Constantin Jucovschi

The Planetary System: Web 3.0 & Active Documents for STEM

Abstract In this paper we present the Active Documents Paradigm (semantically annotated documents associated with a content commons that holds the corresponding background ontologies) and the Planetary system (as an active document player). We show that the current Planetary system gives a solid foundation and can be extended modularly to address most of the criteria of the Executable Papers Challenge.

Speeding up Array Query Processing by Just-In-Time Compilation

Interpreted languages frequently suffer from higher processing times as compared to compiled approaches. Typically this happens when complex computations are performed. Array DBMSs, which extend database functionality with multidimensional array modeling and query support, find themselves in exactly this situation: queries often involve a large number of operations, and each such operation is applied to a large number of array elements.In this paper, we propose just-in-time compilation as an optimization method for an interpreted array query language. This is achieved by grouping suitable query nodes into complex operation nodes, for which C code is generated, compiled, and loaded during runtime.We present our approach based on the array DBMS rasdaman, discuss its benefits and its embedding into the rasdaman query evaluation, and show initial, rather promising benchmark results.

System Description: MathHub.info

We present the MathHub.info system, a development environment for active mathematical documents and an archive for flexiformal mathematics. It offers a rich interface for reading, writing, and interacting with mathematical documents and knowledge. The core of the MathHub.info system is an archive for flexiformal mathematical documents and libraries in the OMDoc/MMT format. Content can be authored or archived in the source format of the respective system, is versioned in GIT repositories, and transformed into OMDoc/MMT for machine-support and further into HTML5 for reading and interaction.

Combining source, content, presentation, narration, and relational representation

In this paper, we try to bridge the gap between different dimensions/ incarnations of mathematical knowledge: MKM representation formats (content), their human-oriented languages (source, presentation), their narrative linearizations (narration), and relational presentations used in the semantic web. The central idea is to transport solutions from software engineering to MKM regarding the parallel interlinked maintenance of the different incarnations. We show how the integration of these incarnations can be utilized to enrich the authoring and viewing processes, and we evaluate our infrastructure on the LATIN Logic Atlas, a modular library of logic formalizations, and a set of computer science lecture notes written in STEX - a modular, semantic variant of LATEX.

Efficient Map Portrayal Using a General-Purpose Query Language

Fast image generation from vector or raster data for map navigation by Web clients is an important geo Web application today. Raster data obviously account for the larger volume of the underlying data sets served through WMS and other such interfaces. Dedicated server implementations prevail because an often heard argument is that general-purpose server software, such as database systems, cannot be efficient enough for such high-volume application scenarios. In this paper we refute that. We investigate just-in-time compilation of query fragments in two variants, for CPU and GPU, as implemented in the general purpose raster DBMS rasdaman. Results suggest that array databases are suitable for realtime geo raster services.

Full Semantic Transparency: Overcoming Boundaries of Applications

Complex workflows require intelligent interactions. In this paper we attack the problem of combining user interfaces of specialized applications that support different aspects of objects in scientific/technical workflows with semantic technologies. We analyze the problem in terms of the (new) notion of full semantic transparency, i.e., the property of user interfaces to give full access to an underlying semantic object even beyond application lines. In a multi-application case full semantic transparency is difficult, but can be achieved by representing the semantic objects in a structured ontology and actively supporting the application-specific framings of an object in a semantic interface manager. We evaluate the proposed framework in a situation where aspects of technical constructions are distributed across a CAD system, a spreadsheet application, and a knowledge base.

Cost-effective integration of MKM semantic services into editing environments

Integration of MKM services into editors has been of big interest in both formal as well as informal areas of MKM. Until now, most of the efforts to integrate MKM services into editing environments are done on an individual basis which results in high creation and maintenance costs. In this paper, I propose an architecture which allows editing environments and MKM services to be integrated in a more efficient way. This is accomplished by integrating editors and services only once with a realtime document synchronization and service broker. Doing so simplifies the development of services, as well as editor integrations. Integrating new services into an arbitrary number of already integrated editors can then take as little as 3-4 hours of work.

Towards an Interaction-based Integration of MKM Services into End-User Applications

The Semantic Alliance (SAlly) Framework, first presented at MKM 2012, allows integration of Mathematical Knowledge Management services into typical applications and end-user workflows. From an architecture allowing invasion of spreadsheet programs, it grew into a middle-ware connecting spreadsheet, CAD, text and image processing environments with MKM services. The architecture presented in the original paper proved to be quite resilient as it is still used today with only minor changes.

An Integrated Development Environment for Collections

Authoring documents in MKM formats like OMDoc is a very tedious task. After years of working on a semantically annotated corpus of STEX documents (GenCS), we identified a set of common, timeconsuming subtasks, which can be supported in an integrated authoring environment. We have adapted the modular Eclipse IDE into STEXIDE, an authoring solution for enhancing productivity in contributing to STEX based corpora. STEXIDE supports context-aware command completion, module management, semantic macro retrieval, and theory graph navigation.

Introducing multidisciplinary thinking in Computer Engineering: A new way of teaching database systems

This paper describes an experiment conducted in Brazil in teaching an undergraduate database course to Computer Engineering and Computer Science students at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). The experiment has introduced advanced (graduate-level) material in this introductory course, showing students how to integrate course material into several other subjects. The ultimate goal is to engage students in a richer learning environment, enhance motivation, broadening their horizons, and showing them how to solve problems in other fields by looking at a problem from distinct angles. This work was conducted within a binational research project involving UNICAMP/Brazil and Jacobs University/Germany.