Intervention to improve the level of documentation of antipsychotic related adverse drug reactions

Antipsychotic drugs are the mainstay of treatment for psychotic disorders according to the Standard Treatment Guidelines (2012). However, these drugs are associated with multiple severe adverse drug reactions. In order to limit the effect of adverse drug reactions on patient care, documentation is necessary. Documentation of adverse drug reactions entails recording the reaction experienced, as well as supplementary information. Proper documentation can prevent future occurrences of the same or similar adverse drug reactions. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an educational intervention targeting increasing documentation of the adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs. The objectives of the study were: to determine the pre-intervention extent and frequency of documentation of antipsychotic-related adverse drug reactions in the patient medical record; to implement an intervention aimed at educating the relevant healthcare professionals, focusing on the adverse drug reactions of antipsychotic drugs and how to record or document these reactions; to assess the post-intervention extent and frequency of documentation of antipsychotic-related adverse drug reactions in the patient medical record; and to assess the attitude of healthcare providers towards the documentation of antipsychotic related adverse drug reactions before and after the intervention

Accelerating Climate Simulations Through Hybrid Computing

Unconventional multi-core processors (e.g., IBM Cell B/E and NYIDIDA GPU) have emerged as accelerators in climate simulation. However, climate models typically run on parallel computers with conventional processors (e.g., Intel and AMD) using MPI. Connecting accelerators to this architecture efficiently and easily becomes a critical issue. When using MPI for connection, we identified two challenges: (1) identical MPI implementation is required in both systems, and; (2) existing MPI code must be modified to accommodate the accelerators. In response, we have extended and deployed IBM Dynamic Application Virtualization (DAV) in a hybrid computing prototype system (one blade with two Intel quad-core processors, two IBM QS22 Cell blades, connected with Infiniband), allowing for seamlessly offloading compute-intensive functions to remote, heterogeneous accelerators in a scalable, load-balanced manner. Currently, a climate solar radiation model running with multiple MPI processes has been offloaded to multiple Cell blades with approx.10% network overhead

Improved Fan Control

Cooling large computer enclosures is an increasingly difficult task, usually requiring multiple fans and/or multiple rotors per fan. A technique is disclosed that reduces stress on a power distribution system for multiple fans by delaying individual fan control signals at the final distribution point near the fans

AI Modelling and Time-series Forecasting Systems for Trading Energy Flexibility in Distribution Grids

We demonstrate progress on the deployment of two sets of technologies to support distribution grid operators integrating high shares of renewable energy sources, based on a market for trading local energy flexibilities. An artificial-intelligence (AI) grid modelling tool, based on probabilistic graphs, predicts congestions and estimates the amount and location of energy flexibility required to avoid such events. A scalable time-series forecasting system delivers large numbers of short-term predictions of distributed energy demand and generation. We discuss the deployment of the technologies at three trial demonstration sites across Europe, in the context of a research project carried out in a consortium with energy utilities, technology providers and research institutions

Accelerating Climate and Weather Simulations through Hybrid Computing

Unconventional multi- and many-core processors (e.g. IBM (R) Cell B.E.(TM) and NVIDIA (R) GPU) have emerged as effective accelerators in trial climate and weather simulations. Yet these climate and weather models typically run on parallel computers with conventional processors (e.g. Intel, AMD, and IBM) using Message Passing Interface. To address challenges involved in efficiently and easily connecting accelerators to parallel computers, we investigated using IBM's Dynamic Application Virtualization (TM) (IBM DAV) software in a prototype hybrid computing system with representative climate and weather model components. The hybrid system comprises two Intel blades and two IBM QS22 Cell B.E. blades, connected with both InfiniBand(R) (IB) and 1-Gigabit Ethernet. The system significantly accelerates a solar radiation model component by offloading compute-intensive calculations to the Cell blades. Systematic tests show that IBM DAV can seamlessly offload compute-intensive calculations from Intel blades to Cell B.E. blades in a scalable, load-balanced manner. However, noticeable communication overhead was observed, mainly due to IP over the IB protocol. Full utilization of IB Sockets Direct Protocol and the lower latency production version of IBM DAV will reduce this overhead

Limits on a Variable Source of 511 keV Annihilation Radiation near the Galactic Center

The Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM) has observed a strong Galactic source of 511 keV annihilation radiation from its launch in 1980 to its reentry in 1989. These observations are consistent with an extended source having an intensity of about 0.002 gamma/sq cm/s averaged over the central radian of Galactic longitude. These data are searched for evidence of the variable Galactic center source of 511 keV line radiation which was reported to have reappeared in 1988 by Leventhal et al. The SMM data are consistent with, but do not require, a compact source emitting a time-averaged flux of about 0.0004 gamma/sq cm/s during about 3 month transits in 1987 and 1988; they are inconsistent with a compact source flux in excess of 0.0008 gamma/sq cm/s for each year