU identifies the address of the next free entry (starting from the beginning of the FIFO memory) by means of FIFO free entry REG (0504, 0303). After the configuration string has been copied (0304) to the free entry, the PLU positions the pointer of FIFO free entry REG at the next free entry (0305) within the FIFO memory. The search is then conducted in the direction of the end of the FIFO memory. Then the PC is set at the next entry within the FIFO memory (0306).
Reloading cells: The PLU then reads the configuration data out of the configuration memory. This data contains the address of the cell to be reloaded (
If the cell is not yet ready, the data read by the PLU are written to a memory area, the FIFO memory, within the configuration memory (0402). The address to which the data is written is stored in a register (FIFO end REG) (0503) in the PLU.
This process is repeated until the PLU recognizes the END identifier of the configuration program and returns it to the state in which the PLU waits for events from the cells (0403).
Structure of the configuration program: After a cell has given the signal for reloading and the macro in which the cell is integrated has been reloaded, a new configuration is obtained. The cell which has previously given the signal to the PLU can now have a very different function, in particular it may no longer be the cell which sends a reload signal to the PLU. In the new configuration, it is possible for the same cell to again send the reload signal to the PLU.
By means of the DISPATCH command within the configuration program, a new address can be written to the entry position of the cell in the jump table (0604). This new address may point to a new configuration or subconfiguration to be loaded upon feedback from this cell.
In addition, the configuration memory and its various sections are also shown. These are:
Embodiments: It is assumed that one or more units are to be reconfigured by a PLU as described in the invention. In addition, it is assumed that the system has already loaded the start configuration and that the PLU is in the state of "waiting for an event." The execution begins with the arrival of an event from cell number 41.
The PLU begins first with the processing of The FIFO memory (0201). The start of the FIFO memory is transferred to the PC from the FIFO start REG register. The data at the location to which the PC is pointing is read. Then a check is performed to determine whether the end of the FIFO memory has been reached. This is the case in this embodiment, because the system is being reloaded for the first time.
The address of the cell which has triggered the signal is converted by the PLU to an address in the jump table. This calculated address is loaded into the dispatch REG (0512). The PLU then reads the address out of the jump table (0506) which is stored at the memory address addressed by the dispatch REG (0601). This address is loaded into the PC.
Then the processing of the configuration strings begins (0603). It is assumed that command number 3 (1.3 MUL) cannot be executed because the cell with the address (1.3) cannot be reconfigured. The data is then copied to the FIFO memory. On reaching the DISPATCH command (0604), a new address is entered (0602) at address 41 in the jump table. The END command again puts the PLU in the state of "waiting for an event."
After a period of time, a signal again arrives from cell 41. Now there is another address (0602) at address 42 in the jump table. The PLU again processes the FIFO memory first. Now the data is in the FIFO memory.
The data from the FIFO memory is read and an attempt is made to load the addressed cell with the data. Since the cell can now be reconfigured, this attempt is successful. A blank identifier is then written into the entry in the FIFO memory.
The original processing is continued and the reading of configuration data then begins at a different address (0605).
This configuration is processed; this time the DISPATCH command writes an address into entry number 12 of the jump table (0606). Then the END command causes the PLU to return to the state of "waiting for an event."
This interplay is repeated for the entire run time of the system.
Definition of Terms
Configurable element: A configurable element is a unit of a logic unit which can be set by a configuration string for a specific function. Configurable elements are thus all types of RAM cells, multiplexers, arithmetic logic units, registers and all types of internal and external interconnection description, etc.
Configuring: Setting the function and interconnection of a configurable element.
Configuration memory: The configuration memory contains one or more configuration strings.
Configuration string: A configuration string consists of a bit sequence of any length. This bit sequence represents a valid setting for the element to be configured, so that a functional element results.
PLU: Unit for configuring and reconfiguring programmable units. Embodied by a state machine or a microcontroller adapted specifically to its function.
Macro: A macro is a quantity of cells which together implement a task, function, etc.
Reconfiguring: New configuration of any number of configurable elements of a programmable unit while any remaining number of configurable elements continue their own functions (see configuring).
Feedback: Feedback is an action that can be triggered by a cell. With feedback, various pieces of information can be sent to the unit receiving the feedback.
Cell: See configurable element.
