Granularity in Large-Scale Parallel Functional Programming

This thesis demonstrates how to reduce the runtime of large non-strict functional programs using parallel evaluation. The parallelisation of several programs shows the importance of granularity, i.e. the computation costs of program expressions. The aspect of granularity is studied both on a practical level, by presenting and measuring runtime granularity improvement mechanisms, and at a more formal level, by devising a static granularity analysis. By parallelising several large functional programs this thesis demonstrates for the first time the advantages of combining lazy and parallel evaluation on a large scale: laziness aids modularity, while parallelism reduces runtime. One of the parallel programs is the Lolita system which, with more than 47,000 lines of code, is the largest existing parallel non-strict functional program. A new mechanism for parallel programming, evaluation strategies, to which this thesis contributes, is shown to be useful in this parallelisation. Evaluation strategies simplify parallel programming by separating algorithmic code from code specifying dynamic behaviour. For large programs the abstraction provided by functions is maintained by using a data-oriented style of parallelism, which defines parallelism over intermediate data structures rather than inside the functions. A highly parameterised simulator, GRANSIM, has been constructed collaboratively and is discussed in detail in this thesis. GRANSIM is a tool for architecture-independent parallelisation and a testbed for implementing runtime-system features of the parallel graph reduction model. By providing an idealised as well as an accurate model of the underlying parallel machine, GRANSIM has proven to be an essential part of an integrated parallel software engineering environment. Several parallel runtime- system features, such as granularity improvement mechanisms, have been tested via GRANSIM. It is publicly available and in active use at several universities worldwide. In order to provide granularity information this thesis presents an inference-based static granularity analysis. This analysis combines two existing analyses, one for cost and one for size information. It determines an upper bound for the computation costs of evaluating an expression in a simple strict higher-order language. By exposing recurrences during cost reconstruction and using a library of recurrences and their closed forms, it is possible to infer the costs for some recursive functions. The possible performance improvements are assessed by measuring the parallel performance of a hand-analysed and annotated program

The development of time-dependent biofouling model for ships

Despite a large amount of research, the effect of barnacle fouling on the frictional resistance has a lack of systematical experimental investigation focussing on parameters such as size, coverage area and settlement pattern. Limited roughness functions data about barnacle fouling is available in the literature. Moreover, although a large number of the study has been carried out on the effect of roughness on the frictional resistance, only the limited lab-based results were extrapolated to the full-scale ship results (Schultz et al.,2011).;In addition, antifouling precautions cost 5% of the total fuel-oil cost of world fleet for a year, and to the best of the author's knowledge, there is no scientifically settled approach for selecting the best antifouling coating for the ship in question. This situation forced vessel owners/responsible person have their particular strategy to deal with marine fouling based on personal experience or negotiating with the sales personnel of the paint company.;Based on the background given above, an extensive and systematic experimental study was carried out for investigating the effect of barnacle fouling on ship resistance and powering. One of the most common barnacle geometry was produced on bundles through a 3D technology and attached on the flat plates for towing tank experiments at Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory in the University of Strathclyde. Eighteen different configurations varying in terms of size, coverage area and settlement pattern were tested. Drag characterisations, determination of roughness functions and full-scale extrapolations were performed.;A simplified time-dependent biofouling prediction model for ships was developed in order to be used as a decision support tool, regarding the effect of biofouling on ship resistance due to the performance of the antifouling coating. First, a growth prediction model was developed based on the antifouling field test data (fouling ratings in time) and then time parameter of this model was assigned to the idle times of ships coming from ship operational data. The fouling ratings were predicted in time according to this data, and then these fouling ratings were converted into the sand roughness height in accordance with the roughness data provided in the literature and this PhD thesis. Predicted equivalent sand roughness heights were then employed in the Granville similarity law scaling process to predict the increase in the ship frictional resistance and powering. Finally, the results were compared with real-world operation data and ship performance report provided by a ship performance analysis company. The results of the comparison showed that there is a good agreement between the predictions and real-world operation data as well as the company report.Despite a large amount of research, the effect of barnacle fouling on the frictional resistance has a lack of systematical experimental investigation focussing on parameters such as size, coverage area and settlement pattern. Limited roughness functions data about barnacle fouling is available in the literature. Moreover, although a large number of the study has been carried out on the effect of roughness on the frictional resistance, only the limited lab-based results were extrapolated to the full-scale ship results (Schultz et al.,2011).;In addition, antifouling precautions cost 5% of the total fuel-oil cost of world fleet for a year, and to the best of the author's knowledge, there is no scientifically settled approach for selecting the best antifouling coating for the ship in question. This situation forced vessel owners/responsible person have their particular strategy to deal with marine fouling based on personal experience or negotiating with the sales personnel of the paint company.;Based on the background given above, an extensive and systematic experimental study was carried out for investigating the effect of barnacle fouling on ship resistance and powering. One of the most common barnacle geometry was produced on bundles through a 3D technology and attached on the flat plates for towing tank experiments at Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory in the University of Strathclyde. Eighteen different configurations varying in terms of size, coverage area and settlement pattern were tested. Drag characterisations, determination of roughness functions and full-scale extrapolations were performed.;A simplified time-dependent biofouling prediction model for ships was developed in order to be used as a decision support tool, regarding the effect of biofouling on ship resistance due to the performance of the antifouling coating. First, a growth prediction model was developed based on the antifouling field test data (fouling ratings in time) and then time parameter of this model was assigned to the idle times of ships coming from ship operational data. The fouling ratings were predicted in time according to this data, and then these fouling ratings were converted into the sand roughness height in accordance with the roughness data provided in the literature and this PhD thesis. Predicted equivalent sand roughness heights were then employed in the Granville similarity law scaling process to predict the increase in the ship frictional resistance and powering. Finally, the results were compared with real-world operation data and ship performance report provided by a ship performance analysis company. The results of the comparison showed that there is a good agreement between the predictions and real-world operation data as well as the company report

