Editor's Notes 


This issue starts with a correspondence section where the Object Database
Management Group responds to a commentary Written by W. Kim in the March 1994
issue. The reader is cautioned that this correspondence  was not refereed
nor edited.  Readers who have opinions on the ODMG-93 and related efforts are
encouraged to express them.
 
The submitted articles section contains three papers. The first paper, "Research 
Issues in Databases for ARCS: Active Rapidly Changing Data Systems" by A. Datta
identifies an emerging class of database systems called ARCS, that impose certain 
unique data and transaction management requirements on database mangement systems.
In the second paper, "How to Modify SQL Queries in Order to Guarantee Sure Answers",
H.J. Klein describes an algorithm for modifying SQL queries that takes care of the
"no information" meaning of null values in SQL. In the third paper, "Performance
Evaluation of A New Distributed Deadlock Detection Algorithm", C. Yeung, S. Hung,
and K. Lam describe a new probe-based distributed deadlock detection algorithm
that has a superior performance under high data contention.

The March, 1994 issue contained a special section on Temporal Database Infrastructure.
Part of that section presented an initial specification for a consensus temporal
extension to SQL-92 (TSQL2). Feedback on that section indicated difficulties in
understanding the TSQL2 syntax. Consequently, a tutorial on the temporal query 
language TSQL2 via a media planning scenario has been prepared by R. Snodgrass
et al. and it appears in this issue.  An announcement on the TSQL2 Final
Language Definition follows the tutorial. 

Two reports are included in this issue. The first report summarizes a panel 
discussion on The Impact of Database Research on Industrial Products that took
place at the 10th Data Engineering Conference. The panel, moderated by D. Barbara,
addressed issues of how to efficiently transfer technology and how to make our 
research more relevant.  The second report prepared by J. Widom, summarizes a 
panel discussion on Research Issues in Active Database Systems. The panel was 
held at the RIDE-ADS' 94 workshop.

The invited section on Database Research Surveys includes a paper by J. Ramirez 
L. Smith and L. Peterson. The paper presents the characteristics and challenges
associated with medical databases and medical information systems. The section
on Database Research Centers contains an overview of the database research in 
Taiwan at the National Tsing Hua University and Industrial Technology Research
Institute. 

In the Trade Press News, Rafael Alonso suggests a list of topics to be covered 
and calls for your help in identifying contacts and articles you feel would be
of interest to our readers.  

Database Funding opportunities are presented by Xiaolei Qian who has replaced
Marianne Winslett as an associated editor for funding news. I would like to take
this opportunity and thank Marianne for the excellent job she has done in the last
two years, and welcome Xiaolei. In this issue, Xiaolei describes the recent 
requests for proposals from ARPA, NSF, Air Force, NASA, and the Army.

As usual, the issue is concluded with Announcements and Call-for-Papers.



Arie Segev
July, 1994