State machine: Logic unit which can assume various states. The transitions between states depend on various input parameters. These are known machines for controlling complex functions.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|20 Mar 1931
|12 Jan 1937
|Allis Chalmers Mfg Co
|23 May 1963
|29 Mar 1966
|Wolf Electric Tools Ltd
|Electrically driven equipment
|13 Nov 1970
|1 Aug 1972
|Marconi Co Ltd
|Fault location and reconfiguration in redundant data processors
|22 Nov 1971
|11 Sep 1973
|Bhs Bayerische Berg
|Solar and planetary gear system with load pressure compensation
|11 Jun 1973
|17 Dec 1974
|Texas Instruments Inc
|Power saving circuit for calculator system
|26 Jul 1982
|5 Feb 1985
|General Electric Company
|System for polynomial division self-testing of digital networks
|18 Apr 1983
|21 Jan 1986
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Parallel-shift error reconfiguration
|14 Oct 1983
|5 May 1987
|Tandem Computers Incorporated
|Multiprocessor multisystem communications network
|6 Dec 1984
|21 Jul 1987
|American Telephone & Telegraph Co., At&T Bell Lab.
|Queue administration method and apparatus
|27 Feb 1985
|10 Nov 1987
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Configurable logic element
|17 Sep 1985
|19 Jan 1988
|The Johns Hopkins University
|Memory-linked wavefront array processor
|10 Mar 1983
|19 Apr 1988
|Martin Marietta Corporation
|Geometric-arithmetic parallel processor
|14 Nov 1986
|7 Mar 1989
|Princeton University
|Multinode reconfigurable pipeline computer
|20 May 1987
|25 Jul 1989
|Hewlett-Packard Company
|Daisy-chain bus system with truncation circuitry for failsoft bypass of defective sub-bus subsystem
|12 Dec 1985
|25 Jul 1989
|Itt Corporation
|Single instruction multiple data (SIMD) cellular array processing apparatus employing a common bus where a first number of bits manifest a first bus portion and a second number of bits manifest a second bus portion
|2 Sep 1986
|22 Aug 1989
|The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York
|Binary tree parallel processor
|19 Feb 1988
|26 Sep 1989
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Configurable electrical circuit having configurable logic elements and configurable interconnects
|27 Oct 1987
|2 Jan 1990
|Reconfigurable computing device
|19 Aug 1988
|13 Feb 1990
|General Electric Company
|Multiple function data processor
|2 Sep 1986
|20 Mar 1990
|General Electric Company
|Distributed processing system including reconfigurable elements
|18 Nov 1988
|30 Oct 1990
|E-Systems, Inc.
|Adaptive processing system having an array of individually configurable processing components
|14 Oct 1988
|7 May 1991
|Compaq Computer Corporation
|Dynamically configurable portable computer system
|7 Mar 1990
|14 May 1991
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Multiple array high performance programmable logic device family
|30 Jan 1990
|4 Jun 1991
|Hughes Aircraft Company
|Data-flow multiprocessor architecture with three dimensional multistage interconnection network for efficient signal and data processing
|15 Oct 1990
|11 Jun 1991
|Intel Corporation
|Software programmable logic array utilizing "and" and "or" gates
|2 Dec 1988
|10 Sep 1991
|Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
|22 Feb 1991
|12 Nov 1991
|The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Magesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland
|Processing cell for fault tolerant arrays
|4 Jun 1990
|10 Dec 1991
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Method and apparatus for testing logic circuitry by applying a logical test pattern
|2 Jan 1991
|14 Jan 1992
|National Semiconductor Corp.
|Method for operating a multiple page programmable logic device
|22 May 1989
|28 Apr 1992
|Ge Fanuc Automation North America, Inc.
|Apparatus with reconfigurable counter includes memory for storing plurality of counter configuration files which respectively define plurality of predetermined counters
|4 Jun 1990
|12 May 1992
|Echelon Corporation
|Input/output section for an intelligent cell which provides sensing, bidirectional communications and control
|5 Mar 1990
|16 Jun 1992
|Thinking Machines Corporation
|Parallel processor including a processor array with plural data transfer arrangements including (1) a global router and (2) a proximate-neighbor transfer system
|2 Feb 1990
|30 Jun 1992
|Isco, Inc.
|Pumping system
|2 Nov 1990
|1 Sep 1992
|Concurrent Logic, Inc.
|Programmable logic cell and array
|29 May 1990
|9 Mar 1993
|Wavetracer, Inc.