Verifying Information Flow Control Libraries

Information Flow Control (IFC) is a principled approach to protecting the confidentiality and integrity of data in software systems. Intuitively, IFC sys- tems associate data with security labels that track and restrict flows of information throughout a program in order to enforce security. Most IFC techniques require developers to use specific programming languages and tools that require substantial efforts to develop or to adopt. To avoid redundant work and lower the threshold for adopting secure languages, IFC has been embedded in general-purpose languages through software libraries that promote security-by-construction with their API.This thesis makes several contributions to state-of-the-art static (MAC) and dynamic IFC libraries (LIO) in three areas: expressive power, theoretical IFC foundations and protection against covert channels. Firstly, the thesis gives a functor algebraic structure to sensitive data, in a way that it can be processed through classic functional programming patterns that do not incur in security checks. Then, it establishes the formal security guarantees of MAC, using the standard proof technique of term erasure, enriched with two-steps erasure, a novel idea that simplifies reasoning about advanced programming features, such as exceptions, mutable references and concurrency. Secondly, the thesis demonstrates that the lightweight, but coarse-grained, enforcement of dynamic IFC libraries (e.g., LIO) can be as precise and permissive as the fine-grained, but heavyweight, approach of fully-fledged IFC languages. Lastly, the thesis contributes to the design of secure runtime systems that protect IFC libraries, and IFC languages as well, against internal- and external-timing covert channels that leak information through certain runtime system resources and features, such as lazy evaluation and parallelism.The results of this thesis are supported with extensive machine-checked proof scripts, consisting of 12,000 lines of code developed in the Agda proof assistant

