Repositioning Tiered HotSpot Execution Performance Relative to the Interpreter

Although the advantages of just-in-time compilation over traditional interpretive execution are widely recognised, there needs to be more current research investigating and repositioning the performance differences between these two execution models relative to contemporary workloads. Specifically, there is a need to examine the performance differences between Java Runtime Environment (JRE) Java Virtual Machine (JVM) tiered execution and JRE JVM interpretive execution relative to modern multicore architectures and modern concurrent and parallel benchmark workloads. This article aims to fill this research gap by presenting the results of a study that compares the performance of these two execution models under load from the Renaissance Benchmark Suite. This research is relevant to anyone interested in understanding the performance differences between just-in-time compiled code and interpretive execution. It provides a contemporary assessment of the interpretive JVM core, the entry and starting point for bytecode execution, relative to just-in-time tiered execution. The study considers factors such as the JRE version, the GNU GCC version used in the JRE build toolchain, and the garbage collector algorithm specified at runtime, and their impact on the performance difference envelope between interpretive and tiered execution. Our findings indicate that tiered execution is considerably more efficient than interpretive execution, and the performance gap has increased, ranging from 4 to 37 times more efficient. On average, tiered execution is approximately 15 times more efficient than interpretive execution. Additionally, the performance differences between interpretive and tiered execution are influenced by workload category, with narrower performance differences observed for web-based workloads and more significant differences for Functional and Scala-type workloads.Comment: 17 page

Influence of Technology on Adolescent Development and Spiritual Formation

Adolescence is the time when a person develops perceptions about religious thoughts and with proper guidance, can be a stronger follower of Christ. The purpose of this project is to analyze the effects of technology on young people and to show a direct correlation between the influence of technology and spiritual growth of adolescents. I will argue that both the positive and negative influences of technology have made our students more informative yet less personally intimate. This shift of personal interaction presents a challenge to the cognitive development and spiritual formation of all students

Multiple column high-throughput e-beam inspection (EBI)

Single-column e-beam systems are used in production for the detection of electrical defects, but are too slow to be used for the detection of small physical defects, and can't meet future inspection requirements. This paper presents a multiple-column e-beam technology for high throughput wafer inspection. Multibeam has developed all-electrostatic columns for high-resolution imaging. The elimination of magnetic coils enables the columns to be small; e-beam deflection is faster in the absence of magnetic hysteresis. Multiple miniature-columns are assembled in an array. An array of 100 columns covers the entire surface of a 300mm wafer, affording simultaneous cross-wafer sampling. Column performance simulations and system architecture are presented. Also provided are examples of high throughput, more efficient, multiple-column wafer inspection

The role of Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 channels within an optimal estimation scheme for sea surface temperature

We present an analysis of information content for sea surface temperature (SST) retrieval from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2). We find that SST uncertainty of ∼0.37 K can be achieved within an optimal estimation framework in the presence of wind, water vapour and cloud liquid water effects, given appropriate assumptions for instrumental uncertainty and prior knowledge, and using all channels. We test all possible combinations of AMSR2 channels and demonstrate the importance of including cloud liquid water in the retrieval vector. The channel combinations, with the minimum number of channels, that carry most SST information content are calculated, since in practice calibration error drives a trade-off between retrieved SST uncertainty and the number of channels used. The most informative set of five channels is 6.9 V, 6.9 H, 7.3 V, 10.7 V and 36.5 H and these are suitable for optimal estimation retrievals. We discuss the relevance of microwave SSTs and issues related to them compared to SSTs derived from infra-red observations

Coping Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Brief COPE

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cancer survivors continue to cope with significant stressors after completing treatment. The Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) is frequently used to measure coping; however, its factor structure remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the best factor conceptualization of the Brief COPE for use among breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Breast cancer survivors (N = 1,127) completed the Brief COPE. We conducted confirmatory factor analyses comparing several a priori models based on research in cancer-relevant populations. RESULTS: Of the eight models examined, the 14-factor model of the Brief COPE showed the best fit. CONCLUSIONS: Despite efforts to simplify the structure of the Brief COPE, our results suggest coping among breast cancer survivors is best assessed using Carver's (1997) original 14-factor conceptualization

Cooperative interactions enable singular olfactory receptor expression in mouse olfactory neurons

