A Generic Implementation of Tree Skeletons

In data-parallel skeleton libraries, the implementation of skeletons is usually tightly-coupled with that of data structures. However, loose coupling between them like C++ STL will improve modularity and flexibility of skeletons and data structures. This flexibility is particularly valuable for tree skeletons. To achieve such loose coupling, we present an iterator-based interface of trees for tree skeletons. We have implemented tree skeletons on the basis of our interface; we present their design and implementation. This paper also reports the results of preliminary experiments.     

Rule Construction and Execution for Root Cause Analysis

We developed a root cause analysis (RCA) system for an enterprise IT system environment. In this paper, we propose a rule‐construction method that builds analysis rule data objects from general analysis rules and the topology information of the actual target IT environment. Using this method, the IT administrator can use the RCA system without any manual rule modifications. For the execution of the analysis, we introduce the certainty factor to realize robust analysis when the order and reachability of a fault event cannot be guaranteed.     

Nafion film/K(+)-exchanged glass optical waveguide sensor for BTX detection

An optical waveguide (OWG) sensor for the detection of BTX gases is reported. The highly sensitive element of this sensor was made by coating the copper Nafion film over a single-mode potassium ion exchanged glass OWG. We used the OWG sensor to detect toluene gas as a typical example BTX gas. The sensor exhibits a linear response to toluene in the range of 0.25-4250 ppm with response and recovery times less than 25 s. The sensor has a short response time, high sensitivity, and good reversibility.     

Functional Models of Hadoop MapReduce with Application to Scan

MapReduce, first proposed by Google, is a remarkable programming model for processing very large amounts of data. An open-source implementation of MapReduce, called Hadoop, is now used for developing a wide range of applications. Although developing a correct and efficient program on MapReduce is much easier than developing one with MPI etc., it is still nontrivial if the target application requires involved functionalities of Hadoop MapReduce. Under these situations, functional models for MapReduce computation play important roles because we can utilize them for better understanding, proving the correctness, and even optimization of MapReduce programs. In this paper, we develop two functional models, a low-level one and a high-level one, which capture the semantics of Hadoop MapReduce computation. We discuss the detailed semantics mainly in terms of the following two computations: the computation of Mapper and Reducer classes and the computation in the Shuffle phase with the secondary-sorting technique. In addition, we develop MapReduce algorithms for the scan computational pattern (prefix sums) on the newly proposed models.     

Effect of magnetic fields on cryptochrome-dependent responses in Arabidopsis thaliana

The scientific literature describing the effects of weak magnetic fields on living systems contains a plethora of contradictory reports, few successful independent replication studies and a dearth of plausible biophysical interaction mechanisms. Most such investigations have been unsystematic, devoid of testable theoretical predictions and, ultimately, unconvincing. A recent study, of magnetic responses in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, however, stands out; it has a clear hypothesis—that seedling growth is magnetically sensitive as a result of photoinduced radical-pair reactions in cryptochrome photoreceptors—tested by measuring several cryptochrome-dependent responses, all of which proved to be enhanced in a magnetic field of intensity 500 μT. The potential importance of this study in the debate on putative effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on human health prompted us to subject it to the ‘gold standard’ of independent replication. With experimental conditions chosen to match those of the original study, we have measured hypocotyl lengths and anthocyanin accumulation for Arabidopsis seedlings grown in a 500 μT magnetic field, with simultaneous control experiments at 50 μT. Additionally, we have determined hypocotyl lengths of plants grown in 50 μT, 1 mT and approximately 100 mT magnetic fields (with zero-field controls), measured gene (CHS, HY5 and GST) expression levels, investigated blue-light intensity effects and explored the influence of sucrose in the growth medium. In no case were consistent, statistically significant magnetic field responses detected.     

Effect of belt transport speed and other factors on belt mistracking

Rubber rollers and conveyor belts transport flexible sheet-type media. With high-speed belt transporting systems such as mail sorters, demand for an increase in speed may cause the belt to come off. Therefore, we have examined the effects of belt transport speed and other factors that may cause belt mistracking for a basic belt conveyor system, consisting of one flat belt and two crown-face rollers. Experiments were conducted and we have formulated an experimental expression of the amount of belt mistracking using the roller misalignment parameters. As for transport speed, a speed increase did not enlarge belt mistracking. This tendency was explained by applying the cornering force of automotive engineering. In parallel, simulation was conducted using commercial motion system analysis software. The qualitative tendencies of the belt mistracking from simulation and experiment were in good agreement and factorial effects were clarified for ten parameters. Quantitatively, when axial load on rollers and other parameters were made equal, the belt mistracking according to simulation was generally in agreement with the experimental value.