Projection-Based Program Analysis

Projection-based program analysis techniques are remarkable for their ability to give highly detailed and useful information not obtainable by other methods. The first proposed projection-based analysis techniques were those of Wadler and Hughes for strictness analysis, and Launchbury for binding-time analysis; both techniques are restricted to analysis of first-order monomorphic languages. Hughes and Launchbury generalised the strictness analysis technique, and Launchbury the binding-time analysis technique, to handle polymorphic languages, again restricted to first order. Other than a general approach to higher-order analysis suggested by Hughes, and an ad hoc implementation of higher-order binding-time analysis by Mogensen, neither of which had any formal notion of correctness, there has been no successful generalisation to higher-order analysis. We present a complete redevelopment of monomorphic projection-based program analysis from first principles, starting by considering the analysis of functions (rather than programs) to establish bounds on the intrinsic power of projection-based analysis, showing also that projection-based analysis can capture interesting termination properties. The development of program analysis proceeds in two distinct steps: first for first-order, then higher order. Throughout we maintain a rigorous notion of correctness and prove that our techniques satisfy their correctness conditions. Our higher-order strictness analysis technique is able to capture various so-called data-structure-strictness properties such as head strictness-the fact that a function may be safely assumed to evaluate the head of every cons cell in a list for which it evaluates the cons cell. Our technique, and Hunt's PER-based technique (originally proposed at about the same time as ours), are the first techniques of any kind to capture such properties at higher order. Both the first-order and higher-order techniques are the first projection-based techniques to capture joint strictness properties-for example, the fact that a function may be safely assumed to evaluate at least one of several arguments. The first-order binding-time analysis technique is essentially the same as Launchbury's; the higher-order technique is the first such formally-based higher-order generalisation. Ours are the first projection-based termination analysis techniques, and are the first techniques of any kind that are able to detect termination properties such as head termination-the fact that termination of a cons cell implies termination of the head. A notable feature of the development is the method by which the first-order analysis semantics are generalised to higher-order: except for the fixed-point constant the higher-order semantics are all instances of a higher-order semantics parameterised by the constants defining the various first-order semantics

Advances in Phytochemistry, Textile and Renewable Energy Research for Industrial Growth

The International Conference on Phytochemistry, Textile, & Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Development (ICPTRE 2020) was hosted by the World bank funded Africa Centre of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy (ACEII-PTRE) based at Moi University in conjunction with Donghua University, China and the Sino–Africa International Symposium on Textiles and Apparel (SAISTA). The theme of the conference was Advancing Science, Technology and Innovation for Industrial Growth. The research relationships between universities and industry have enabled the two entities to flourish and, in the past, have been credited for accelerated sustainable development and uplifting of millions out poverty. ICPTRE 2020 therefore provided a platform for academic researchers drawn from across the world to meet key industry professionals and actively share knowledge while advancing the role of research in industrial development, particularly, in the developing nations. The conference also provided exhibitors with an opportunity to interact with professionals and showcase their business, products, technologies and equipment. During the course of the conference, industrial exhibitions, research papers and presentations in the fields of phytochemistry, textiles, renewable energy, industry, science, technology, innovations and much more were presented

Bio-based products and applications potential

As the current model of production and consumption which largely relies on fossil-based resources impacts irreversibly on the environment and the availability of natural resources is approaching a peak soon, significant steps are being taken around the world to move from today’s fossil based economy to a more sustainable economy based on biomass. A key factor in the realisation of a successful bio-based economy is the production of a range of bio-based products and bioenergy to substitute their fossil-derived equivalents by processing a wide variety of biological feedstock. The total European Bioeconomy amounts to a 2.1 trillion EUR turnover and provides 18.3 million jobs, which accounts for approximately 9% of the total EU workforce 1. The EU has declared the bio-based products sector to be a priority area with high potential for future growth, reindustrialisation, and addressing societal challenges. Ιn this report, a review of the application areas and market penetration of the following bio-based market segments is attempted, along with an assessment of possible barriers to uptake and growth and future trends that characterize each specific sector: Bio-based chemicals and building blocks; Bioenergy and biofuels; Bioplastics/ biomaterials; Bio-based food and feed ingredients; Biosurfactants; Biolubricants. This analysis was made following a review of relevant literature and based on several qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the bio-based production domain. Additionally, information about the supply chains of bio-based products (relating to biomass feedstock used, processes and biorefineries) and about existing legislation and policy framework is presented

Use of open source information and commercial satellite imagery for nuclear nonproliferation regime compliance verification by a community of academics