|Processor array with relocated operand physical address generator capable of data transfer to distant physical processor for each virtual processor while simulating dimensionally larger array processor
|2 May 1989
|13 Apr 1993
|Horst Robert W
|Cell structure for linear array wafer scale integration architecture with capability to open boundary i/o bus without neighbor acknowledgement
|10 Apr 1992
|20 Apr 1993
|Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
|Programmable fuzzy logic circuits
|7 Jan 1992
|4 May 1993
|Washington Research Foundation
|Field programmable gate array
|21 Aug 1987
|6 Jul 1993
|Compaq Computer Corp.
|Programmable logic system for filtering commands to a microprocessor
|30 Oct 1989
|3 Aug 1993
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Programmable gate array with improved interconnect structure, input/output structure and configurable logic block
|9 Feb 1990
|21 Sep 1993
|Ewert Alfred P
|Parallel digital processor including lateral transfer buses with interrupt switches to form bus interconnection segments
|28 Sep 1990
|28 Dec 1993
|Intergraph Corporation
|High speed redundant rows and columns for semiconductor memories
|22 Aug 1990
|15 Feb 1994
|Tandem Computers Incorporated
|Memory system using linear array wafer scale integration architecture
|28 Sep 1992
|15 Mar 1994
|Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
|Vibration-damping device for a golf club
|16 Jan 1991
|5 Apr 1994
|Walker-Estes Corporation
|Mixed-resolution, N-dimensional object space method and apparatus
|29 Jan 1991
|5 Apr 1994
|Analogic Corporation
|Multibus sequential processor to perform in parallel a plurality of reconfigurable logic operations on a plurality of data sets
|16 Feb 1988
|12 Apr 1994
|Array Microsystems
|Pipelined combination and vector signal processor
|8 Feb 1993
|9 Aug 1994
|National Semiconductor Corporation
|Configuration features in a configurable logic array
|15 Jul 1991
|13 Sep 1994
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Self-parallelizing computer system and method
|20 May 1993
|20 Sep 1994
|Princeton Gamma Tech, Inc.
|Highly sensitive nuclear spectrometer apparatus and method
|23 Apr 1991
|4 Oct 1994
|Compaq Computer Corporation
|Interactive method for configuration of computer system and circuit boards with user specification of system resources and computer resolution of resource conflicts
|11 Dec 1992
|1 Nov 1994
|Gilson Kent L
|Integrated circuit computing device comprising a dynamically configurable gate array having a microprocessor and reconfigurable instruction execution means and method therefor
|7 Jun 1994
|3 Jan 1995
|Hughes Aircraft Company
|Array of one-bit processors each having only one bit of memory
|21 May 1993
|25 Apr 1995
|Deutsche Itt Industries Gmbh
|Wavefront array processor for blocking the issuance of first handshake signal (req) by the presence of second handshake signal (ack) which indicates the readyness of the receiving cell
|11 Jun 1992
|23 May 1995
|Flavors Technology Inc.
|Parallel processor cell computer system
|23 Sep 1992
|30 May 1995
|Martin Marietta Corporation
|Parallel data processor
|7 Jul 1994
|6 Jun 1995
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Programmable gate array device having cascaded means for function definition
|18 Sep 1992
|13 Jun 1995
|Quickturn Design Systems, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for debugging reconfigurable emulation systems
|20 Apr 1994
|20 Jun 1995
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Programmable logic device which stores more than one configuration and means for switching configurations
|3 Feb 1993
|27 Jun 1995
|Flood; Mark A.
|Programmable controller with time periodic communication
|1 Apr 1994
|4 Jul 1995
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Programmable logic device including a parallel input device for loading memory cells
|9 Mar 1993
|8 Aug 1995
|Actel Corporation
|Logic module with configurable combinational and sequential blocks
|9 Mar 1994
|15 Aug 1995
|The Trustees Of Princeton University
|Optimizing compiler for computers
|8 Jul 1993
|22 Aug 1995
|Altera Corporation
|PLD with selective inputs from local and global conductors
|16 Mar 1994
|5 Sep 1995
|Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
|Field-programmable gate array
|6 Dec 1993
|3 Oct 1995
|Intelligent Logic Systems, Inc.
