Reliability/performance evaluation for a multisystem with preventive maintenance

In general, a computing system with high reliability can be achieved by redundancy and/or maintenance. The sophisticated maintenance techniques are more and more important since a computing system can be operated by applying remote maintenance. In this paper we discuss a multisystem with preventive maintenance, which is one of the fault-tolerant computing systems. Making the suitable assumptions, we construct a stochastic model of such a computing system for evaluating reliability/performance. Applying Markov renewal and queueing theories, we analytically obtain several reliability/performance measures. Calculating such measures numerically, we show the impacts of preventive maintenance on such a computing system.     

Synthesis and Characterization of 2,13- and 3,13-Octadecadienals for the Identification of the Sex Pheromone Secreted by a Clearwing Moth

In addition to 2,13- and 3,13-octadecadien-1-ols and their acetates, aldehyde analogs have been identified from lepidopteran species in the family Sesiidae. To establish a reliable analytical method for determining the positions and configurations of the two double bonds in natural pheromone components, all geometric isomers of the 2,13- and 3,13-octadecadienals were synthesized by Dess-Martin oxidation of the corresponding alcohols with limited isomerization of the double bond at the 2- or 3-position. GC-MS analysis of these aldehydes showed isomerization of (Z)-2-, (Z)-3-, and (E)-3-double bonds to an (E)-2-double bond, even with a cool on-column injection. In contrast, HPLC analysis with an ODS column was accomplished without isomerization. The geometric isomers of each dienal eluted in the order ZZ → EZ → ZE → EE. The conjugated 2,13-dienals were detectable in nanogram amounts with a UV detector at 235 nm. Whereas the detection of 3,13-dienals was difficult because of the lack of a chromophore, a highly sensitive analysis was achieved after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. LC-MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization showed a strong [M-1]^- at m/z 443 for the derivatives. Based on these analytical data, a pheromone extract of a sesiid moth, Macroscelesia japona, was examined by HPLC and LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the octadecadienal tentatively identified by a previous GC-MS analysis did indeed have the 2E,13Z configuration. Furthermore, field evaluation of four synthetic geometric isomers of the 2,13-dienal revealed specific attraction to a lure with the (2E,13Z)-isomer as a main component.     

Identification of Novel C20 and C22 Trienoic Acids from Arctiid and Geometrid Female Moths that Produce Polyenyl Type II Sex Pheromone Components

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-electroantennographic detection (EAD) analyses of the sex pheromone extract from a wasp moth, Syntomoides imaon (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Syntominae), showed that virgin females produced (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene and (Z,Z,Z)-1,3,6,9-henicosatetraene with a trace amount of their C(20) analogs. Identification of the chemical structures was facilitated by comparison with authentic standards and the double-bond positions were confirmed by dimethyl disulfide derivatization of monoenes produced by a diimide reduction. In a field test in the Yonaguni-jima Islands, males of the diurnal species were captured in traps baited with a 1:2 mixture of the above-described synthetic C(21) polyenes. Lipids were extracted from the abdominal integument and its associated oenocytes and peripheral fat bodies. Following derivatization, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were fractionated by HPLC equipped with an ODS column, and methyl (Z,Z,Z)-11,14,17-icosatrienoate and (Z,Z,Z)-13,16,19-docosatrienoate were identified by GC-MS. These novel C(20) and C(22) acid moieties are longer-chain analogs of linolenic acid, (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. They are presumed to be biosynthetic precursors of the S. imaon pheromone because the C(21) trienyl component might be formed by decarboxylation of the C(22) acid. On the other hand, the C(20) acid, but not the C(22) acid, was found in FAMEs of Ascotis selenaria cretacea (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), which secretes C(19) pheromone components, (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene and the monoepoxy derivative, indicating that different systems of the chain elongation might play an important role in developing species-specific communication systems mediated with polyunsaturated hydrocarbons and/or epoxy derivatives, components of Type II lepidopteran sex pheromones.     

The structures of attractors reconstructed with time–evolution data of average heat transfer on thermal convection field in a vibrating square enclosure

In this paper the time‐dependent characteristics of surface‐averaged Nusselt number in a square enclosure with hot and cold side walls exposed to vertical vibrations were numerically examined. In the computation, the Prandtl number, the Rayleigh number, and the vibration Grashof number were held constant at 0.71, 10⁴, and 10⁶, respectively. The angular frequency of vibration was changed in the range between 10 and 7680. The results showed that the change in the characteristics of the surface‐averaged Nusselt number proposed by Fu and Shieh corresponded to the change in the shape of reconstructed attractor and that these regions could also be characterized by the three indices defined in phase space: average location of trajectory, the largest Lyapunov exponent, and the correlation dimension. Moreover, the time scale with which the autocorrelated coefficient of the surface‐averaged Nusselt number becomes 1/e was found to be a very important parameter for the time‐ and surface‐averaged Nusselt number. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 30(1): 11–21, 2001     

Isomerization of n-butane by sulfated zirconia: the effect of calcination temperature and characterization of its surface acidity

The distributions of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites of different acid strengths on sulfated zirconia calcined at 450–650°C were measured by IR of adsorbed pyridine to elucidate the active sites for butane isomerization. The total numbers of Brønsted acid sites were largest when the catalyst was calcined at 500°C. The total numbers of Lewis acid sites increased with increasing calcination temperature to a maximum at 650°C. The catalytic activity in skeletal isomerization of butane correlated well with the number of Brønsted acid sites but not with the number of Lewis acid sites. The active sites were completely blocked by pyridine irreversibly absorbed at 350°C. We suggest that the strong Brønsted acid sites, which are able to retain pyridine against evacuation at 350°C, act as active sites for butane isomerization on sulfated zirconia.     