The proliferation of nuclear weapons is a great threat to world peace and stability. The question of strengthening the nonproliferation regime has been open for a long period of time. In 1997 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors (BOG) adopted the Additional Safeguards Protocol. The purpose of the protocol is to enhance the IAEA’s ability to detect undeclared production of fissile materials in member states. However, the IAEA does not always have sufficient human and financial resources to accomplish this task. Developed here is a concept for making use of human and technical resources available in academia that could be used to enhance the IAEA’s mission. The objective of this research was to study the feasibility of an academic community using commercially or publicly available sources of information and products for the purpose of detecting covert facilities and activities intended for the unlawful acquisition of fissile materials or production of nuclear weapons. In this study, the availability and use of commercial satellite imagery systems, commercial computer codes for satellite imagery analysis, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)verification International Monitoring System (IMS), publicly available information sources such as watchdog groups and press reports, and Customs Services information were explored. A system for integrating these data sources to form conclusions was also developed. The results proved that publicly and commercially available sources of information and data analysis can be a powerful tool in tracking violations in the international nuclear nonproliferation regime and a framework for implementing these tools in academic community was developed. As a result of this study a formation of an International Nonproliferation Monitoring Academic Community (INMAC) is proposed. This would be an independent organization consisting of academics (faculty, staff and students) from both nuclear weapon states (NWS) and non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS). This community analyzes all types of unclassified publicly and commercially available information to aid in detection of violations of the non-proliferation regime. INMAC shares all of this information with the IAEA and the public. Since INMAC is composed solely by members of the academic community, this organization would not demonstrate any biases in its investigations or reporting

Advances in Phytochemistry, Textile and Renewable Energy Research for Industrial Growth

The International Conference on Phytochemistry, Textile, & Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Development (ICPTRE 2020) was hosted by the World bank funded Africa Centre of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy (ACEII-PTRE) based at Moi University in conjunction with Donghua University, China and the Sino–Africa International Symposium on Textiles and Apparel (SAISTA). The theme of the conference was Advancing Science, Technology and Innovation for Industrial Growth. The research relationships between universities and industry have enabled the two entities to flourish and, in the past, have been credited for accelerated sustainable development and uplifting of millions out poverty. ICPTRE 2020 therefore provided a platform for academic researchers drawn from across the world to meet key industry professionals and actively share knowledge while advancing the role of research in industrial development, particularly, in the developing nations. The conference also provided exhibitors with an opportunity to interact with professionals and showcase their business, products, technologies and equipment. During the course of the conference, industrial exhibitions, research papers and presentations in the fields of phytochemistry, textiles, renewable energy, industry, science, technology, innovations and much more were presented

Comparison of the vocabularies of the Gregg shorthand dictionary and Horn-Peterson's basic vocabulary of business letters

This study is a comparative analysis of the vocabularies of Horn and Peterson's The Basic Vocabulary of Business Letters1 and the Gregg Shorthand Dictionary.2 Both books purport to present a list of words most frequently encountered by stenographers and students of shorthand. The, Basic Vocabulary of Business Letters, published "in answer to repeated requests for data on the words appearing most frequently in business letters,"3 is a frequency list specific to business writing. Although the book carries the copyright date of 1943, the vocabulary was compiled much earlier. The listings constitute a part of the data used in the preparation of the 10,000 words making up the ranked frequency list compiled by Ernest Horn and staff and published in 1926 under the title of A Basic Writing Vocabulary: 10,000 Words Lost Commonly Used in Writing. The introduction to that publication gives credit to Miss Cora Crowder for the contribution of her Master's study at the University of Minnesota concerning words found in business writing. With additional data from supplementary sources, the complete listing represents twenty-six classes of business, as follows 1. Miscellaneous 2. Florists 3. Automobile manufacturers and sales companie

Variation of Soil Structure in the Foot and Toe Slopes of Mt. Vukan, East-central Serbia

This paper presents the variation of soil structure along the foot and toe slopes of Mt. Vukan, East-Central Serbia. The analysis of aggregate size distribution and structure indices were conducted by means of soil units, characteristic soil horizons and elevation differences along the study area. Soils of Great Field located at different elevations were found to have significant variation in ASD and soil structure indices. Topsoil horizon of Eutric Cambisols have higher MWD after dry sieving, but at the same time it has the highest variation in MWD after wet sieving, indicating low water stability, which is opposite to the coefficient of aggregability. We share an opinion that change in MWD better depicts soils structure stability to water. The results of correlation analysis indicated that clay content is correlated more to structure indices compared with SOM content. SOM is significantly correlated with ASD and soil structure indices only in Calcomelansols, whereas the significant correlation of clay content and soil structure is more evident in Eutric Cambisols and Non-calcaric Chernozems, compared with other soil units. Soil structure variation along the lowest chain of Catena might be strong, and that it has to be analyzed from the point of view of soil unit and their corresponding soil horizons