Is it time to reappraise blood pressure thresholds and targets? Statement from the international society of hypertension - a global perspective

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An efficient GPU version of the preconditioned GMRES method

[EN] In a large number of scientific applications, the solution of sparse linear systems is the stage that concentrates most of the computational effort. This situation has motivated the study and development of several iterative solvers, among which preconditioned Krylov subspace methods occupy a place of privilege. In a previous effort, we developed a GPU-aware version of the GMRES method included in ILUPACK, a package of solvers distinguished by its inverse-based multilevel ILU preconditioner. In this work, we study the performance of our previous proposal and integrate several enhancements in order to mitigate its principal bottlenecks. The numerical evaluation shows that our novel proposal can reach important run-time reductions.Aliaga, JI.; Dufrechou, E.; Ezzatti, P.; Quintana-Orti, ES. (2019). An efficient GPU version of the preconditioned GMRES method. The Journal of Supercomputing. 75(3):1455-1469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11227-018-2658-1S14551469753Aliaga JI, Badia RM, Barreda M, Bollhöfer M, Dufrechou E, Ezzatti P, Quintana-Ortí ES (2016) Exploiting task and data parallelism in ILUPACK’s preconditioned CG solver on NUMA architectures and many-core accelerators. Parallel Comput 54:97–107Aliaga JI, Bollhöfer M, Dufrechou E, Ezzatti P, Quintana-Ortí ES (2016) A data-parallel ILUPACK for sparse general and symmetric indefinite linear systems. In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 14th Int. Workshop on Algorithms, Models and Tools for Parallel Computing on Heterogeneous Platforms—HeteroPar’16. SpringerAliaga JI, Bollhöfer M, Martín AF, Quintana-Ortí ES (2011) Exploiting thread-level parallelism in the iterative solution of sparse linear systems. Parallel Comput 37(3):183–202Aliaga JI, Bollhöfer M, Martín AF, Quintana-Ortí ES (2012) Parallelization of multilevel ILU preconditioners on distributed-memory multiprocessors. Appl Parallel Sci Comput LNCS 7133:162–172Aliaga JI, Dufrechou E, Ezzatti P, Quintana-Ortí ES (2018) Accelerating a preconditioned GMRES method in massively parallel processors. In: CMMSE 2018: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mathematical Methods in Science and Engineering (2018)Bollhöfer M, Grote MJ, Schenk O (2009) Algebraic multilevel preconditioner for the Helmholtz equation in heterogeneous media. SIAM J Sci Comput 31(5):3781–3805Bollhöfer M, Saad Y (2006) Multilevel preconditioners constructed from inverse-based ILUs. SIAM J Sci Comput 27(5):1627–1650Dufrechou E, Ezzatti P (2018) A new GPU algorithm to compute a level set-based analysis for the parallel solution of sparse triangular systems. In: 2018 IEEE International Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium, IPDPS 2018, Canada, 2018. IEEE Computer SocietyDufrechou E, Ezzatti P (2018) Solving sparse triangular linear systems in modern GPUs: a synchronization-free algorithm. In: 2018 26th Euromicro International Conference on Parallel, Distributed and Network-Based Processing (PDP), pp 196–203. https://doi.org/10.1109/PDP2018.2018.00034Eijkhout V (1992) LAPACK working note 50: distributed sparse data structures for linear algebra operations. Tech. rep., Knoxville, TN, USAGolub GH, Van Loan CF (2013) Matrix computationsHe K, Tan SXD, Zhao H, Liu XX, Wang H, Shi G (2016) Parallel GMRES solver for fast analysis of large linear dynamic systems on GPU platforms. Integration 52:10–22 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016792601500084XLiu W, Li A, Hogg JD, Duff IS, Vinter B (2017) Fast synchronization-free algorithms for parallel sparse triangular solves with multiple right-hand sides. Concurr Comput 29(21)Saad Y (2003) Iterative methods for sparse linear systems, 2nd edn. SIAM, PhiladelphiaSchenk O, Wächter A, Weiser M (2008) Inertia revealing preconditioning for large-scale nonconvex constrained optimization. SIAM J Sci Comput 31(2):939–96

Lessons from the first generation of marine ecological forecast products

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Surgery for Bismuth-Corlette Type 4 Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Results from a Western Multicenter Collaborative Group

Background Although Bismuth-Corlette (BC) type 4 perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is no longer considered a contraindication for curative surgery, few data are available from Western series to indicate the outcomes for these patients. This study aimed to compare the short- and long-term outcomes for patients with BC type 4 versus BC types 2 and 3 pCCA undergoing surgical resection using a multi-institutional international database. Methods Uni- and multivariable analyses of patients undergoing surgery at 20 Western centers for BC types 2 and 3 pCCA and BC type 4 pCCA. Results Among 1138 pCCA patients included in the study, 826 (73%) had BC type 2 or 3 disease and 312 (27%) had type 4 disease. The two groups demonstrated significant differences in terms of clinicopathologic characteristics (i.e., portal vein embolization, extended hepatectomy, and positive margin). The incidence of severe complications was 46% for the BC types 2 and 3 patients and 51% for the BC type 4 patients (p = 0.1). Moreover, the 90-day mortality was 13% for the BC types 2 and 3 patients and 12% for the BC type 4 patients (p = 0.57). Lymph-node metastasis (N1; hazard-ratio [HR], 1.62), positive margins (R1; HR, 1.36), perineural invasion (HR, 1.53), and poor grade of differentiation (HR, 1.25) were predictors of survival (all p ≤0.004), but BC type was not associated with prognosis. Among the N0 and R0 patients, the 5-year overall survival was 43% for the patients with BC types 2 and 3 pCCA and 41% for those with BC type 4 pCCA (p = 0.60). Conclusions In this analysis of a large Western multi-institutional cohort, resection was shown to be an acceptable curative treatment option for selected patients with BC type 4 pCCA although a more technically challenging surgical approach was required

Potent Antioxidant and Genoprotective Effects of Boeravinone G, a Rotenoid Isolated from Boerhaavia diffusa

Background and Aims: Free radicals are implicated in the aetiology of some gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric ulcer, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. In the present study we investigated the antioxidant and genoprotective activity of some rotenoids (i.e. boeravinones) isolated from the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa, a plant used in the Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Methods/Principal Findings: Antioxidant activity has been evaluated using both chemical (Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy, ESR) and Caco-2 cells-based (TBARS and ROS) assays. DNA damage was evaluated by Comet assay, while pERK 1/2 and phospho-NF-kB p65 levels were estimated by western blot. Boeravinones G, D and H significantly reduced the signal intensity of ESR induced by hydroxyl radicals, suggesting a scavenging activity. Among rotenoids tested, boeravinone G exerted the most potent effect. Boeravinone G inhibited both TBARS and ROS formation induced by Fenton's reagent, increased SOD activity and reduced H 2O 2-induced DNA damage. Finally, boeravinone G reduced the levels of pERK 1 and phospho-NF-kB p65 (but not of pERK 2) increased by Fenton's reagent. Conclusions: It is concluded that boeravinone G exhibits an extraordinary potent antioxidant activity (significant effect in the nanomolar range). The MAP kinase and NF-kB pathways seem to be involved in the antioxidant effect of boeravinone G. Boeravinone G might be considered as lead compound for the development of drugs potentially useful against those pathologies whose aetiology is related to ROS-mediated injuries

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good