diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/FileBasedBuffer.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/FileBasedBuffer.java
index 354a745..e88d74e 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/FileBasedBuffer.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/FileBasedBuffer.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
         bufferLastFlushOffset = 0;
         bufferNextWriteOffset = 0;
         this.diskSectorSize = diskSectorSize;
-        this.latch = new ReentrantReadWriteLock(true);
+        latch = new ReentrantReadWriteLock(true);
         referenceCount = new AtomicInteger(0);
     }
 
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IFileBasedBuffer.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IFileBasedBuffer.java
index 4f6d2b8..a4ea3cb 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IFileBasedBuffer.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IFileBasedBuffer.java
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@
     
     public void open(String filePath, long offset, int size) throws IOException;
 
-    int getBufferLastFlushOffset();
+    public int getBufferLastFlushOffset();
 
-    void setBufferLastFlushOffset(int offset);
+    public void setBufferLastFlushOffset(int offset);
 
-    int getBufferNextWriteOffset();
+    public int getBufferNextWriteOffset();
 
-    void setBufferNextWriteOffset(int offset);
+    public void setBufferNextWriteOffset(int offset);
     
     public void acquireWriteLatch();
 
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/ILogRecordHelper.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/ILogRecordHelper.java
index ce5649a..0e24f9d 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/ILogRecordHelper.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/ILogRecordHelper.java
@@ -25,43 +25,43 @@
 
 public interface ILogRecordHelper {
 
-    byte getLogType(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public byte getLogType(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getJobId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public int getJobId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getDatasetId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public int getDatasetId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getPKHashValue(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public int getPKHashValue(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    PhysicalLogLocator getPrevLSN(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public PhysicalLogLocator getPrevLSN(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    boolean getPrevLSN(PhysicalLogLocator physicalLogLocator, LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public boolean getPrevLSN(PhysicalLogLocator physicalLogLocator, LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
     
-    long getResourceId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public long getResourceId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
     
-    byte getResourceMgrId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocater);
+    public byte getResourceMgrId(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocater);
 
-    int getLogContentSize(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocater);
+    public int getLogContentSize(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocater);
 
-    long getLogChecksum(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public long getLogChecksum(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getLogContentBeginPos(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public int getLogContentBeginPos(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getLogContentEndPos(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public int getLogContentEndPos(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    String getLogRecordForDisplay(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public String getLogRecordForDisplay(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    void writeLogHeader(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator, byte logType, TransactionContext context, int datasetId,
+    public void writeLogHeader(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator, byte logType, TransactionContext context, int datasetId,
             int PKHashValue, long prevLogicalLogLocator, long resourceId, byte resourceMgrId, int logRecordSize);
 
-    boolean validateLogRecord(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
+    public boolean validateLogRecord(LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator);
 
-    int getLogRecordSize(byte logType, int logBodySize);
+    public int getLogRecordSize(byte logType, int logBodySize);
 
-    int getLogHeaderSize(byte logType);
+    public int getLogHeaderSize(byte logType);
 
-    int getLogChecksumSize();
+    public int getLogChecksumSize();
     
-    int getCommitLogSize();
+    public int getCommitLogSize();
 
 }
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
index 1376e1c..7e954d8 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
         while (logicalLogLocator.getMemoryOffset() <= readOnlyBuffer.getSize()
                 - logManager.getLogRecordHelper().getLogHeaderSize(LogType.COMMIT)) {
             integerRead = readOnlyBuffer.readInt(logicalLogLocator.getMemoryOffset());
-            if (integerRead == logManager.getLogManagerProperties().LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER) {
+            if (integerRead == LogManagerProperties.LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER) {
                 logRecordBeginPosFound = true;
                 break;
             }
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
                 //find the magic number to identify the start of the log record
                 //----------------------------------------------------------------
                 int readNumber = -1;
-                int logMagicNumber = logManager.getLogManagerProperties().LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER;
+                int logMagicNumber = LogManagerProperties.LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER;
                 int bytesSkipped = 0;
                 boolean logRecordBeginPosFound = false;
                 //check whether the currentOffset has enough space to have new log record by comparing
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
index 333a661..199fd0f 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
@@ -404,21 +404,15 @@
             }
             logPages[pageIndex].setBufferNextWriteOffset(bufferNextWriteOffset);
 
-            if (IS_DEBUG_MODE) {
-                System.out.println("--------------> LSN(" + currentLSN + ") is written");
+            if (logType != LogType.ENTITY_COMMIT) {
+                // release the ownership as the log record has been placed in
+                // created space.
+                logPages[pageIndex].decRefCnt();
+
+                // indicating that the transaction thread has released ownership
+                decremented = true;
             }
 
-            // release the ownership as the log record has been placed in
-            // created space.
-            logPages[pageIndex].decRefCnt();
-
-            //collect statistics
-            statLogSize += totalLogSize;
-            statLogCount++;
-
-            // indicating that the transaction thread has released ownership
-            decremented = true;
-
             if (logType == LogType.ENTITY_COMMIT) {
                 map = activeTxnCountMaps.get(pageIndex);
                 if (map.containsKey(txnCtx)) {
@@ -428,14 +422,35 @@
                 } else {
                     map.put(txnCtx, 1);
                 }
+                //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                // [Notice]
+                // reference count should be decremented 
+                // after activeTxnCount is incremented, but before addFlushRequest() is called. 
+                //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                // release the ownership as the log record has been placed in
+                // created space.
+                logPages[pageIndex].decRefCnt();
+
+                // indicating that the transaction thread has released ownership
+                decremented = true;
+                
                 addFlushRequest(pageIndex, currentLSN, false);
             } else if (logType == LogType.COMMIT) {
+
                 addFlushRequest(pageIndex, currentLSN, true);
                 if (IS_DEBUG_MODE) {
                     System.out.println("Running sum of log size: " + statLogSize + ", log count: " + statLogCount);
                 }
             }
 
