Modeling the input history of programs for improved instruction-memory performance

When a program is loaded into memory for execution, the relative position of its basic blocks is crucial, since loading basic blocks that are unlikely to be executed first places them high in the instruction-memory hierarchy only to be dislodged as the execution goes on. In this paper we study the use of Bayesian networks as models of the input history of a program. The main point is the creation of a probabilistic model that persists as the program is run on different inputs and at each new input refines its own parameters in order to reflect the program's input history more accurately. As the model is thus tuned, it causes basic blocks to be reordered so that, upon arrival of the next input for execution, loading the basic blocks into memory automatically takes into account the input history of the program. We report on extensive experiments, whose results demonstrate the efficacy of the overall approach in progressively lowering the execution times of a program on identical inputs placed randomly in a sequence of varied inputs. We provide results on selected SPEC CINT2000 programs and also evaluate our approach as compared to the gcc level-3 optimization and to Pettis-Hansen reordering

Optical and Near Infrared Study of the Cepheus E outflow, a very low excitation object

We present images and spectra of the Cepheus E (Cep E) region at both optical and infrared wavelengths. Only the brightest region of the southern lobe of the Cep E outflow reveals optical emission, suggesting that the extinction close to the outflow source plays an important r\^ole in the observed difference between the optical and IR morphologies. Cep E is a unique object since it provides a link between the spectroscopic properties of the optical Herbig-Haro (HH) objects and those of deeply embedded outflows.Comment: Accepted Astron. J., 8 files: paper, tables plus 6 figure

Clinical, histological and prognostic features of a novel nail-bed lesion of cats: 41 cases

There is a distinct subset of lesions arising on the digits of cats, located at or close to the nail-bed epithelium, which are typically composed of proliferative fibroblast-like cells, multinucleate giant cells and areas of osseous metaplasia, but currently there is no published literature detailing the clinical or histological features of these lesions. This study identified 41 such cases from two large commercial diagnostic laboratories and assessed various histological and clinical features; 22 cases had additional follow-up data available

Adubação nitrogenada e posição de amostragem em sistema silvipastoril.

Resumo: O experimento foi desenvolvido para avaliar a produtividade e a morfologia da Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu adubada com uréia e sulfato de amônio e em função da posição de amostragem. Foi adotado o esquema de parcelas subdivididas no espaço, sendo a parcela principal constituída por fonte de adubo nitrogenado e a subparcela constituída pela posição de amostragem da braquiária no sub-bosque do sistema silvipastoril no delineamento em blocos casualizados com seis repetições. A adubação nitrogenada e a posição de amostragem podem influenciar a produtividade e a relação F/C da braquiária em sistema silvipastoril. [Nitrogen fertilization and position sampling in silvopastoral system]. Abstract: The experiment was carried to evaluate the yield and morphology of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu fertilized with urea and ammonium sulfate, and depending on the sampling position. A split plot arrangement, with six replicates in the randomized block design, was utilized. The main plot consists of a source of nitrogen fertilizer and sub-plots sampling position of pasture in understory of silvopastoral system. Nitrogen fertilization and sampling position can influence productivity and leaf lamina:stem ratio of Brachiaria in silvopastoral system

Train the engine or the brakes? Influence of momentum on the change of direction deficit

Purpose: Currently, it is unclear which physical characteristics may underpin the change of direction deficit (COD-D). This investigation sought to determine if momentum, speed-, and jump-based measures may explain variance in COD-D. Methods: Seventeen males from a professional soccer academy (age: 16.76 ± 0.75 years; height: 1.80 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 72.38 ± 9.57 kg) performed 505 tests on both legs, a 40-m sprint and single leg countermovement and drop jumps. Results: Regression analyses did not reveal any significant predictors for COD-D on either leg. “Large” relationships were reported between COD-D and 505 time on both limbs (r = 0.65-0.69; p < 0.01) but COD-D was not associated with linear momentum, speed- or jump-based performances. When the cohort was median split by COD-D, effect sizes suggested that the sub-group with the smaller COD-D were 5% faster in the 505 test (d = -1.24; p < 0.001) but 4% slower over 0-10-m (d = 0.79; p = 0.33) and carried 11% less momentum (d = -0.81; p = 0.17). Conclusion: Individual variance in COD-D may not be explained by speed- and jump-based performance measures within academy soccer players. However, when grouping athletes by COD-D, faster athletes with greater momentum are likely to display a larger COD-D. It may therefore be prudent to recommend more eccentric-biased or technical focused COD training in such athletes and for coaches to view the change of direction action as a specific skill that may not be represented by performance time in a COD test

