Polyvalent Parallelizations for Hierarchical Block Matching Motion Estimation

Block matching motion estimation algorithms are widely used in video coding schemes. In this paper,we design an efficient hierarchical block matching motion estimation (HBMME) algorithm on a hypercube multiprocessor. Unlike systolic array designs, this solution is not tied down to specific values of algorithm parameters and thus offers increased flexibility. Moreover, the hypercube network can efficiently handle the non regular data flow of the HBMME algorithm. Our techniques nearly eliminate the occurrence of “difficult” communication patterns, namely many-to-many personalized communication, by replacing them with simple shift operations. These operations have an efficient implementation on most of interconnection networks and thus our techniques can be adapted to other networks as well. With regard to the employed multiprocessor we make no specific assumption about the amount of local memory residing in each processor. Instead, we introduce a free parameter S and assume that each processor has O(S) local memory. By doing so, we handle all the cases of modern multiprocessors, that is fine-grained, medium-grained and coarse-grained multiprocessors and thus our design is quite general

On the excursions of reflected local time processes and stochastic fluid queues

This paper extends previous work by the authors. We consider the local time process of a strong Markov process, add negative drift, and reflect it \`a la Skorokhod. The resulting process is used to model a fluid queue. We derive an expression for the joint law of the duration of an excursion, the maximum value of the process on it, and the time distance between successive excursions. We work with a properly constructed stationary version of the process. Examples are also given in the paper.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figure

Analysis of stochastic fluid queues driven by local time processes

We consider a stochastic fluid queue served by a constant rate server and driven by a process which is the local time of a certain Markov process. Such a stochastic system can be used as a model in a priority service system, especially when the time scales involved are fast. The input (local time) in our model is always singular with respect to the Lebesgue measure which in many applications is ``close'' to reality. We first discuss how to rigorously construct the (necessarily) unique stationary version of the system under some natural stability conditions. We then consider the distribution of performance steady-state characteristics, namely, the buffer content, the idle period and the busy period. These derivations are much based on the fact that the inverse of the local time of a Markov process is a L\'evy process (a subordinator) hence making the theory of L\'evy processes applicable. Another important ingredient in our approach is the Palm calculus coming from the point process point of view.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figure

Ending preventable newborn deaths in a generation.

The end of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) era was marked in 2015, and while maternal and child mortality have been halved, MGD 4 and MDG 5 are off-track at the global level. Reductions in neonatal death rates (age <1 month) lag behind those for post-neonates (age 1-59 months), and stillbirth rates (omitted from the MDGs) have been virtually unchanged. Hence, almost half of under-five deaths are newborns, yet about 80% of these are preventable using cost-effective interventions. The Every Newborn Action Plan has been endorsed by the World Health Assembly and ratified by many stakeholders and donors to reduce neonatal deaths and stillbirths to 10 per 1000 births by 2035. The plan provides an evidence-based framework for scaling up of essential interventions across the continuum of care with the potential to prevent the deaths of approximately three million newborns, mothers, and stillbirths every year. Two million stillbirths and newborns could be saved by care at birth and care of small and sick newborns, giving a triple return on investment at this key time. Commitment, investment, and intentional leadership from global and national stakeholders, including all healthcare professionals, can make these ambitious goals attainable

DETECTION OF CALR MUTATIONS USING HIGH RESOLUTION MELTING CURVE ANALYSIS (HRM-A); APPLICATION ON A LARGE COHORT OF GREEK ET AND MF PATIENTS

Background and Objectives Somatic mutations in the calreticulin gene (CALR) are detected in approximately 70% of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary or secondary myelofibosis (MF), lacking the JAK2and MPLmutations. To determine the prevalence of CALRframeshift mutations in a population of MPN patients of Greek origin, we developed a rapid low-budget PCR-based assay and screened samples from 5 tertiary Haematology units. This is a first of its kind report of the Greek patient population that also disclosed novel CALRmutants.   Methods MPN patient samples were collected from different clinical units and screened for JAK2and MPLmutations after informed consent was obtained. Negative samples were analyzed for the presence of CALRmutations. To this end, we developed a modified post Real Time PCR High Resolution Melting Curve analysis (HRM-A) protocol. Samples were subsequently confirmed by Sanger sequencing.   Results Using this protocol we screened 173 MPN, JAK2and MPLmutation negative, patients of Greek origin, of whom 117 (67.63%) displayed a CALRexon 9 mutation. More specifically, mutations were detected in 90 out of 130 (69.23%) essential thrombocythaemia cases (ET), in 18 out of 33 (54.55%) primary myelofibrosis patients (pMF) and in 9 out of 10 (90%) cases of myelofibrosis secondary to ET (post-ET sMF). False positive results were not detected. The limit of detection (LoD) of our protocol was 2%. Furthermore, our study reavealed 6 rare novel mutations which are to be added in the COSMIC database.    Conclusions Overall, our method could rapidly and cost-effectively detect the mutation status in a representative cohort of Greek patients; the mutation make-up in our group was not different from what has been published for other national groups

