A Timing Assumption and Two t-Resilient Protocols for Implementing an Eventual Leader Service in Asynchronous Shared Memory Systems

This paper considers the problem of electing an eventual leader in an asynchronous shared memory system. While this problem has received a lot of attention in message-passing systems, very few solutions have been proposed for shared memory systems. As an eventual leader cannot be elected in a pure asynchronous system prone to process crashes, the paper first proposes to enrich the asynchronous system model with an additional assumption. That assumption (denoted AWB) is particularly weak. It is made up of two complementary parts. More precisely, it requires that, after some time, (1) there is a process whose write accesses to some shared variables be timely, and (2) the timers of (t−f) other processes be asymptotically well-behaved (t denotes the maximal number of processes that may crash, and f the actual number of process crashes in a run). The asymptotically well-behaved timer notion is a new notion that generalizes and weakens the traditional notion of timers whose durations are required to monotonically increase when the values they are set to increase (a timer works incorrectly when it expires at arbitrary times, i.e., independently of the value it has been set to). The paper then focuses on the design of t-resilient AWB-based eventual leader protocols. “t-resilient” means that each protocol can cope with up to t process crashes (taking t=n−1 provides wait-free protocols, i.e., protocols that can cope with any number of process failures). Two protocols are presented. The first enjoys the following noteworthy properties: after some time only the elected leader has to write the shared memory, and all but one shared variables have a bounded domain, be the execution finite or infinite. This protocol is consequently optimal with respect to the number of processes that have to write the shared memory. The second protocol guarantees that all the shared variables have a bounded domain. This is obtained at the following additional price: t+1 processes are required to forever write the shared memory. A theorem is proved which states that this price has to be paid by any protocol that elects an eventual leader in a bounded shared memory model. This second protocol is consequently optimal with respect to the number of processes that have to write in such a constrained memory model. In a very interesting way, these protocols show an inherent tradeoff relating the number of processes that have to write the shared memory and the bounded/unbounded attribute of that memory.     

Planar multimode detector arrays for infrared and millimeter-wave applications

A new type of detector array is described. By means of a suitably designed metallic network, many detector elements (each individually small compared to wavelength) are assembled into an impedance-matched termination for radiation incident normally on the plane of the device. Residual reactance is tuned out by means of a movable backshort. An array of 400 bismuth-film microbolometers with a total area of 1 cm²has been tested at 215 GHz. A coupling efficiency of approximately 60 percent was observed. The detector has aD*of4 times 10^{8}cm . Hz^1/2/W at room temperature with response time on the order of2 times 10^{-7}s. Similar arrays of Schottky and SIS diodes can probably be constructed.     

A Dynamic Harmonic Regression Approach to Power System Modal Identification and Prediction

Abstract—Time series models provide a powerful tool to extract nonstationary features from measured data. In this article, a statistical framework based upon a dynamic harmonic regression model for examining modal behavior is provided. In this model, temporal patterns in measured data are modeled within a stochastic state space setting. Estimates of the states or time-varying parameters are then obtained using an optimal estimation method based on the Kalman filter. Techniques to estimate future values of the unobserved signal are also analyzed. The widely applicable technique is illustrated on both simulated and measured data. Factors that affect the performance of the method are discussed, including the effects of non-linear trends, data quality, and sampling design. Connections with other modal identification methods are also investigated.     

Polynomial methods for the structured singular value with real parameters

We consider the structured singular value problem with real parametric uncertainty only. Using techniques from algebraic geometry, we propose two algorithms that in principle can yield the precise value of the structured singular value at a fixed frequency. Their ability to do so depends upon their ability to find all common roots to a system of polynomial equations. The first algorithm is applicable to problems with two real parameters each of multiplicity two. The second algorithm is applicable to problems with n distinct real parameters. These algorithms have proved useful in applications to aerospace control law analysis.     

