Exploiting Data Parallelism in the yConvex Hypergraph Algorithm for Image Representation using GPGPUs

To define and identify a region-of-interest (ROI) in a digital image, the shape descriptor of the ROI has to be described in terms of its boundary characteristics. To address the generic issues of contour tracking, the yConvex Hypergraph (yCHG) model was proposed by Kanna et al [1]. In this work, we propose a parallel approach to implement the yCHG model by exploiting massively parallel cores of NVIDIA's Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). We perform our experiments on the MODIS satellite image database by NASA, and based on our analysis we observe that the performance of the serial implementation is better on smaller images, but once the threshold is achieved in terms of image resolution, the parallel implementation outperforms its sequential counterpart by 2 to 10 times (2x-10x). We also conclude that an increase in the number of hyperedges in the ROI of a given size does not impact the performance of the overall algorithm.Comment: 1 page, 1 figure published in Proceedings of the 27th ACM International Conference on Supercomputing, ICS 2013, Eugene, Oregon, US

Research Notes: Induced floral abnonnality in soybean

One of the M3 progenies of Type-49 soybean irradiated with 15 kr gamma rays showed segregation for plants with abnormal flowers. The progeny consisted of 30 normal plants and 8 mutant plants, indicating a monogenic inheritance. The mutant plants set only a few pods and appeared almost sterile at maturity

Research notes: Additional sterile and male sterile mutants in soybean

In the M2 populations of different soybean varieties irradiated with gamma rays, a total of seven lines showed segregation for sterility at maturity. The detailed genetic and cytogenetic studies of these lines were conducted in M3 and M4 populations derived from fertile segregates of the M2 progenies. Four of these were found to be both male and female sterile, whereas, three of these showed female fertility but male sterility as indicated below (Table 1)

Redressing racial inequities through water law in South Africa: revisiting old contradictions? Draft

Water lawCatchment areasRiver basinsSocial aspectsPovertyInstitutional development

Tm3+/Ho3+ codoped tellurite fiber laser

Continuous-wave and Q-switched lasing from a Tm 3+ /Ho 3+ codoped tellurite fiber is reported. An Yb 3+ /Er 3+ -doped silica fiber laser operating at 1.6μm was used as an in-band pump source, exciting the Tm 3+ ions into the F 4 3 level. Energy is then nonradiatively transferred to the upper laser level, the I 7 5 state of Ho 3+ . The laser transition is from the I 7 5 level to the I 8 5 level, and the resulting emission is at 2.1μm . For continuous wave operation, the slope efficiency was 62% and the threshold 0.1W ; the maximum output demonstrated was 0.16W . Mechanical Q switching resulted in a pulse of 0.65μJ energy and 160ns duration at a repetition rate of 19.4kHz