|Hierarchically-structured programmable logic array and system for interconnecting logic elements in the logic array
|20 Aug 1993
|10 Oct 1995
|Actel Corporation
|Field programmable digital signal processing array integrated circuit
|14 Jan 1993
|7 Nov 1995
|France Telecom
|Multiprocessor system with cascaded modules combining processors through a programmable logic cell array
|18 Oct 1994
|5 Dec 1995
|Altera Corporation
|Programmable logic device having fast programmable logic array blocks and a central global interconnect array
|3 Feb 1995
|5 Dec 1995
|Sgs-Thomson Microelectronics Limited
|Programmable logic device with memory that can store routing data of logic data
|24 Feb 1992
|12 Dec 1995
|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
|Programmable control system including a logic module and a method for programming
|10 Jul 1992
|12 Dec 1995
|Lsi Logic Corporation
|Method for 2-D affine transformation of images
|17 Oct 1994
|12 Dec 1995
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Dynamic multi-mode parallel processing array
|9 Mar 1995
|9 Jan 1996
|International Business Machines Corp.
|Learning machine synapse processor system apparatus
|15 Dec 1994
|16 Jan 1996
|Altera Corporation
|Programmable logic array with local and global conductors
|18 Jan 1995
|16 Jan 1996
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Logic allocator for a programmable logic device
|3 Aug 1992
|6 Feb 1996
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Flexible synchronous/asynchronous cell structure for a high density programmable logic device
|31 Mar 1995
|13 Feb 1996
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Configurable cellular array
|31 Jan 1995
|20 Feb 1996
|Motorola, Inc.
|Circuit and method of configuring a field programmable gate array
|28 Sep 1993
|5 Mar 1996
|Giga Operations Corporation
|Video processing module using a second programmable logic device which reconfigures a first programmable logic device for data transformation
|17 Jun 1994
|9 Apr 1996
|Fujitsu Limited
|Parallel data processing system using a plurality of processing elements to process data and a plurality of trays connected to some of the processing elements to store and transfer data
|21 Jun 1995
|23 Apr 1996
|Actel Corporation
|Reconfigurable programmable interconnect architecture
|5 Jan 1994
|23 Apr 1996
|Ricoh Co., Ltd.
|Programmable logic array and data processing unit using the same
|28 Sep 1994
|30 Apr 1996
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Method and system for dynamically reconfiguring a register file in a vector processor
|19 Jan 1995
|28 May 1996
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Timing driven method for laying out a user's circuit onto a programmable integrated circuit device
|22 Jun 1994
|28 May 1996
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Reconfigurable multi-processor operating in SIMD mode with one processor fetching instructions for use by remaining processors
|2 Aug 1993
|25 Jun 1996
|Hudson Soft Co. Ltd.
|Method and apparatus for processing interruption
|28 Oct 1994
|25 Jun 1996
|Dell Usa, L.P.
|Processor failure detection and recovery circuit in a dual processor computer system and method of operation thereof
|13 Jun 1994
|2 Jul 1996
|Advanced Hardware Architectures
|Adaptive data compression system with systolic string matching logic
|31 Jan 1995
|2 Jul 1996
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Field reconfigurable logic/memory array
|29 Dec 1993
|9 Jul 1996
|Kolchinsky; Alexander
|Virtual processor module including a reconfigurable programmable matrix
|14 Feb 1995
|16 Jul 1996
|Altera Corporation
|Programmable logic array device with grouped logic regions and three types of conductors
|11 Jul 1994
|16 Jul 1996
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Programmable digital signal processor for performing a plurality of signal processings
|17 May 1995
|30 Jul 1996
|Altera Corporation
|Programmable logic array integrated circuits with blocks of logic regions grouped into super-blocks
|11 Apr 1995
|6 Aug 1996
|Fujitsu Limited
|Parallel data processing system which efficiently performs matrix and neurocomputer operations, in a negligible data transmission time
|30 Mar 1993
|20 Aug 1996
|The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
|Digital parallel processor array for optimum path planning
|14 Mar 1994
|10 Sep 1996
|Carlstedt Elektronik Ab
|Computing device employing a reduction processor and implementing a declarative language
|27 Jul 1995
|24 Sep 1996
|Lucent Technologies Inc.
|Field programmable gate array with multi-port RAM
|25 Mar 1994
|1 Oct 1996
|Motorola, Inc.
|Data processor for executing a fuzzy logic operation and method therefor
|12 Dec 1996
|1 Sep 1998
|Virtual Computer Corporation
|Computer network of distributed virtual computers which are EAC reconfigurable in response to instruction to be executed
|1 Jul 1995
|30 Mar 1999
|Intel Corporation
|Method and apparatus for generating event handler vectors based on both operating mode and event type
|27 Jun 1997
|19 Oct 1999
|Cooke; Laurence H.