基于J-FET的DC/DC转换器从300mV电源实现起动和运行

J-FET的自偏压特性可被用来设计一个从低至300mV的电压获取电源的DC/DC转换器.太阳能电池、热电堆和单级燃料电池等均具有低于600mV的输出电压,它们是这种转换器的常用电源.     

大幅降低功耗的高性能64位处理器

P．A．Semi（Santa Clara,美国加州）公司准备发布一款高性能的64位处理器,据称可以在同样性能的水平下,将功耗降低到目前产品的1／10。PA6T-1682M通过采用新的架构设计、工艺的改进和先进的时钟管理技术来实现低功耗,芯片上的门控时钟多达15000个。     

Diminution of quinolizidine alkaloids,oligosaccharides and phenolic compounds from two species of Lupinus and soybean seeds by the effect of Rhizopus oligosporus

Lupinus, like Glycine max (soybean), is an ancient leguminous plant. It has been used as a food by people living around the Mediterranean Sea and in the Andean Highlands. This legume contains quinolizidine alkaloids (Qas), oligosaccharides (OGS) and phenolic compounds (PC). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the growth of Rhizopus oligosporus on the levels of Qas, OGS and PC from L. mutabilis, L. campestris and G. max through tempeh elaboration. The results showed that the soaking and cooking processes of legume seeds diminished the Qas content of L. mutabilis and L. campestris by 50%, and after 48 h of fermentation these compounds decreased by more than 90% in total. OGS diminished by more than 90% in the lupin seeds. The PC content of the three seed species subjected to these processes increased their absorbance value, probably due to the enzymatic action of a fungal tannase. These results suggested that the L. mutabilis, L. campestris and G. max fermentation with R. oligosporus is an efficient method for diminishing antinutritional factors and for obtaining a product with optimal nutritional value. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Contribution of extracellular polymeric substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms to U(VI) immobilization

The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to U(VI) immobilization by Shewanella sp. HRCR-1. Through comparison of U(VI) immobilization using cells with bound EPS (bEPS) and cells with minimal EPS, we show that (i) bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms contribute significantly to U(VI) immobilization, especially at low initial U(VI) concentrations, through both sorption and reduction; (ii) bEPS can be considered a functional extension of the cells for U(VI) immobilization and they likely play more important roles at lower initial U(VI) concentrations; and (iii) the U(VI) reduction efficiency is dependent upon the initial U(VI) concentration and decreases at lower concentrations. To quantify the relative contributions of sorption and reduction to U(VI) immobilization by EPS fractions, we isolated loosely associated EPS (laEPS) and bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms grown in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor and tested their reactivity with U(VI). We found that, when reduced, the isolated cell-free EPS fractions could reduce U(VI). Polysaccharides in the EPS likely contributed to U(VI) sorption and dominated the reactivity of laEPS, while redox active components (e.g., outer membrane c-type cytochromes), especially in bEPS, possibly facilitated U(VI) reduction.     

Enhanced Pt utilization in electrocatalysts by covering of colloidal silica nanoparticles

This work aims at enhancing Pt utilization in electrocatalysts by covering of preformed silica nanoparticles. Pt/C electrocatalysts were prepared by reductive deposition of Pt by citrate at moderate temperatures on silica nanoparticles with varying atomic silica to Pt ratios (1.7:1 and 3.3:1) to study the effects of silica to Pt ratio. Considerable voidages were created by inter-situated 10–20 nm silica nanoparticles between support carbon particulates to facilitate mass transfer of reactants and products. This particular method of catalyst preparation increases the Pt metal utilization, and generates a large amount of accessible voidage in the interpenetrating particle network of carbon and silica to support the facile transport of reactants and products. Electrochemical hydrogen adsorption/desorption has shown an increase in electrochemically active surface area by this approach. Methanol electro-oxidation was used as a test reaction to evaluate the catalytic activity. It was found that the Pt catalyst modified with silica at silica:Pt = 1.7:1 atomic ratio was more active than a catalyst prepared when silica to Pt ratio increased to 3.3:1.