Scheduling streaming applications on a complex multicore platform

In this paper, we consider the problem of scheduling streaming applications described by complex task graphs on a heterogeneous multicore platform, the IBM QS 22 platform, embedding two STI Cell Broadband Engine processor. We first derive a complete computation and communication model of the platform on the basis of comprehensive benchmarks. Then we use this model to express the problem of maximizing the throughput of a streaming application on this platform. Although the problem is proven NP‐complete, we present an optimal solution based on mixed linear programming. We also propose simpler scheduling heuristics to compute mapping of the application task graph on the platform. We then come back to the platform and propose a scheduling software to deploy streaming applications on this platform. This allows us to thoroughly test our scheduling strategies on the real platform. We thus show that we are able to achieve a good speed‐up either with the mixed linear programming solution or using involved scheduling heuristics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

铝酸盐水泥在堵漏剂中的应用

铝酸盐水泥具有快凝、快硬、补偿收缩、高强、耐磨及耐化学腐蚀等特性,使其能够用于防水、堵漏、封闭裂缝及锚固螺栓的堵漏剂.研究凯诺斯公司Ciment Fondu铝酸盐水泥含量对堵漏剂砂浆凝结时间和抗压强度的影响,研究结果可用于帮助堵漏剂产品配方的设计.     

Crystal structure of CcdB, a topoisomerase poison from E. coli

The crystal structure of CcdB, a protein that poisons Escherichia coli gyrase, was determined in three crystal forms. The protein consists of a five-stranded antiparallel beta-pleated sheet followed by a C-terminal alpha-helix. In one of the loops of the sheet, a second small three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet is inserted that sticks out of the molecule as a wing. This wing contains the LysC proteolytic cleavage site that is protected by CcdA and, therefore, forms a likely CcdA recognition site. A dimer is formed by sheet extension and by extensive hydrophobic contacts involving three of the five methionine residues and the C terminus of the alpha-helix. The surface of the dimer on the side of the alpha-helix is overall negatively charged, while the opposite side as well as the wing sheet is dominated by positive charges. We propose that the CcdB dimer binds into the central hole of the 59 kDa N-terminal fragment of GyrA, after disruption of the head dimer interface of GyrA.     

Synthesis, characterization and photoconductive properties of optically active methacrylic polymers bearing side-chain 9-phenylcarbazole moieties

The synthesis of two novel optically active monomers containing 9-phenylcarbazole moieties, such as (S)-(+)-2-methacryloyloxy-N-[4-(9-carbazolyl)phenyl]succinimide [(S)-(+)-MCPS] and (S)-(+)-3-methacryloyloxy-N-[4-(9-carbazolyl)phenyl]pyrrolidine [(S)-(+)-MCPP], is described. Each monomer has been radically homopolymerized to afford the corresponding optically active polymeric derivatives, which have been fully characterized. Their spectroscopic, thermal and photoconductive properties were compared to those of the new achiral homopolymer poly[N-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-N-[4-(9-carbazolyl)phenyl]ethylamine] {poly[MCPE]}, devised as an optically inactive macromolecular model compound, as well as to analogue polymeric derivatives containing side-chain optically active carbazolyl moieties. The chiroptical properties of the chiral polymers are quantitatively higher than in the corresponding monomers. Owing to the substantially stereoirregular structure of the main chain, this suggests that the overall optical activity is mainly due to conformational dissymmetry of the macromolecules. Spectroscopic evidence suggests the presence in all polymeric derivatives of dipole-dipole interactions between the 9-phenylcarbazolyl chromophores, occurring as a consequence of their anchorage to the polymer backbone, which favours their aggregation and justifies their high decomposition temperatures.     

Optically active methacrylic copolymers with side-chain azoaromatic and 9-phenylcarbazole moieties

The synthesis and structural characterization of optically active copolymers such as poly[(S)-(+)-MCPP-co-(S)-MAP-N] and poly[(S)-(+)-MCPP-co-(S)-MAP-C] has been performed in order to obtain a multifunctional photonic material for chiroptical switches and for optical storage applications.The observed chiroptical properties suggest the presence of ordered chiral conformations at least for the chain segments of the macromolecules. Spectroscopic, thermal and chiroptical characterization of these copolymers demonstrate the occurrence of significant electronic interactions between the carbazole chromophores and the azobenzene moieties. The photoinduction of birefringence of copolymer films has been investigated in order to evaluate their behavior as a material for optical data storage. Surface-relief gratings (SRG) have also been inscribed on the material.The results are interpreted in terms of copolymer composition, cooperative behavior and conformational stiffness of the chromophoric co-units.     