|Integrated processor and programmable data path chip for reconfigurable computing
|24 Jun 1991
|31 Aug 1993
|Xilinx, Inc.
|Configurable electrical circuit having configurable logic elements and configurable interconnects
|Ade et al., "Minimum Memory Buffers in DSP Applications," Electronics Letters, vol. 30, No. 6, Mar. 17, 1994, pp. 469-471.
|Alippi, C., et al., Determining the Optimum Extended Instruction Set Architecture for Application Specific Reconfigurable VLIW CPUs, IEEE., 2001, pp. 50-56.
|Arabi et al., "PLD Integrates Dedicated High-speed Data Buffering, Complex State Machine, and Fast Decode Array," conference record on WESCON '93, Sep. 28, 1993, pp. 432-436.
|Athanas, Peter et al., "An Adaptive Hardware Machine Architecture and Compiler and Dynamic Processor Reconfiguration", IEEE, Laboratory for Engineering Man/Machine Systems Division of Engineering, Box D, Brown University Providence, Rhode Island, 1991, pp. 397-400.
|Athanas, Peter, et al., "IEEE Symposium on FPGAs For Custom Computing Machines," IEEE Computer Society Press, Apr. 19-21, 1995, pp. i-vii, 1-222.
|Baumgarte, V., et al., PACT XPP "A Self-reconfigurable Data Processing Architecture," PACT Info. GmbH, Munchen Germany, 2001, 7 pages.
|Becker, J. et al., "Parallelization in Co-compilation for Configurable Accelerators - a Host/accelerator Partitioning Compilation Method," proceedings of Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference, Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 10-13, 1998, 11 pages.
|Bittner, Ray A. Jr., "Wormhole Run-time Reconfiguration: Conceptualization and VLSI Design of a High Performance Computing System," Dissertation, Jan. 23, 1997, pp. I-XX, 1-415.
|Cadambi et al., "Managing Pipeline-reconfigurable FPGAs," ACM, 1998, pp. 55-64.
|Cardoso, J.M.P., "Compilation of Java(TM) Algorithms onto Reconfigurable Computing Systems with Exploitation of Operation-Level Parallelism," Ph.D. Thesis, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa (UTL), Lisbon, Portugal Oct. 2000 (Table of Contents and English Abstract only).
|Diniz, Pedro et al., "Automatic Synthesis of Data Storage and Control Structures for FPGA-based Computing Engines", 2000, IEEE, pp. 91-100.
|Donandt, Jorg, "Improving Response Time of Programmable Logic Controllers by Use of a Boolean Coprocessors", AEG Research Institute Berlin, IEEE, 1989, pp. 4-167 - 4-169.
|Dutt, Nikil et al., If Software is King for Systems-on-Silicon, What's New in Compiler?, IEEE., 1997, pp. 322-325.
|Ferrante J. et al., "The Program Dependence Graph and its Use in Optimization ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems," Jul. 1987, USA, [online] Bd. 9, Nr., 3, pp. 319-349, XP002156651 ISSN: 0164-0935 ACM Digital Library.
|Fineberg, Samuel et al., "Experimental Analysis of a Mixed-Mode Parallel Architecture Using Bitonic Sequence Sorting", vol. 11. No. 3, Mar. 1991, pp. 239-251.
|Fornaciari, W. Et al., System-level power evaluation metrics, 1997 Proceedings of the 2nd Annual IEEE International Conference on Innovative Systems in Silicon, New York, NY, Oct. 1997, pp. 323-330.
|Gokhale, M. B. et al., "Automatic Allocation of Arrays to Memories in FPGA processors with Multiple Memory Banks", Field-Programmable Custom Computing Machines, 1999, IEEE, pp. 63-67.
|Hammes, Jeff et al., "Cameron: High Level Language Compilation for Reconfigurable Systems," Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Conference on Parallel Architectures and Compilation Techniques, Oct. 12-16, 1999, 9 pages.
|Hauck "The Roles of FPGA's in Reprogrammable Systems," IEEE, Apr. 1998, pp. 615-638.
|Hauser, J.R. et al., "Garp: A MIPS Processor with a Reconfigurable Coprocessor", University of California, Berkeley, IEEE, 1997, pp. 24-33.
