A Unified Optimization Approach for Sparse Tensor Operations on GPUs

Sparse tensors appear in many large-scale applications with multidimensional and sparse data. While multidimensional sparse data often need to be processed on manycore processors, attempts to develop highly-optimized GPU-based implementations of sparse tensor operations are rare. The irregular computation patterns and sparsity structures as well as the large memory footprints of sparse tensor operations make such implementations challenging. We leverage the fact that sparse tensor operations share similar computation patterns to propose a unified tensor representation called F-COO. Combined with GPU-specific optimizations, F-COO provides highly-optimized implementations of sparse tensor computations on GPUs. The performance of the proposed unified approach is demonstrated for tensor-based kernels such as the Sparse Matricized Tensor- Times-Khatri-Rao Product (SpMTTKRP) and the Sparse Tensor- Times-Matrix Multiply (SpTTM) and is used in tensor decomposition algorithms. Compared to state-of-the-art work we improve the performance of SpTTM and SpMTTKRP up to 3.7 and 30.6 times respectively on NVIDIA Titan-X GPUs. We implement a CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) decomposition and achieve up to 14.9 times speedup using the unified method over state-of-the-art libraries on NVIDIA Titan-X GPUs

Optimal route planning of agricultural field operations using ant colony optimization

Farming operations efficiency is a crucial factor that determines the overall operational cost in agricultural production systems.  Improved efficiency can be achieved by implementing advanced planning methods for the execution of field operations dealing, especially with the routing and area coverage optimisation aspects. Recently, a new type of field area coverage patterns, the B-patterns, has been introduced.  B-patterns are the result of a combinatorial optimisation process that minimizes operational criterions such as, the operational time, non-working travelled distance, fuel consumption etc.  In this paper an algorithmic approach for the generation of B-patterns based on ant colony optimisation is presented.  Ant colony optimization metaheuristic was chosen for the solution of the graph optimisation problem inherent in the generation of B-patterns.  Experimental results on two selected fields were presented for the demonstration of the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Based on the results, it was shown that it is feasible to use ant colony optimization for the generation of optimal routes for field area coverage while tests made on the resulting routes indicated that they can be followed by any farm machine equipped with auto-steering and navigation systems

Research paper: Comparing the diadochokinetic rate in farsi-speaking young and older adults

Objectives: Speech Diadochokinesis (DDK) is defined as the ability to produce repetitive and fast speech movements. This study aimed at comparing the DDK rate between Farsi-speaking young and older adults. Methods: In this study, 244 normal adults (122 males and 122 females) were divided into two groups of young people (20-49 years) and elderly (50-69 years). DDK tasks was performed based on two ways: the participant was asked to produce /pa/,/ta/,/ka/,/pata/,/paka/,/taka/, and /pataka/ sounds in 5 s; and to repeat single syllable sounds (/pa/,/ta/,/ka/) 20 times, two syllables sounds (/pata/,/paka/,/taka/) 15 times, and a three syllables sound (/pataka/) ten times, separately and quickly. The independent T-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. Results: The results indicated a significant negative and weak correlation between age and all syllables in the specified time (range:-0.139 to-0.254), and a positive and weak correlation between age and time with respect to the repetition of all syllables (range: 0.121 to 0.245). There was no significant difference between genders in both ways (P>0.05). Discussion: The results indicated different DDK rate between the young and elderly subjects that can be used as a benchmark for the diagnosis of disabled individuals in producing repetitive and fast oral movements and also as a basis for clinical assessments. © 2020 University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences

An exactly solvable quantum-lattice model with a tunable degree of nonlocality

An array of N subsequent Laguerre polynomials is interpreted as an eigenvector of a non-Hermitian tridiagonal Hamiltonian $H$ with real spectrum or, better said, of an exactly solvable N-site-lattice cryptohermitian Hamiltonian whose spectrum is known as equal to the set of zeros of the N-th Laguerre polynomial. The two key problems (viz., the one of the ambiguity and the one of the closed-form construction of all of the eligible inner products which make $H$ Hermitian in the respective {\em ad hoc} Hilbert spaces) are discussed. Then, for illustration, the first four simplest, $k-$parametric definitions of inner products with $k=0,k=1,k=2$ and $k=3$ are explicitly displayed. In mathematical terms these alternative inner products may be perceived as alternative Hermitian conjugations of the initial N-plet of Laguerre polynomials. In physical terms the parameter $k$ may be interpreted as a measure of the "smearing of the lattice coordinates" in the model.Comment: 35 p