The monogenic and monoallelic expression of only one out of >1000 mouse olfactory receptor (ORs) genes requires the formation of large heterochromatic chromatin domains that sequester the OR gene clusters. Within these domains, intergenic transcriptional enhancers evade heterochromatic silencing and converge into interchromosomal hubs that assemble over the transcriptionally active OR. The significance of this nuclear organization in OR choice remains elusive. Here, we show that transcription factors Lhx2 and Ebf specify OR enhancers by binding in a functionally cooperative fashion to stereotypically spaced motifs that defy heterochromatin. Specific displacement of Lhx2 and Ebf from OR enhancers resulted in pervasive, long-range, and trans downregulation of OR transcription, whereas pre-assembly of a multi-enhancer hub increased the frequency of OR choice in cis. Our data provide genetic support for the requirement and sufficiency of interchromosomal interactions in singular OR choice and generate general regulatory principles for stochastic, mutually exclusive gene expression programs

Discussions of Life Expectancy Moderate Relationships between Prognosis and Anxiety or Depression in Men with Advanced Cancer

Purpose: Oncologists avoid prognostic discussions due to concerns about increasing patients' anxiety or depression. We sought to determine if perceived prognosis or extent of prognostic discussions predicted anxiety or depression and whether prognostic discussions moderated the relationship between prognosis and anxiety or depression. Methods: Men with advanced cancer and their oncologists estimated the likelihood of survival at 6 months and reported extent of prognostic discussions. Anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: Men who died within 6 months reported higher scores on depression but not anxiety. Men who estimated a lower (10%–75%) likelihood of surviving at least 6 months were more depressed and anxious than men who estimated a higher (>90%) likelihood of survival. A similar relationship was seen with oncologists' prognostications. Men who reported having had full prognostic discussions with their oncologist had less depression compared with men who reported having had brief or no discussions. Men for whom the oncologists reported a full discussion had greater anxiety. The relationships between patient-perceived prognosis and depression or anxiety were moderated by extent of prognostic discussions as reported by the patient or oncologist, respectively. Conclusion: Full prognostic discussions are associated with less depression among men who perceive a poor prognosis. Anxiety is increased in men if the oncologists report a full discussion. Oncologists should engage in prognostic discussions but assess for increased anxiety to facilitate coping with advanced cancer

The Cancer Loneliness Scale and Cancer-related Negative Social Expectations Scale: development and validation

PURPOSE: Loneliness is a known risk factor for poor mental and physical health outcomes and quality of life in the general population, and preliminary research suggests that loneliness is linked to poorer health outcomes in cancer patients as well. Various aspects of the cancer experience contribute to patients feeling alone and misunderstood. Furthermore, loneliness theory suggests that negative social expectations, which may specifically relate to the cancer experience, precipitate and sustain loneliness. Cancer-specific tools are needed to assess key constructs of this theory. In the current study, we developed and tested measures of (1) loneliness attributed to cancer (i.e., cancer-related loneliness) and (2) negative social expectations related to cancer. METHODS: First, we developed the items for the measures based on theory, prior research, and expert feedback. Next, we assessed the measures' psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency and construct validity) in a diverse sample of cancer patients. RESULTS: The final products included a 7-item unidimensional Cancer Loneliness Scale and a 5-item unidimensional Cancer-related Negative Social Expectations Scale. Evidence of excellent reliability and validity was found for both measures. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting measures have both clinical and research utility

Enhancer Interaction Networks as a Means for Singular Olfactory Receptor Expression

SummaryThe transcriptional activation of one out of ∼2800 olfactory receptor (OR) alleles is a poorly understood process. Here, we identify a plethora of putative OR enhancers and study their in vivo activity in olfactory neurons. Distinguished by an unusual epigenetic signature, candidate OR enhancers are characterized by extensive interchromosomal interactions associated with OR transcription and share a similar pattern of transcription factor footprints. In particular, we establish the role of the transcription factor Bptf as a facilitator of both enhancer interactions and OR transcription. Our observations agree with the model whereby OR transcription occurs in the context of multiple interacting enhancers. Disruption of these interchromosomal interactions results in weak and multigenic OR expression, suggesting that the rare coincidence of numerous enhancers over a stochastically chosen OR may account for the singularity and robustness in OR transcription