|Hedge, S.J., 3D WASP Devices for On-line Signal and Data Processing, 1994, International Conference on Wafer Scale Integration, pp. 11-21.
|Hong Yu Xu et al., "Parallel QR Factorization on a Block Data Flow Architecture" Conference Proceeding Article, Mar. 1, 1992, pp. 332-336 XPO10255276, p. 333, Abstract 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 - p. 334.
|Hwang L. et al., "Min-cut Replication in Partitioned Networks" IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, [online] Bd. 14, Nr. 1, Jan. 1995, pp. 96-106, XP00053228 USA ISSN: 0278-0070 IEEE Xplore.
|Iseli, C., et al., "A C++ Compiler for FPGA Custom Execution Units Synthesis," IEEE. 1995, pp. 173-179.
|Isshiki, Tsuyoshi et al., "Bit-Serial Pipeline Synthesis for Multi-FPGA Systems with C++ Design Capture," 1996 IEEE, pp. 38-47.
|Jacob, Jeffrey et al., "Memory Interfacing and Instruction Specification for Reconfigurable Processors", ACM 1999, pp. 145-154.
|Jantsch, Axel et al., "A Case Study on Hardware/software Partitioning," Royal Institute of Technology, Kista, Sweden, Apr. 10, 1994 IEEE, pp. 111-118.
|John, Lizy et al., "A Dynamically Reconfigurable Interconnect for Array Processors", vol. 6, No. 1, Mar. 1998, IEEE, pp. 150-157.
|Koch, Andreas et al, "Practical Experiences with the SPARXIL Co-Processor", 1998, IEEE, pp. 394-398.
|Kung, "Deadlock Avoidance for Systolic Communication", 1988 Conference Proceedings of 15<SUP>th </SUP>Annual International Symposium on Computer Architecture, May 30, 1988, pp. 252-260.
|Ling, X., "WASMII: An MPLD with Data-Driven Control on a Virtual Hardware," Journal of Supercomputing, Kluwer Acdemic Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 1995, pp. 253-276.
|M. Morris Mano, "Digital Design," by Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632, 1984, pp. 119-125, 154-161.
|M. Saleeba, "A Self-Contained Dynamially Reconfigurable Processor Architecture", Sixteenth Australian Computer Science Conference, ASCS-16, QLD, Australia, Feb., 1993.
|M. Saleeba, "A Self-Contained Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor Architecture," Sixteenth Australian Computer Science Conference, ASCS-16, QLD, Australia, Feb., 1993, pp. 59-70.
|Maxfield, C. "Logic that Mutates While-U-Wait" EDN (Bur. Ed) (USA), EDN (European Edition), Nov. 7, 1996, Cahners Publishing, USA, pp. 137-140, 142.
|Maxfield, C. "Logic that Mutates While-U-Wait" EDN (Bur. Ed) (USA), EDN (European Edition), Nov. 7, 1996, Cahners Publishing, USA.
|Miller, Michael J. et al., "High-Speed FIFOs Contend with Widely Differing Data Rates: Dual-port RAM Buffer and Dual-pointer System Provide Rapid, High-density Data Storage and Reduce Overhead", Computer Design, Sep. 1, 1985, pp. 83-86.
|Mirsky, E. DeHon, "MATRIX: A Reconfigurable Computing Architecture with Configurable Instruction Distribution and Deployable Resources," Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium on FPGAs for Custom Computing Machines, 1996, pp. 157-166.
|Myers, G. "Advances in Computer Architecture," Wiley-Interscience Publication, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1978, pp. 463-494.
|Nilsson et al., "The Scalable Tree Protocol - A Cache Coherence Approaches for Large-Scale Multiprocessors" IEEE, pp. 498-506 Dec. 1992.
|Norman, Richard S., "Hyperchip Business Summary, The Opportunity," Jan. 31, 2000, pp. 1-3.
|Norman, Richard S., Hyperchip Business Summary, The Opportunity, Jan. 31, 2000, pp. 1-3.
|Schmit, H. Et al., Hidden Markov Modeling and Fuzzy Controllers in FPGAs, FPGAs for Custom Computing Machined, 1995; Proceedings, IEEE Symposium on Napa Valley, CA, Apr. 1995, pp. 214-221.
|Shirazi et al., "Quantitative analysis of floating point arithmetic on FPGA based custom computing machines," IEEE Symposium on FPGAs For Custom Computing Machines, IEEE Computer Society Press, Apr. 19-21, 1995, pp. i-vii, 1-222.