Human immunoglobulin G cannot inhibit fibrinogen binding by the genetically diverse A domain of Staphylococcus aureus fibronectinbinding protein A

The fibronectin-binding protein A (FnBPA) is a cell surface-associated protein of Staphylococcus aureus which mediates adherence to the host extracellular matrix and is important for bacterial virulence. Previously, substantial sequence diversity was found among strains in the fibrinogen-binding A domain of this protein, and 7 different isotypes were described. The effect of this sequence diversity on the human antibody response, in terms of both antibody production and antibody function, remains unclear. In this study, we identify five different FnBPA A domain isotypes based on the sequence results of 22 clinical S. aureus isolates, obtained from the same number of patients suffering from bacteremia. Using a bead-based Luminex technique, we measure the patients' total immunoglobulin G (IgG) against the 7 FnBPA isotypes at the onset and during the time course of bacteremia (median of 10 serum samples per patient over a median of 35 days). A significant increase in IgG against the FnBPA A domain, including the isotype carried by the infecting strain, is observed in only three out of 22 patients (14%) after the onset of bacteremia. Using a Luminex-based FnBPA-fibrinogen-binding assay, we find that preincubation of recombinant FnBPA isotypes with IgG from diverse patients does not interfere with binding to fibrinogen. This observation is confirmed using an alternative Luminex-based assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

To Protect and to Preserve: Novel Preservation Strategies for Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs)-based therapeutics are based on the premise that EVs shed by stem cells exert similar therapeutic effects and these have been proposed as an alternative to cell therapies. EV-mediated delivery is an effective and efficient system of cell-to-cell communication which can confer therapeutic benefits to their target cells. EVs have been shown to promote tissue repair and regeneration in various animal models such as, wound healing, cardiac ischemia, diabetes, lung fibrosis, kidney injury, and many others. Given the unique attributes of EVs, considerable thought must be given to the preservation, formulation and cold chain strategies in order to effectively translate exciting preclinical observations to clinical and commercial success. This review summarizes current understanding around EV preservation, challenges in maintaining EV quality, and also bioengineering advances aimed at enhancing the long-term stability of EVs

Memory Th1 Cells Are Protective in Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Mechanisms of protective immunity to Staphylococcus aureus infection in humans remain elusive. While the importance of cellular immunity has been shown in mice, T cell responses in humans have not been characterised. Using a murine model of recurrent S. aureus peritonitis, we demonstrated that prior exposure to S. aureus enhanced IFNγ responses upon subsequent infection, while adoptive transfer of S. aureus antigen-specific Th1 cells was protective in naïve mice. Translating these findings, we found that S. aureus antigen-specific Th1 cells were also significantly expanded during human S. aureus bloodstream infection (BSI). These Th1 cells were CD45RO+, indicative of a memory phenotype. Thus, exposure to S. aureus induces memory Th1 cells in mice and humans, identifying Th1 cells as potential S. aureus vaccine targets. Consequently, we developed a model vaccine comprising staphylococcal clumping factor A, which we demonstrate to be an effective human T cell antigen, combined with the Th1-driving adjuvant CpG. This novel Th1-inducing vaccine conferred significant protection during S. aureus infection in mice. This study notably advances our understanding of S. aureus cellular immunity, and demonstrates for the first time that a correlate of S. aureus protective immunity identified in mice may be relevant in humans

Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with a Real Spectrum and Their Physical Applications

We present an evaluation of some recent attempts at understanding the role of pseudo-Hermitian and PT-symmetric Hamiltonians in modeling unitary quantum systems and elaborate on a particular physical phenomenon whose discovery originated in the study of complex scattering potentials.Comment: 9 pages, contributed to Homi Bhabha Centenary Conference on Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics (8th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics), held in Mumbai, January 13-16, 200