Abstract: A method includes calculating a plurality of first index values indicating access loads from one or more first virtual storage devices accessing a first physical storage device of a plurality of physical storage devices, to the first physical storage device, in a case where access loads from the one or more first virtual storage devices to a plurality of second physical storage devices including the first physical storage device are equalized across the second physical storage devices, the plurality of second physical storage devices being associated with the one or more first virtual storage devices; and outputting a plurality of second index values indicating access loads from a plurality of virtual machines to the first physical storage device, the second index values being obtained by summing the calculated first index values for each virtual machine associated with each of the one or more first virtual storage devices.

Abstract: An abrasive article that may include a circular substrate with a plurality of segments arranged on the circumferential surface of the circular substrate. The abrasive article may also include an outlet slot defining an open space on a peripheral portion of the abrasive article between a first segment and a second segment, a center slot defining an open space in the circular substrate connected to the outlet slot, a noise absorbing hole connected to the center slot and protruding from the center slot in the rotating direction of the abrasive article, and a ratio (H+X)/CSD of at least about 0.01, where H represents a prescribed height of the noise absorbing hole, X represents a prescribed depth of the noise absorbing hole and CSD represents the diameter of the circular substrate.

Abstract: A glass-cell vial is provided which can examine specimen without causing any hindrance even when as minimum as possible specimen is used, and prevents mixture of foreign substances from causing examination errors. A vial is provided which comprises function of cell capable of optical examination, and the inner surface of bottom of the vial is formed to be a round-state convex part upwardly and the outer surface of the bottom is formed to be in convex state. When a small amount of liquid specimen is introduced into this cell vial, a part which can be a light irradiation part for optical examination can be positioned between the meniscus part of the liquid specimen and the upper end of the inner bottom. Consequently, it becomes possible to examine light quantity variation even though the specimen is in small amount.

Abstract: A glass-cell vial is provided which can examine specimen without causing any hindrance even when as minimum as possible specimen is used, and prevents mixture of foreign substances from causing examination errors. A vial is provided which comprises function of cell capable of optical examination, and the inner surface of bottom of the vial is formed to be a round-state convex part upwardly and the outer surface of the bottom is formed to be in convex state. When a small amount of liquid specimen is introduced into this cell vial, a part which can be a light irradiation part for optical examination can be positioned between the meniscus part of the liquid specimen and the upper end of the inner bottom. Consequently, it becomes possible to examine light quantity variation even though the specimen is in small amount.

Abstract: A photometric method and apparatus for measuring agglutination in a biological agglutination reaction system test sample using a laser beam source and at least one photodetector for detecting light scattered by the test sample. The method includes the following steps: (1) arranging the at least one photodetector so as to be capable of detecting scattered light from the test sample at a scatter angle of 30 to 60 with respect to a laser beam directed at the test sample from the laser beam source; (2) irradiating the test sample with the laser beam from the laser beam source; (3) selectively detecting the intensity of scattered light from the test sample at the scatter angle of 30 to 60 using the at least one photodetector which provides an output indicative thereof; and (4) determining the first derivative of the output of the at least one photodetector with respect to time and obtaining the maximum value thereof.

Abstract: Endotoxin contents in samples can be determined qualitatively, or quantitatively, singly or in parallel, with high precision in a short time by a process comprising applying a light to each sample solution, measuring an initial transmitted light amount I.sub.0 and a transmitted light amount at a time t, I(t), to give a ratio R(t)=I(t)/I.sub.0, and judging a gelation point by a threshold value of R(t), or further obtaining a gelation time from the gelation point. An apparatus used therefor is also disclosed.