|Simunic, T. Et al., Source Code Optimization and Profiling of Energy Consumation in Embedded Systems, Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on System Synthesis, Sep. 2000, pp. 193-198.
|Tau, Edward et al., "A First Generation DPGA Implementation," FPD'95, pp. 138-143.
|Tenca, Alexandre F. et al., "A Variable Long-Precision Arithmetic Unit Design for Reconfigurable Coprocessor Architectures", University of California, Los Angeles, 1998, pp. 216-225.
|TMS320C54X DSP: CPU and Peripherals, Texas Instruments, 1996, pp. 6-26 to 6-46.
|TMS320C54x DSP: Mnemonic Instruction Set, Texas Instruments, 1996, pp. 4-64.
|Villasenor, John et al., "Configurable Computing Solutions for Automatic Target Recognition," IEEE, 1996 pp. 70-79.
|Villasenor, John et al., "Configurable Computing," Scientific American, vol. 276, No. 6, Jun. 1997, pp. 66-71.
|Villasenor, John, et al., "Configurable Computing Solutions for Automatic Target Recognition," IEEE, 1996 pp. 70-79.
|Villasenor, John, et al., "Configurable Computing." Scientific American, vol. 276, No. 6, Jun. 1997, pp. 66-71.
|Villasensor, J. et al., "Express Letters Video Communications Using Rapidly Reconfigurable Hardware," IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, IEEE, Inc. NY, Dec. 1995, pp. 565-567.
|Wada et al., "A Performance Evaluation of Tree-based Coherent Distributed Shared Memory" Proceedings of the Pacific RIM Conference on Communications, Comput and Signal Processing, Victoria, May 19-21 1993, pp. 390-393.
|Weinhardt, Markus et al., "Pipeline Vectorization for Reconfigurable Systems", 1999, IEEE, pp. 52-62.
|Weinhardt, Markus et al., "Pipeline Vectorization," IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, vol. 20, No. 2, Feb. 2001, pp. 234-248.
|Weinhardt, Markus, "Ubersetzingsmethoden fur strukturprogrammierbare rechner," Dissertation for Doktors der Ingenieurwissenschaften der Universitat Karlsruhe: Jul. 1, 1997 [Weinhardt, M. "Compilation Methods for Structure-programmable Computers", dissertation, ISBN 3-89722-011-3,1997], 154 pages.
|Wittig et al., "OneChip: An FPGA Processor with Reconfigurable Logic" IEEE, 1996 pp. 126-135.
|Wu et al., "A New Cache Directory Scheme", IEEE, pp. 466-472, Jun. 1996.
|Ye, Z.A. et al., "A Compiler for a Processor With A Reconfigurable Functional Unit," FPGA 2000 ACM/SIGNA International Symposium on Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Monterey, CA Feb. 9-11, 2000, pp. 95-100.
|Zhang, N. Et al., Architectural Evaluation of Flexible Digital Signal Processing for Wireless Receivers, Signals, Systems and Computers, 2000; Conference Record of the Thirty-Fourth Asilomar Conference, Bd.1, Oct. 29, 2000, pp. 78-83.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|18 Jul 2005
|23 Nov 2010
|Ascenium Corporation
|Method and apparatus for directing a computational array to execute a plurality of successive computational array instructions at runtime
|23 Sep 2004
|28 Jun 2011
|Oracle America, Inc.
