Influence of Overhead on Processor Allocation for Multiple Loops

We consider two consecutive and independent forall loops and the strategy to allocate processors for their execution. One strategy is to execute each of the two loops consecutively, each time with all the available processors. Another strategy is to execute both loops simultaneously, each with a fraction of the available processors. We verify that the presence of overhead can influence this strategy, since the second strategy implies the use of a smaller number of processors for each individual loop, reducing thus the effect of the overhead. We establish conditions under which the second strategy is better. Finally we consider the special case when there is a single forall loop. We show conditions under which it is more advantageous to split it into two smaller loops and execute them simultaneously, each with a fraction of the available processors

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Influence of overhead on processor allocation for multiple loop

Analysis of foraminifera assemblages and sediment geochemical properties to characterise the environment near Araca and Saco da Cape la domestic sewage submarine outfalls of Sao Sebastiao Channel, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Superficial bottom samples were collected near diffusers of domestic sewage submarine outfalls at Araca and Saco da Capela, Sao Sebastiao Channel, Brazil. The goal of this study was to investigate the distribution and composition of live benthic foraminifera assemblages and integrate the results obtained with geochemical analyses to assess human-induced changes. According to the results obtained no environmental stress was observed near the Saco da Capela submarine outfall diffusers. The foraminifera assemblage is characterised by species typical of highly hydrodynamic environments, with well-oxygenated bottom waters and low nutrient contents. In contrast, near Araca submarine outfall, organic enrichment was denoted by high phosphorus, sulphur and, to a lesser extent, total organic carbon content. Harmful influences on foraminifera could be identified by low richness and specific diversity, as well as the predominance of detritivore feeder species, which are associated with higher organic matter flux and low oxygen in the interstitial pore water. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP, Brazilian agency

An Efficient, Parallelized Algorithm for Optimal Conditional Entropy-Based Feature Selection

In Machine Learning, feature selection is an important step in classifier design. It consists of finding a subset of features that is optimum for a given cost function. One possibility to solve feature selection is to organize all possible feature subsets into a Boolean lattice and to exploit the fact that the costs of chains in that lattice describe U-shaped curves. Minimization of such cost function is known as the U-curve problem. Recently, a study proposed U-Curve Search (UCS), an optimal algorithm for that problem, which was successfully used for feature selection. However, despite of the algorithm optimality, the UCS required time in computational assays was exponential on the number of features. Here, we report that such scalability issue arises due to the fact that the U-curve problem is NP-hard. In the sequence, we introduce the Parallel U-Curve Search (PUCS), a new algorithm for the U-curve problem. In PUCS, we present a novel way to partition the search space into smaller Boolean lattices, thus rendering the algorithm highly parallelizable. We also provide computational assays with both synthetic data and Machine Learning datasets, where the PUCS performance was assessed against UCS and other golden standard algorithms in feature selection

Contribution to the Improvement of an Oral Formulation of Niclosamide, an Antihelmintic Drug Candidate for Repurposing in SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses

Niclosamide (NCL) is an effective anthelmintic agent that has been shown to possess broad-spectrum antiviral activity, including against SARS-CoV-2. Due to its poor solubility in aqueous medium, however, the commercially available NCL formulations can act only locally in gastrointestinal worms and are not suitable to achieve plasmatic levels to treat systemic diseases. Consequently, the repurposing of this drug represents a challenge for formulation development with serious risks to the biological availability and can compromise preclinical and clinical outcomes. Herein, we report possible formulation, through the research and development, of stable amorphous solid dispersions to improve its solubility. The results of exploratory screening of NCL-polymer dispersions (performed through X-ray powder diffraction and kinetic solubility studies) indicate that soluplus-niclosamide dispersions can increase its aqueous solubility and, consequently, have the potential to enhance NCL bioavailability. This outcome can be used for the development of oral dosage forms for clinical trials in SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. </p