+            if (IS_DEBUG_MODE) {
+                System.out.println("--------------> LSN(" + currentLSN + ") is written");
+            }
+
+            //collect statistics
+            statLogSize += totalLogSize;
+            statLogCount++;
+
         } catch (Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
             throw new ACIDException(txnCtx, "Thread: " + Thread.currentThread().getName()
@@ -827,17 +842,17 @@
                     continue;
                 }
 
+                //if the log page is already full, don't wait. 
+                if (logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).getBufferNextWriteOffset() < logPageSize
+                        - logManager.getLogRecordHelper().getCommitLogSize()) {
+                    // #. sleep for the groupCommitWaitTime
+                    sleep(groupCommitWaitPeriod);
+                }
+
                 synchronized (logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex)) {
                     logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).acquireWriteLatch();
                     try {
 
-                        //if the log page is already full, don't wait. 
-                        if (logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).getBufferNextWriteOffset() > logPageSize
-                                - logManager.getLogRecordHelper().getCommitLogSize()) {
-                            // #. sleep for the groupCommitWaitTime
-                            sleep(groupCommitWaitPeriod);
-                        }
-
                         // #. need to wait until the reference count reaches 0
                         while (logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).getRefCnt() != 0) {
                             sleep(0);
@@ -857,33 +872,33 @@
                         if (logManager.getLastFlushedLsn().get() + 1 > logManager.getCurrentLsn().get()) {
                             logManager.getCurrentLsn().set(logManager.getLastFlushedLsn().get() + 1);
                         }
-
+                        
                         // Map the log page to a new region in the log file if the flushOffset reached the logPageSize
                         if (afterFlushOffset == logPageSize) {
-                            long diskNextWriteOffset = logManager.getLogPages()[flushPageIndex]
-                                    .getDiskNextWriteOffset() + logBufferSize;
+                            long diskNextWriteOffset = logManager.getLogPages()[flushPageIndex].getDiskNextWriteOffset()
+                                    + logBufferSize;
                             logManager.resetLogPage(logManager.getLastFlushedLsn().get() + 1 + logBufferSize,
                                     diskNextWriteOffset, flushPageIndex);
                             resetFlushPageIndex = true;
                         }
-
+                        
                         // decrement activeTxnCountOnIndexes
                         logManager.decrementActiveTxnCountOnIndexes(flushPageIndex);
 
-                        // #. checks the queue whether there is another flush
-                        // request on the same log buffer
-                        // If there is another request, then simply remove it.
-                        if (flushRequestQueue[flushPageIndex].peek() != null) {
-                            flushRequestQueue[flushPageIndex].take();
-                        }
-
-                        // notify all waiting (transaction) threads.
-                        logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).notifyAll();
-
                     } finally {
                         logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).releaseWriteLatch();
                     }
 
+                    // #. checks the queue whether there is another flush
+                    // request on the same log buffer
+                    // If there is another request, then simply remove it.
+                    if (flushRequestQueue[flushPageIndex].peek() != null) {
+                        flushRequestQueue[flushPageIndex].take();
+                    }
+
+                    // notify all waiting (transaction) threads.
+                    logManager.getLogPage(flushPageIndex).notifyAll();
+
                     if (resetFlushPageIndex) {
                         flushPageIndex = logManager.getNextPageInSequence(flushPageIndex);
                         resetFlushPageIndex = false;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogRecordHelper.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogRecordHelper.java
index e46b7ac..1b65d8f 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogRecordHelper.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogRecordHelper.java
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@
 public class LogRecordHelper implements ILogRecordHelper {
 
     private final int LOG_CHECKSUM_SIZE = 8;
+    private final int LOG_HEADER_PART1_SIZE = 17;
+    private final int LOG_HEADER_PART2_SIZE = 21;
+    private final int COMMIT_LOG_SIZE = LOG_HEADER_PART1_SIZE + LOG_CHECKSUM_SIZE;
 
     private final int MAGIC_NO_POS = 0;
     private final int LOG_TYPE_POS = 4;
@@ -61,7 +64,7 @@
     private final int RESOURCE_MGR_ID_POS = 33;
     private final int LOG_RECORD_SIZE_POS = 34;
     
-    public final int COMMIT_LOG_SIZE = PREV_LSN_POS + LOG_CHECKSUM_SIZE;
+
     
     private ILogManager logManager;
 
@@ -184,7 +187,7 @@
 
         /* magic no */
         (logicalLogLocator.getBuffer()).writeInt(logicalLogLocator.getMemoryOffset() + MAGIC_NO_POS,
-                logManager.getLogManagerProperties().LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER);
+                LogManagerProperties.LOG_MAGIC_NUMBER);
 
         /* log type */
         (logicalLogLocator.getBuffer()).put(logicalLogLocator.getMemoryOffset() + LOG_TYPE_POS, logType);
@@ -236,7 +239,7 @@
     @Override
     public int getLogRecordSize(byte logType, int logBodySize) {
         if (logType == LogType.UPDATE) {
-            return 46 + logBodySize;
+            return LOG_HEADER_PART1_SIZE + LOG_HEADER_PART2_SIZE + LOG_CHECKSUM_SIZE + logBodySize;
         } else {
             return COMMIT_LOG_SIZE;
         }
@@ -245,9 +248,9 @@
     @Override
     public int getLogHeaderSize(byte logType) {
         if (logType == LogType.UPDATE) {
-            return 38;
+            return LOG_HEADER_PART1_SIZE + LOG_HEADER_PART2_SIZE;
         } else {
-            return 17;
+            return LOG_HEADER_PART1_SIZE;
         }
     }