Estudo da condutividade hidráulica dos solos na area do entorno do projeto de irrigação salitre

bitstream/CNPS-2010/14865/1/doc92-2007est-condut-hidraulica.pd

Efeito do lodo de esgoto nos fluxos de gases na interface solo-atmosfera.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar o efeito da aplicação a longo prazo e continuada de lodo de esgoto da Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto de Barueri, SP, no fluxo de gases na interface soloatmosfera sob condições de campo e em condições tropicais.bitstream/CNPMA/5827/1/comunicado_32.pd

High coercivity induced by mechanical milling in cobalt ferrite powders

In this work we report a study of the magnetic behavior of ferrimagnetic oxide CoFe2O4 treated by mechanical milling with different grinding balls. The cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were prepared using a simple hydrothermal method and annealed at 500oC. The non-milled sample presented coercivity of about 1.9 kOe, saturation magnetization of 69.5 emu/g, and a remanence ratio of 0.42. After milling, two samples attained coercivity of 4.2 and 4.1 kOe, and saturation magnetization of 67.0 and 71.4 emu/g respectively. The remanence ratio MR/MS for these samples increase to 0.49 and 0.51, respectively. To investigate the influence of the microstructure on the magnetic behavior of these samples, we used X-ray powder diffraction (XPD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The XPD analysis by the Williamson-Hall plot was used to estimate the average crystallite size and strain induced by mechanical milling in the samples

Electrochemical properties of oxygen-enriched carbon-based nanomaterials

The introduction of oxygen moieties on a carbon-based material to enhance the electrode material activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a most unexplored experimental approach due to the risk of reducing the electron-transport ability of the electrode material. Herein, it is shown that carbon nanomaterials generated electrochemically from graphite can simultaneously show an anomalous high content of oxygen functionalities and a high heterogeneous electron transfer rate. This study was demonstrated with a set of four samples, prepared at different galvanostatic conditions. All the samples display a non-ordered carbon network dominated by aromatic rings, an O/C ratio greater than 0.4, but different amounts of various oxygen-containing functionalities. The electron-transport properties of the obtained films were appraised by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The application of these metal-free electrode materials to the ORR in the alkaline medium has shown a direct correlation between the materials catalytic activity (potential onset, kinetic current and number of electrons transferred) and the Cdouble bondO amount, whereas a negative correlation was found for Csingle bondO. Their excellent ability for the H2O2 reduction was also demonstrated. This work opens a new perspective on the use of highly oxidized carbon nanomaterials in electrocatalysis.publishe

Sensitivity analysis of soils parameters and their influences on streamflow simulation in a small watershed, Northwest RJ, Brazil.

The physical and hydraulic properties of soils in the watershed vary temporally and spatially, having a direct relationship with the amount of water that infiltrates, flows and reaches to the river channel, influencing stream flow responses. The knowledge of input parameters in a hydrological model and its sensitivity is beneficial to understand how hydrological processes are estimated. The soils parameters adjustments in the SWAT model aims to improve the performance of processes simulations, reducing uncertainty and leading to a better representation of hydrological processes in reality. A simple approach to assess how and what parameters influence the response of the flow was proposed and applied in a small watershed (6km²), with a predominance of Ultisols and hilly relief, in the northwest of Rio de Janeiro state. The methodology was divided into three stages: at first, the parameters have been listed in order of sensitivity; subsequently, the most sensitive parameters had their values changed individually while the less sensitivity parameters values were maintained. Finally, we assessed the influence of each parameter in flow simulation by SWAT model. The sensitivity analysis showed that parameters related to soil water content and hydraulic conductivity affect the generation of overland flow, consequently, the maximum flows in the main channel. The capacity of available soil water (SOL_AWC) had their values increased in 30%, and were adjusted according to land use. The Curve Number parameter (CN2) had their values reduced in 10%. The value of hydraulic conductivity of the soil (SOL_K) had their value increased 50%. Those changes increased the infiltration and water storage in soil, decreasing overland flow. With calibration values of NS = 0.75, PBIAS = 12.7% and R² = 0.51 and validation values of NS = 0.5, PBIAS = 13.02% and R² = 0.73, the good results obtained with the soil parameter values adjusted could be observed through graphical and statistical analysis