Monitoring Networked Applications With Incremental Quantile Estimation

Networked applications have software components that reside on different computers. Email, for example, has database, processing, and user interface components that can be distributed across a network and shared by users in different locations or work groups. End-to-end performance and reliability metrics describe the software quality experienced by these groups of users, taking into account all the software components in the pipeline. Each user produces only some of the data needed to understand the quality of the application for the group, so group performance metrics are obtained by combining summary statistics that each end computer periodically (and automatically) sends to a central server. The group quality metrics usually focus on medians and tail quantiles rather than on averages. Distributed quantile estimation is challenging, though, especially when passing large amounts of data around the network solely to compute quality metrics is undesirable. This paper describes an Incremental Quantile (IQ) estimation method that is designed for performance monitoring at arbitrary levels of network aggregation and time resolution when only a limited amount of data can be transferred. Applications to both real and simulated data are provided.Comment: This paper commented in: [arXiv:0708.0317], [arXiv:0708.0336], [arXiv:0708.0338]. Rejoinder in [arXiv:0708.0339]. Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/088342306000000583 in the Statistical Science (http://www.imstat.org/sts/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Rejoinder: Monitoring Networked Applications With Incremental Quantile Estimation

Rejoinder: Monitoring Networked Applications With Incremental Quantile Estimation [arXiv:0708.0302]Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/088342306000000592 in the Statistical Science (http://www.imstat.org/sts/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Rubidium and lead abundances in giant stars of the globular clusters M 13 and NGC 6752

We present measurements of the neutron-capture elements Rb and Pb in five giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 6752 and Pb measurements in four giants of the globular cluster M 13. The abundances were derived by comparing synthetic spectra with high resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained using HDS on the Subaru telescope and MIKE on the Magellan telescope. The program stars span the range of the O-Al abundance variation. In NGC 6752, the mean abundances are [Rb/Fe] = -0.17 +/- 0.06 (sigma = 0.14), [Rb/Zr] = -0.12 +/- 0.06 (sigma = 0.13), and [Pb/Fe] = -0.17 +/- 0.04 (sigma = 0.08). In M 13 the mean abundance is [Pb/Fe] = -0.28 +/- 0.03 (sigma = 0.06). Within the measurement uncertainties, we find no evidence for a star-to-star variation for either Rb or Pb within these clusters. None of the abundance ratios [Rb/Fe], [Rb/Zr], or [Pb/Fe] are correlated with the Al abundance. NGC 6752 may have slightly lower abundances of [Rb/Fe] and [Rb/Zr] compared to the small sample of field stars at the same metallicity. For M 13 and NGC 6752 the Pb abundances are in accord with predictions from a Galactic chemical evolution model. If metal-poor intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars did produce the globular cluster abundance anomalies, then such stars do not synthesize significant quantities of Rb or Pb. Alternatively, if such stars do synthesize large amounts of Rb or Pb, then they are not responsible for the abundance anomalies seen in globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Rubidium and lead abundances in giant stars of the globular clusters M4 and M5

We present measurements of the neutron-capture elements Rb and Pb for bright giants in the globular clusters M4 and M5. The clusters are of similar metallicity ([Fe/H] = -1.2) but M4 is decidedly s-process enriched relative to M5: [Ba/Fe] = +0.6 for M4 but 0.0 for M5. The Rb and Pb abundances were derived by comparing synthetic spectra with high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with MIKE on the Magellan telescope. Abundances of Y, Zr, La, and Eu were also obtained. In M4, the mean abundances from 12 giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.39 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07), [Rb/Zr] = 0.17 +/- 0.03 (sigma = 0.08), and [Pb/Fe] = 0.30 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07). In M5, the mean abundances from two giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.00 +/- 0.05 (sigma = 0.06), [Rb/Zr] = 0.08 +/- 0.08 (sigma = 0.11), and [Pb/Fe] = -0.35 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.04). Within the measurement uncertainties, the abundance ratios [Rb/Fe], [Pb/Fe] and [Rb/X] for X = Y, Zr, La are constant from star-to-star in each cluster and none of these ratios are correlated with O or Na abundances. While M4 has a higher Rb abundance than M5, the ratios [Rb/X] are similar in both clusters indicating that the nature of the s-products are very similar for each cluster but the gas from which M4's stars formed had a higher concentration of these products.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Collaboration in the cloud at Google

