421 research outputs found
Exposing errors related to weak memory in GPU applications
© 2016 ACM.We present the systematic design of a testing environment that uses stressing and fuzzing to reveal errors in GPU applications that arise due to weak memory effects. We evaluate our approach on seven GPUS spanning three NVIDIA architectures, across ten CUDA applications that use fine-grained concurrency. Our results show that applications that rarely or never exhibit errors related to weak memory when executed natively can readily exhibit these errors when executed in our testing environment. Our testing environment also provides a means to help identify the root causes of such errors, and automatically suggests how to insert fences that harden an application against weak memory bugs. To understand the cost of GPU fences, we benchmark applications with fences provided by the hardening strategy as well as a more conservative, sound fencing strategy
Engineering a static verification tool for GPU kernels
We report on practical experiences over the last 2.5 years related to the engineering of GPUVerify, a static verification tool for OpenCL and CUDA GPU kernels, plotting the progress of GPUVerify from a prototype to a fully functional and relatively efficient analysis tool. Our hope is that this experience report will serve the verification community by helping to inform future tooling efforts. © 2014 Springer International Publishing
An approximate empirical Bayesian method for large-scale linear-Gaussian inverse problems
We study Bayesian inference methods for solving linear inverse problems,
focusing on hierarchical formulations where the prior or the likelihood
function depend on unspecified hyperparameters. In practice, these
hyperparameters are often determined via an empirical Bayesian method that
maximizes the marginal likelihood function, i.e., the probability density of
the data conditional on the hyperparameters. Evaluating the marginal
likelihood, however, is computationally challenging for large-scale problems.
In this work, we present a method to approximately evaluate marginal likelihood
functions, based on a low-rank approximation of the update from the prior
covariance to the posterior covariance. We show that this approximation is
optimal in a minimax sense. Moreover, we provide an efficient algorithm to
implement the proposed method, based on a combination of the randomized SVD and
a spectral approximation method to compute square roots of the prior covariance
matrix. Several numerical examples demonstrate good performance of the proposed
method
The potential of decision support systems to improve risk assessment for pollen beetle management in winter oilseed rape
BACKGROUNDThe reliance on and extensive use of pyrethroid insecticides have led to pyrethroid resistance in pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus). Widespread adoption of best practice in pollen beetle management is therefore needed. Decision support systems (DSSs) that identify the risk period(s) for pest migration can help to target monitoring and control efforts, but they must be accurate and labour efficient to gain the support of growers. Weather data and the phenology of pollen beetles in 44 winter oilseed rape crops across England over 4 years were used to compare the performance of two risk management tools: the DSS proPlant expert, which predicts migration risk according to a phenological model and local weather data, and rule-based advice', which depends on crop growth stage and a temperature threshold. RESULTSBoth risk management tools were effective in prompting monitoring that would detect breaches of various control thresholds. However, the DSS more accurately predicted migration start and advised significantly fewer days of migration risk, consultation days and monitoring than did rule-based advice. CONCLUSIONThe proPlant expert DSS reliably models pollen beetle phenology. Use of such a DSS can focus monitoring effort to when it is most needed, facilitate the practical use of thresholds and help to prevent unnecessary insecticide applications and the development of insecticide resistance. (c) 2015 Rothamsted Research Ltd. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry
Classical Scattering for a driven inverted Gaussian potential in terms of the chaotic invariant set
We study the classical electron scattering from a driven inverted Gaussian
potential, an open system, in terms of its chaotic invariant set. This chaotic
invariant set is described by a ternary horseshoe construction on an
appropriate Poincare surface of section. We find the development parameters
that describe the hyperbolic component of the chaotic invariant set. In
addition, we show that the hierarchical structure of the fractal set of
singularities of the scattering functions is the same as the structure of the
chaotic invariant set. Finally, we construct a symbolic encoding of the
hierarchical structure of the set of singularities of the scattering functions
and use concepts from the thermodynamical formalism to obtain one of the
measures of chaos of the fractal set of singularities, the topological entropy.Comment: accepted in Phy. Rev.
Optimally shaped terahertz pulses for phase retrieval in a Rydberg atom data register
We employ Optimal Control Theory to discover an efficient information
retrieval algorithm that can be performed on a Rydberg atom data register using
a shaped terahertz pulse. The register is a Rydberg wave packet with one
consituent orbital phase-reversed from the others (the ``marked bit''). The
terahertz pulse that performs the decoding algorithm does so by by driving
electron probability density into the marked orbital. Its shape is calculated
by modifying the target of an optimal control problem so that it represents the
direct product of all correct solutions to the algorithm.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Social preferences, accountability, and wage bargaining
We assess the extent of preferences for employment in a collective wage bargaining situation with heterogeneous workers. We vary the size of the union and introduce a treatment mechanism transforming the voting game into an individual allocation task. Our results show that highly productive workers do not take employment of low productive workers into account when making wage proposals, regardless of whether insiders determine the wage or all workers. The level of pro-social preferences is small in the voting game, while it increases as the game is transformed into an individual allocation task. We interpret this as an accountability effect
Radio-frequency discharges in Oxygen. Part 1: Modeling
In this series of three papers we present results from a combined
experimental and theoretical effort to quantitatively describe capacitively
coupled radio-frequency discharges in oxygen. The particle-in-cell Monte-Carlo
model on which the theoretical description is based will be described in the
present paper. It treats space charge fields and transport processes on an
equal footing with the most important plasma-chemical reactions. For given
external voltage and pressure, the model determines the electric potential
within the discharge and the distribution functions for electrons, negatively
charged atomic oxygen, and positively charged molecular oxygen. Previously used
scattering and reaction cross section data are critically assessed and in some
cases modified. To validate our model, we compare the densities in the bulk of
the discharge with experimental data and find good agreement, indicating that
essential aspects of an oxygen discharge are captured.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
Ionization Probabilities through ultra-intense Fields in the extreme Limit
We continue our investigation concerning the question of whether atomic bound
states begin to stabilize in the ultra-intense field limit. The pulses
considered are essentially arbitrary, but we distinguish between three
situations. First the total classical momentum transfer is non-vanishing,
second not both the total classical momentum transfer and the total classical
displacement are vanishing together with the requirement that the potential has
a finite number of bound states and third both the total classical momentum
transfer and the total classical displacement are vanishing. For the first two
cases we rigorously prove, that the ionization probability tends to one when
the amplitude of the pulse tends to infinity and the pulse shape remains fixed.
In the third case the limit is strictly smaller than one. This case is also
related to the high frequency limit considered by Gavrila et al.Comment: 16 pages LateX, 2 figure
Clinical Implication of Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells
The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is receiving increasing interest particularly due to its potential ability to enter clinical routine. Rapid advances in the CSC field have provided evidence for the development of more reliable anticancer therapies in the future. CSCs typically only constitute a small fraction of the total tumor burden; however, they harbor self-renewal capacity and appear to be relatively resistant to conventional therapies. Recent therapeutic approaches aim to eliminate or differentiate CSCs or to disrupt the niches in which they reside. Better understanding of the biological characteristics of CSCs as well as improved preclinical and clinical trials targeting CSCs may revolutionize the treatment of many cancers. Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base
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