A 5.3-GB/s embedded SDRAM core with slight-boost scheme

This paper describes a slight-boost scheme to improve a transistor performance in system large-scale integrated circuits, which integrate logic circuits and 1-Tr/1-C DRAMs. In this scheme, an embedded SDRAM core has been developed for graphic and multimedia applications. Its maximum operating frequency is 166 MHz, with a peak data rate of 5.3 GB/s. As well, a fast row-address access time of 22 ns has been achieved. The SDRAM core has been fabricated by means of a 0.3-μm quad-polysilicon, triple metal, triple-well CMOS process. This SDRAM core has a block write function, enhanced by a multiselect block write scheme, and a synchronous direct memory-access test circuit has been implemented to reduce the number of test pads     

Removal kinetic model of oil droplet from o/w emulsion by adding methylated milk casein in flotation

In this study, o/w emulsion flotation experiments were conducted by adding methylated milk casein (MeSC). Emulsion used in this study was prepared by ultrasonic emulsification of heavy oil (bunker-A) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution. A simple kinetic model was proposed to estimate the removal rate of the oil droplets within the column. The model was based on main assumption that adsorption of single droplet adsorbed MeCS or floc onto bubble surface within flotation column. Removal rate constant, K, was defined by k_aX_s (S_bτ/V), where k_a and X_s are overall adsorption rate and saturated adsorption density of oil droplet or floc, S_b, τ and V are bubble surface production rate, retention time of bubble swarms and emulsion volume within the column, respectively. The experiments were conducted with varying operating conditions; superficial gas velocity, column dimension and emulsion volume. K was evaluated from slope value of obtained straight line by plotting time versus ln (T/T₀), where T/T₀ is relative turbidity. K was mostly proportional to (S_bτ/V), which corresponds to specific surface area of bubble swarms per unit volume within the column, in the present experimental region. This result suggested that efficiency of this removal process was mainly controlled by the specific surface area of bubble swarms, and proposed model was fundamentally verified.     

Forced oscillations,optimal forcing and resonance of thermal convection under small,time-varying forcing

This study proposes a method to obtain forced oscillation induced by arbitrary small time-varying forcing on a stable thermal convection field, and a framework for finding universal and inherent resonance modes on the field, independent of the ways of forced vibration, indicators of resonance and other information. It is based on an eigenvalue analysis of a Hermitian matrix relating to the frequency response function, and the typical forced oscillation at a resonance is given by the response to the optimal forcing as the eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of the matrix. The method also provides indicators to quantify the efficiency in realizing a given resonance mode by a specific forced vibration. We can find thereby that heat-flux vibration not on the bottom wall but on the left-hand sidewall is preferred for realizing the internal gravity wave resonance.     

Reinvestigation of Thermoelectric Properties of n- and p-Type Ba8−d Au x Si46−x−y Clathrate

We have synthesized n- and p-type clathrates Ba_8?d Au _x Si_46?x?y with various Au contents (4.6 < x < 6.0) by arc-melting, annealing at 1173 K, and spark plasma sintering at 1073 K. The Au compositions found by wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectrometry for the synthesized samples were slightly lower than the nominal compositions. Ba_7.8Au_4.6Si_41.4 and Ba_7.7Au_4.9Si_41.1 samples showed n- and p-type conduction, respectively. According to the electron count (Ba²⁺)₈Au(^3?)_5.33Si_40.67, the clathrate composition with x = 5.33 is expected to be an intrinsic semiconductor. Our experimental results show that increase of the Au composition causes a transition from n-type to p-type conduction between x = 4.6 and 4.9. We have also calculated the band structures of the Ba₈Au _x Si_46?x clathrate including a vacancy by ab initio calculation based on density functional theory with structure optimization. It was found that the vacancy behaves like an electron acceptor and the numbers of vacancies at 24k sites for the synthesized Ba₈Au _x Si_46?x?y clathrates can be estimated as ～0.4 in a unit cell.     

Purification and characterization of a novel extracellular beta-1,3-glucanase produced by Bacillus clausii NM-1 isolated from ezo abalone Haliotis discus hannai

A novel extracellular alkaline stable beta-1,3-glucanase produced by Bacillus clausii NM-1 isolated from the ezo abalone Haliotis discus hannai was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose FF ion exchange chromatography and Sephacryl S-200HR gel filtration. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 71 kDa from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The enzyme was very stable at pH 5.3 to 11.5 but unstable at pH 4.0 to 4.5. The optimum temperature and thermostability of the enzyme increased in the presence of CaC1, The enzyme hydrolyzed R-1,3-glucan from marine organisms, but did not show activity against any other beta-1,3-glucans. The major hydrolysis products of beta-1,3-glucan from Laminaria digitata and Eisenia bicyclis were laminaritriose and laminaritetraose, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme was similar to that of several beta-1,3-glucanases in the glycoside hydrolase family 16.