Analysis and Implementation of Room Assignment Problem and Cannon\u27s Algorithm on General Purpose Programmable Graphical Processing Units with CUDA

General-purpose Graphics Processing Units (GP-GPU) has emerged as a popular computing paradigm for high-performance computing over the last few years. The increased interest in GP-GPUs for parallel computing mirrors the trend in general computing with the rise of multi-core processors as an alternative approach to increase processor performance. Many applications that were previously accelerated on distributed processing platforms with MPI or multithreaded techniques such as OpenMP are now being investigated to assess their performance on GP-GPU platforms. Since the GP-GPU platform is designed to give higher performance for parallel problems, applications on other parallel architectures are good candidates for performance studies on GP-GPUs. The first case study in this research is a GP-GPU implementation of a Simulated Annealing-based solution of the Room Assignment problem using CUDA. The Room Assignment problem attempts to arrange N people in N/2 rooms, taking into consideration each person\u27s preference for a roommate. To evaluate the implementation, it was compared against the serial implementation for problem sizes 5000, 10000, 15000 and 20000 people. The GP-GPU implementation achieved as much as 78% higher improvement ratio than the serial version in comparable execution time. The second case study is a GP-GPU implementation of Cannon\u27s Algorithm using CUDA. The GP-GPU implementation is compared with a serial implementation of a conventional matrix multiplication O(n3). The GP-GPU implementation achieved upto 6.2x speedup over the conventional serial multiplication. The results for both applications with varying problem sizes are presented and discussed

Generating Military Power Through Partnering

One primary lesson that has emerged from Russia-Ukraine conflict is that no nation can engage in a conflict alone. Be it geo-economics, geostrategy or any other compulsion, the present-day entwined global order would ultimately force all nation-states to finally take sides. In an era of great-power competition, a network of partnerships carefully curated over the past 75 years provides India with a unique advantage. These networks are the backbone of an international order that has ensured strategic autonomy and created an environment of multi-polarity. Partners help share the burden of common defence in tangible and intangible ways. Sino-Pak collusion and the likelihood of a unitary front along our Northern and Western borders is a stark reality. This however in the military domain poses a distinct but inextricably linked challenge for contemporary land forces which need mitigation by inculcating new doctrinal templates

Successional Pattern of Fungi Associated with Leaf Litter of \u3cem\u3eBauhinia malabarica\u3c/em\u3e Based Silvipasture System in Semiarid Region

Soil fungi are critical components of microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems, where they play essential roles in many aspects of ecosystem development, functioning and stability. Leaf litter fungal decomposers, in particular, play an important biotic role in recycling ecosystem nutrients (Schneider et al., 2012).The extreme conditions due to changing climate of any ecosystems restrict primary producers to form symbiotic relationships that aid their establishment and survival (Khidir et al., 2010). Root exudates are known to attract and maintain symbiotic fungal communities that form mutualistic associations with plant roots and colonize surrounding soil. Studies suggested a strong correlation between fungal and plant diversity, due to fungal host specificity (Peay et al., 2013). The C available to soil microorganisms is derived from plant photosynthesis in term of aboveground input from litter and belowground input through the root. Symbiotic fungi received C directly from host roots while saprophytic fungi derive carbon from the decomposition of dead plant material. Litter fall provides substrate for leaf litter fungi such as saprotrophs, endophytes, parasitic and pathogenic fungi. Soil fungal diversity and composition affected by a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors (Hawkes et al., 2011) but determinates of their diversity and functional interactions are not well known. Understanding the response of fungal communities to different plant species leaf litter and their stage of decomposition will contribute to our understanding of how these influence fungal diversity and dynamism in an ecosystem which ultimately helps in nutrient cycling and long term sustaining the system. In this study, we evaluated the effects of plant litter diversity on fungal successive diversity and dynamics in Bauhinia based silvipasture system

Design of JPEG Compressor

Images are generated, edited and transmitted on a very regular basis in a vast number of systems today. The raw image data generated by the sensors on a camera is very voluminous to store and hence not very efficient. It becomes especially cumbersome to move it around in bandwidth constrained systems or where bandwidth is to be conserved for cost purposes such as the World Wide Web. Such scenarios demand use of efficient image compressing techniques such as the JPEG algorithm technique which compresses the image to a high degree with little loss in perceived quality of the image. Today JPEG algorithm has become the de facto standard in image compression. MATLAB was used to write code for a program which could output a quantized DCT version of the input image and techniques for hardware implementation of JPEG algorithm in a speedy way were investigated

Growth of two-dimensional materials and Investigation of their structural and electronic properties.