|Automated service configuration snapshots and fallback
|19 Apr 2007
|14 Feb 2012
|Queen's University At Kingston
|Hybrid nanotube/CMOS dynamically reconfigurable architecture and an integrated design optimization method and system therefor
|25 Dec 2009
|28 Apr 2015
|Nec Corporation
|Indirect designation of physical configuration number as logical configuration number based on correlation information, within parallel computing
|18 Jul 2005
|5 Jan 2006
|Robert Keith Mykland
|Method and apparatus for computing
|19 Apr 2007
|3 Sep 2009
|Wei Zhang
|Hybrid nanotube/cmos dynamically reconfigurable architecture and an integrated design optimization method and system therefor
|25 Dec 2009
|29 Dec 2011
|Takeshi Inuo
|Parallel computing device, information processing system, parallel computing method, and information processing device
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|6 Jun 2003
Owner name: PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG, GERMANY
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:PACT GMBH;REEL/FRAME:014137/0154
Effective date: 20020827
|2 Feb 2010
Owner name: RICHTER, THOMAS, MR.,GERMANY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG;REEL/FRAME:023882/0403
Effective date: 20090626
Owner name: KRASS, MAREN, MS.,SWITZERLAND
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG;REEL/FRAME:023882/0403
Effective date: 20090626
Owner name: RICHTER, THOMAS, MR., GERMANY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG;REEL/FRAME:023882/0403
Effective date: 20090626
Owner name: KRASS, MAREN, MS., SWITZERLAND
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG;REEL/FRAME:023882/0403
Effective date: 20090626
|8 Jul 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|8 Feb 2014
Owner name: PACT XPP TECHNOLOGIES AG, GERMANY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:RICHTER, THOMAS;KRASS, MAREN;REEL/FRAME:032225/0089
Effective date: 20140117
|9 Jul 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8


text:
Colraod Buffaloes Articles
With roughly 340 teams in Division I basketball, some players are bound to fall through the cracks. We'd like to do our part to rectify that by highlighting some of the key players you may have missed last season. A handful of reasons led to...
David Fox
5 years ago


text:
Find a copy in the library
Finding libraries that hold this item...
|Steampunk fiction
Science fiction
Criticism, interpretation, etc
|Material Type:
|Document Type:
|All Authors / Contributors:
Ann VanderMeer; Jeff VanderMeer
|9781892391759 1892391759
|OCLC Number:
|x, 373 pages ; 23 cm
|Steampunk : "it's a clockwork universe, Victoria" / Ann & Jeff VanderMeer --
The 19th-century roots of steampunk / Jess Nevins --
Benediction : excerpt from The warlord of the air / Michael Moorcock --
Lord Kelvin's machine / James P. Blaylock --
The giving mouth / Ian R. MacLeod --
A sun in the attic / Mary Gentle --
The god-clown is near / Jay Lake --
The steam man of the prairie and the dark rider get down : a dime novel / Joe R. Lansdale --
The Selene Gardening Society / Molly Brown --
Seventy-two letters / Ted Chiang --
The Martian agent, a planetary romance / Michael Chabon --
Victoria / Paul Di Filippo --
Reflected light / Rachel E. Pollock --
Minutes of the last meeting / Stepan Chapman --
Excerpt from the third and last volume of Tribes of the Pacific coast / Neal Stephenson --
The steam-driven time machine : a pop culture survey / Rick Klaw --
The essential sequential steampunk : a modest survey of the genre within the comic book medium / Bill Baker.
|Series Title:
|Steampunk, v.1
|Ann & Jeff VanderMeer, editors.
Publisher Synopsis
"The VanderMeers (The New Weird) have assembled another outstanding theme anthology, this one featuring stories set in alternate Victorian eras. Michael Moorcock, the godfather of steampunk, isRead more...
WorldCat User Reviews (1)
A wide-ranging collection with something for everyone
This collection of steampunk stories covers a lot of ground. (Steampunk is science fiction or fantasy set in a world where technology hasn't progressed beyond the steam engine, but that's a very big tent.) It was a great introduction to steampunk, and all of the stories were worth reading....
Read more...
- Was this review helpful to you?
Similar Items
Related Subjects:(5)
- Steampunk fiction, American.
- Steampunk fiction, English.
- Steampunk fiction -- History and criticism.
- Steampunk fiction.
- Fantasy fiction.
User lists with this item (10)
- Steampunk(41 items)
by FVRL_booklists updated 2014-02-28
- Steampunk(44 items)
by ash966 updated 2013-11-30
- steampunk redux(55 items)
by laura.hankins updated 2011-12-09
- Things to Check Out(35 items)
by jozic.j updated 2011-09-28
- Things to Check Out(2 items)
by mintonmedia updated 2011-06-07


text:
[bitsontherun Go5Ev8Iy]
ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – The annual Bukka White Festival kicks off this weekend, October 18 and 19.
The festival honors the famous, local artist Bukka White.
The events start Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. when the Ribs on the River Cook-off starts.
Music begins Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the festivities start up at 10 when the rib cook-off continues.
There's a pet costume parade at 11 a.m. with prizes for owners and proceeds from registration will go to the animal shelter.
Music on Friday starts after lunch at 1:15 p.m.
You can find more information about the festival at www.bukkawhitefestival.com