Through a detailed analysis of logs of activity for all Google employees1, this paper shows how the Google Docs suite (documents, spreadsheets and slides) enables and increases collaboration within Google. In particular, visualization and analysis of the evolution of Google’s collaboration net-work show that new employees2, have started collaborating more quickly and with more people as usage of Docs has grown. Over the last two years, the percentage of new employees who col-laborate on Docs per month has risen from 70% to 90 % and the percentage who collaborate with more than two people has doubled from 35 % to 70%. Moreover, the culture of collaboration has become more open, with public sharing within Google overtaking private sharing.

Rubidium and Lead Abundances in Giant Stars of the Globular Clusters M4 and M5

We present measurements of the neutron-capture elements Rb and Pb for bright giants in the globular clusters M4 and M5. The clusters are of similar metallicity ([Fe/ H] similar or equal to -1.2), but M4 is decidedly s-process enriched relative to M5: [Ba/Fe] = +0.6 for M4 but 0.0 for M5. The Rb and Pb abundances were derived by comparing synthetic spectra with high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with MIKE on the Magellan Telescope. Abundances of Y, Zr, La, and Eu were also obtained. In M4, the mean abundances from 12 giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.39 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07), [Rb/Zr] = 0.17 +/- 0.03 (sigma = 0.08), and [Pb/Fe] = 0.30 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07). In M5, the mean abundances from two giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.00 +/- 0.05 (sigma = 0.06), [Rb/Zr] = 0.08 +/- 0: 08 (sigma = 0.11), and [Pb/Fe] = -0.35 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.04). Within the measurement uncertainties, the abundance ratios [Rb/Fe], [Pb/Fe], and [Rb/X] for X = Y, Zr, and La are constant from star to star in each cluster, and none of these ratios are correlated with O or Na abundances. While M4 has a higher Rb abundance than M5, the ratios [Rb/X] are similar in both clusters, indicating that the nature of the s-products is very similar for each cluster but the gas from which M4's stars formed had a higher concentration of these products

Itinéraire culturel de Belen: consolidation de l’ identité culturelle du quartier de Belén comme moyen de revitalisation urbaine

El interés del proyecto radica en la revitalización de entornos de importancia y carácter patrimonial dentro de la ciudad de Bogotá, más específicamente dentro del barrio Belén. Este barrio ha sido testigo de gran parte de la evolución y crecimiento de la ciudad desde su fundación en 1580, y desde entonces, ha sido un lugar donde gran parte de la vida urbana toma parte. El valor patrimonial de este barrio no radica en sus construcciones o entorno físico -dado que sus cualidades arquitectónicas originales han sido alteradas en gran manera y modificadas para servir a los distintos estilos de vida que han estado tomando lugar dentro del barrio y la ciudad con el paso del tiempo-, sino en su vida comunal, costumbres únicas, las actividades tradicionales y manifestaciones culturales que toman lugar en esta comunidad. Tal autenticidad ha valido al barrio el sobrenombre entre los residentes de “un pueblo dentro de Bogotá”, y es esta autenticidad y estos valores patrimoniales que intentan preservarse, protegiendo el barrio y su comunidad del inminente desarrollo de bienes raíces y los procesos de gentrificación que han estado afectando fuertemente esta parte de la ciudad. El proyecto está clasificado dentro de la línea Arquitectónica, con enfoque en Patrimonio y énfasis en Paisaje, Lugar y Territorio. Se desarrollará una serie de intervenciones arquitectónicas dentro del marco de una propuesta urbana que ayude a promover la economía local de estos barrios, promueva la actividad turística y mejore la calidad de vida de los habitantes