A supervised method to discriminate between impostors and genuine in biometry

In this paper, we describe a supervised technique that allows to develop a more robust biometric system with respect to those based directly on the similarities of the biometric matchers or on the similarities normalised by the unconstrained cohort normalisation.In order to discriminate between genuine and impostors a quadratic discriminant classifier is trained using four features: the similarities of the biometric matcher; the similarities of the biometric matcher after the unconstrained cohort normalisation (UCN); the average scores among the test pattern and the users that belong to the background model; the difference between the user-specific threshold and the user-independent threshold.The proposed technique is validated by extensive experiments carried out on several biometric datasets (palm, finger, 2D and 3D faces, and ear). The experimental results demonstrate that the capabilities provided by our supervised method can significantly improve the performance of a standard biometric matcher or the performance of the standard UCN.     

Sustainable Electric Arc Furnace Steel Production: GREENEAF

In the modern electric arc furnace (EAF), more than 40 % of energy comes from chemical sources by fossil fuels: natural gas is used in dedicated burners during the melting of the scrap, while lump coal (mainly anthracite) is added to the basket and pulverized coal is injected as a foaming agent. Within the frame of the European Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), the ongoing project GREENEAF (RFSR-CT-2009-004) is studying the possibility to replace coal and natural gas in EAF with char and syngas produced by biomass pyrolysis. The best pyrolysis conditions to obtain the proper syngas and char quality have been defined by laboratory tests using biomass available in the surrounding of the partners steel shops. Industrial trials have been performed in three different EAF plants. The results demonstrated the technical feasibility of the approaches, while the economical evaluation has showed the sustainability of replacing the coal with char from biomass in addition to environmental benefits due to CO₂ reduction.     

Confidence estimation of feedback information for logicdiagnosis

This paper proposes an estimation method for the confidence level of feedback information (CLFI), namely the confidence level of reported information in computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) architecture for logic diagnosis. This confidence estimation provides a diagnosis module with precise reported information to quickly identify the origin of equipment failure. We studied the factors affecting CLFI, such as measurement system reliability, production context, position of sensors in the acquisition chains, type of products, reference metrology, preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance based on historical data and feedback information generated by production equipments. We introduced the new ‘CLFI’ concept based on the Dynamic Bayesian Network approach and Tree Augmented Naïve Bayes model. Our contribution includes an on-line confidence computation module for production equipment data, and an algorithm to compute CLFI. We suggest it to be applied to the semiconductor manufacturing industry.     

Fusion of multi‐spectral SPOT‐5 images and very high resolution texture information extracted from digital orthophotos for automatic classification of complex Alpine areas

In areas with complex three‐dimensional features, slope and aspect interact with light conditions and significantly affect the spatial structure of images acquired by remote sensing instruments (for example, by changing the distribution of shadows and affecting the texture of high resolution imagery). In this scenario, this paper analyses the potential and the effectiveness of an automatic classification system to identify three fundamental vegetation classes (forest, grassland and crops) in the complex topography of the Italian Alps (Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy). This classification system is based on the fusion of spectral information provided by the SPOT‐5 multi‐spectral channels (Ground Instantaneous Field of View, GIFOV, equal to 10 m) and textural information extracted from airborne digital orthophotos (GIFOV equal to 1 m) and is designed to be user‐friendly. The texture of the digital orthophotos was modelled using defined bidirectional variograms, thereby extracting additional information unavailable in first‐order texture analyses. Using SPOT‐5 multi‐spectral information alone, the classification accuracy in the investigated alpine area was equal to 87.5%, but increased to 92.1% when texture information was included. In particular, the texture information significantly increased the classification accuracy for crops (from 68.9% to 87.9%), especially orchards that tend to be classified as lowland deciduous forests, and herbaceous crops (such as maize) that are often misclassified as grasslands. A further simple majority analysis increased the ability of detecting grassland, crops and urban zones. The combination of the majority analysis and the proposed automatic classification system seems an effective approach to classifying vegetation types in highly fragmented and complex Alpine landscapes on a regional scale.