CHILD IN CONTEMPORARY CROATIAN SOCIETY

U Zagrebu je 12. prosinca 2009. održan simpozij »Dijete u suvremenome hrvatskom društvu«, koji su organizirali Hrvatsko pedijatrijsko društvo, Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti, Ministarstvo zdravstva i socijalne skrbi i UNICEF za Hrvatsku. Predavači su prikazali važne podatke o teškoćama kojima su izložena djeca u Hrvatskoj. Naime, nove bolesti, koje su u suvremenom svijetu sve češće u djece, zahtijevaju od svih koji su uključeni u zdravstvenu zaštitu djece nove pristupe radu, što podrazumijeva i dodatnu edukaciju. To nisu bolesti uobičajene u svakodnevnoj liječničkoj praksi. Pristup društva, zbog raznolikosti teškoća s kojima se djeca suočavaju, može biti samo multidisciplinaran. Temeljni nacionalni interes društva je usmjeriti više pozornosti i financijska sredstva na zdravstvenu zaštitu djece, jer to osigurava opstanak i zdravu budućnost društva. Taj pristup zahtijeva nacionalni konsenzus i jasnu političku odluku svih odgovornih službi.The symposium on the topic »Child in contemporary Croatian society«, organized by Croatian Pediatric Society, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ministry of health and social welfare and UNICEF Croatia Office, was held in Zagreb on December 12, 2009. The lecturers have shown important information on difficulties the children in Croatia are exposed to. Namely, diseases of the so called »new morbidity«, which are becoming more and more frequent in the contemporary world, demand a new approach of work from all who participate in healthcare for children, including additional education. These diseases are not part of a practitioner’s routine activity. Due to variety of problems children are exposed to, the approach can be only multidisciplinary. Basic national interest of every country (basic interest of every human society) should be to direct more attention and financial resources to the healthcare of children, which would ensure the existence and healthy future of the society. This approach requires a national consensus and clear political decision of all responsible official services

CHILD IN CONTEMPORARY CROATIAN SOCIETY

U Zagrebu je 12. prosinca 2009. održan simpozij »Dijete u suvremenome hrvatskom društvu«, koji su organizirali Hrvatsko pedijatrijsko društvo, Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti, Ministarstvo zdravstva i socijalne skrbi i UNICEF za Hrvatsku. Predavači su prikazali važne podatke o teškoćama kojima su izložena djeca u Hrvatskoj. Naime, nove bolesti, koje su u suvremenom svijetu sve češće u djece, zahtijevaju od svih koji su uključeni u zdravstvenu zaštitu djece nove pristupe radu, što podrazumijeva i dodatnu edukaciju. To nisu bolesti uobičajene u svakodnevnoj liječničkoj praksi. Pristup društva, zbog raznolikosti teškoća s kojima se djeca suočavaju, može biti samo multidisciplinaran. Temeljni nacionalni interes društva je usmjeriti više pozornosti i financijska sredstva na zdravstvenu zaštitu djece, jer to osigurava opstanak i zdravu budućnost društva. Taj pristup zahtijeva nacionalni konsenzus i jasnu političku odluku svih odgovornih službi.The symposium on the topic »Child in contemporary Croatian society«, organized by Croatian Pediatric Society, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ministry of health and social welfare and UNICEF Croatia Office, was held in Zagreb on December 12, 2009. The lecturers have shown important information on difficulties the children in Croatia are exposed to. Namely, diseases of the so called »new morbidity«, which are becoming more and more frequent in the contemporary world, demand a new approach of work from all who participate in healthcare for children, including additional education. These diseases are not part of a practitioner’s routine activity. Due to variety of problems children are exposed to, the approach can be only multidisciplinary. Basic national interest of every country (basic interest of every human society) should be to direct more attention and financial resources to the healthcare of children, which would ensure the existence and healthy future of the society. This approach requires a national consensus and clear political decision of all responsible official services

ExtremeEarth meets satellite data from space

Bringing together a number of cutting-edge technologies that range from storing extremely large volumesof data all the way to developing scalable machine learning and deep learning algorithms in a distributed manner, and having them operate over the same infrastructure poses unprecedentedchallenges. One of these challenges is the integration of European Space Agency (ESA)s Thematic Exploitation Platforms (TEPs) and data information access service platforms with a data platform, namely Hopsworks, that enables scalable data processing, machine learning, and deep learning on Copernicus data, and development of very large training datasets for deep learning architectures targeting the classification of Sentinel images. In this paper, we present the software architecture of ExtremeEarth that aims at the development of scalable deep learning and geospatial analytics techniques for processing and analyzing petabytes of Copernicus data. The ExtremeEarth software infrastructure seamlessly integrates existing and novel software platforms and tools for storing, accessing, processing, analyzing, and visualizing large amounts of Copernicus data. New techniques in the areas of remote sensing and artificial intelligence with an emphasis on deep learning are developed. These techniques and corresponding software presented in thispaper are to be integrated with and used in two ESA TEPs, namely Polar and Food Security TEPs. Furthermore, we presentthe integration of Hopsworks with the Polar and Food Securityuse cases and the flow of events for the products offered through the TEPs

Surgical Approach for Nevoid Hyperkeratosis of the Areola

Nevoid hyperkeratosis of the breast is a rare condition affecting the nipple, the areola or both. It appears in both sexes and it can by lateral or unilateral. It can also accompany other skin diseases or systemic conditions including malignancies. Treatment may not be easy due to aesthetic consequences but surgery seems to be the most preferable therapeutic option. We report such a case successfully managed by surgical intervention