My research activities focused on the growth and characterisation of two-dimensional materials. Initially Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) growth of single layer (SL) MoS2 on Au(111) was performed by dosing Mo in H2S atmosphere at room temperature followed by annealing (Temperature Programmed Growth (TPG)) and we studied the evolution of intermediate species during the transformation by measuring fast-XPS. Thereafter by careful tuning the growth parameters, we developed a new procedure that leads to the direct growth of high quality SL MoS2 by dosing Mo in H2S atmosphere at high temperature (High Temperature Growth (HTG). Besides the improved quality of the layer the HTG growth method results in just one single orientation of the layer, leading to complete out-of plane spin polarisation in Spin-resolved ARPES measurements, whereas TPG produced a mixture (70:30) of two opposite orientations. We studied the growth of SL WS2 on Au(111) by following the HTG method. In-situ fast XPS allowed to find the proper growth parameters leading to singly oriented WS2 high quality layer. The absence of partially sulfided peaks in the W 4f and S 2p core levels and sharp LEED spots indicated the high quality of the grown layer that was also reflected in the ARPES measurements that presented sharper bands than previously reported values and allowed the observation of moir\ue8-induced mini gaps and the quantification of branch-dependent electron-phonon coupling strength. MoS2 growth on Ag(111) was also performed by HTG method and resulted in the formation of two 180\ub0 rotated domains in equal proportion, as seen with LEED and XPD. LEED pattern indicated a very high structural order of the layer supported by the STM measurements. The Mo 3d core level presented a larger asymmetry than that measured for MoS2/Au(111) which is likely due to a semiconductor to metal transition of the MoS2 layer due to the strong interaction with the Ag(111) substrate. HTG growth of SL MoS2 on Ag(110) was performed to explore the effect of the different substrate geometry on the properties of MoS2. The resulting layer was of very high quality, as determined with XPS, LEED, STM and ARPES measurements. The LEED and XPD patterns showed the presence of equal proportions of two mirror domains. A structural model for the relative arrangement of the hexagonal MoS2 lattice with respect to the rectangular lattice of the substrate was obtained based on LEED and STM measurements. In order to study the reported growth of Silicene on Ir(111), the adsorption of Si on Ir(111) was studied for Si coverages up to more than one monolayer and characterized by high-resolution XPS and LEED. Experiments and DFT calculations showed dominant Si adsorption at the hollow sites together with segregation into the surface and even bilayer formation at high coverage, thereby implying the instability of Si/Ir(111) interface towards Si-Ir alloys, rather than formation of silicene layer

Modelling of Grid Connected Solar Wind Hybrid Energy System having Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Power Enhancement and System Stability

Energy demand is growing rapidly and the use of renewable energy sources plays an important role in reducing the gap between supply and demand. The introduction of multiple power electronics and non-linear loads is added to the network and causes power quality problems. The problem of lack of energy and the problem of the quality of energy can be solved at the same time using the inverter connected to the renewable sources grid system However, a grid connected microgrid suffers a crucial stability issues during a fault in utility grid. The integration of the solar system with the network is rather complex and expensive. With this construction proposal, however, it is not only possible to create an economical and simple hybrid system, but also a reliable, efficient and economical system. The system is made economic by implementing a wind energy system along with fuel cell system in the solar system. Efficient controlling methods based on intelligent control can be implemente

Factors Influencing Cloud Computing Adoption by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) In India

The purpose of this paper is to examine and assess the determinants of cloud computing adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an Indian context through an integrated research framework. A questionnaire based survey method was used to collect data from 271 SMEs from the northern region of India. An integrated model founded on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) and Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) was proposed to test ten hypotheses through a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The analysis reveals that relative advantage, security concerns, top management support, external pressure and service providers’ support are the significant factors which influence intention to adopt cloud computing by SMEs in India. The integrated research framework used and validated in this study is intended to enhance the predictive power of the ensuing model. The empirically validated research model and the instrument used for data collection can be adopted in other similar studies. The findings of this study can be useful for consumers, practitioners, and policy makers who are involved in utilizing, spreading and promoting the adoption of cloud computing among organizations, especially the SMEs. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol9/iss3/3

Multiscale Models of VEGF-mediated Molecular Signaling Pathways in Intratumoral Angiogenesis.

Tumor-induced angiogenesis is a highly complex process involving several cellular and subcellular events, and is critically dependent upon the activities of endothelial cells and the chemokines that stimulate them. Therefore a better understanding of it's mechanisms is essential for the development of anti cancer therapies. The goals of this dissertation are threefold: (1) detailed modelling of growth factor- receptor interactions, at a molecular level, (2) application of this information to aid the development of a multiscale delay differential equation (DDE) model of tumor angiogenesis, relating processes occurring at a cellular and intracellular level with global population behavior dynamics, (3) development of a hybrid model of tumor vascularization based on the theory of reinforced random walks, incorporating cellular chemotactic response to activated cell-surface receptors, governed by a novel chemotactic function. Using the DDE model, the potential of anti-angiogenic therapy targeting either the potent chemotactic and mitogenic cytokine CXCL8 or the pro-survival protein Bcl-2 for endothelial cells is evaluated. Bcl-2 is found to be the more effective target. Consequently, the model is expanded to allow for the testing of the therapeutic potential of a small molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2. A sensitivity analysis is carried out on various design parameters to aid in drug development. These results provide insight into the functioning of molecular signaling pathways that govern tumor growth and vascular development. Finally, a hybrid model of tumor angiogenesis is proposed which is, to the best of our knowledge, the first of its kind to account for experimentally observed phenomena such as endothelial cell polarization and response to activated cell-surface receptors. This lays the perfect groundwork for the incorporation of further details at a molecular level, of subcellular signaling cascades in models of tumor vascularization, that are able to account for spatial inhomogeneity in intra-tumoral vascular networks. Continued quantitative modelling in this direction may have profound implications for the development of novel therapies directed against specific proteins and chemokines.Ph.D.MathematicsUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61597/1/hjain_1.pd