Strassen's matrix multiplication for customisable processors

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Epidemiology of invasive fungal diseases among patients with haematological disorders in the Asia-Pacific: a prospective observational study

AbstractWe conducted a 2-year multicentre prospective observational study to determine the epidemiology of and mortality associated with invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) among patients with haematological disorders in Asia. Eleven institutions from 8 countries/regions participated, with 412 subjects (28.2% possible, 38.3% probable and 33.5% proven IFDs) recruited. The epidemiology of IFDs in participating institutions was similar to Western centres, with Aspergillus spp. (65.9%) or Candida spp. (26.7%) causing the majority of probable and proven IFDs. The overall 30-day mortality was 22.1%. Progressive haematological disorder (odds ratio [OR] 5.192), invasive candidiasis (OR 3.679), and chronic renal disease (OR 6.677) were independently associated with mortality

Finite sum of gluon ladders and high energy cross sections

A model for the Pomeron at $t=0$ is suggested. It is based on the idea of a finite sum of ladder diagrams in QCD. Accordingly, the number of $s$-channel gluon rungs and correspondingly the powers of logarithms in the forward scattering amplitude depends on the phase space (energy) available, i.e. as energy increases, progressively new prongs with additional gluon rungs in the $s$-channel open. Explicit expressions for the total cross section involving two and three rungs or, alternatively, three and four prongs (with $\ln^2(s)$ and $\ln^3(s)$ as highest terms, respectively) are fitted to the proton-proton and proton-antiproton total cross section data in the accelerator region. Both QCD calculation and fits to the data indicate fast convergence of the series. In the fit, two terms (a constant and a logarithmically rising one) almost saturate the whole series, the $\ln^2(s)$ term being small and the next one, $\ln^3(s)$, negligible. Theoretical predictions for the photon-photon total cross section are also given.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, 2 EPS figures, uses axodraw.st

A Collider Signature of the Supersymmetric Golden Region

Null results of experimental searches for the Higgs boson and the superpartners imply a certain amount of fine-tuning in the electroweak sector of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The "golden region" in the MSSM parameter space is the region where the experimental constraints are satisfied and the amount of fine-tuning is minimized. In this region, the stop trilinear soft term is large, leading to a significant mass splitting between the two stop mass eigenstates. As a result, the decay of the heavier stop into the lighter stop and a Z boson is kinematically allowed throughout the golden region. We propose that the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) can search for this decay through an inclusive signature, Z+2jb+missing Et+X. We evaluate the Standard Model backgrounds for this channel, and identify a set of cuts that would allow detection of the supersymmetric contribution at the LHC for the MSSM parameters typical of the golden region. We also discuss other possible interpretations of a signal for new physics in the Z+2jb+missing Et+X channel, and suggest further measurements that could be used to distinguish among these interpretations.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures. New in v4: an error fixed in Eq. (13); results unaffecte

Observations of Coronal Mass Ejections with the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter

The Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) measures not only the polarization of coronal emission, but also the full radiance profiles of coronal emission lines. For the first time, CoMP observations provide high-cadence image sequences of the coronal line intensity, Doppler shift and line width simultaneously in a large field of view. By studying the Doppler shift and line width we may explore more of the physical processes of CME initiation and propagation. Here we identify a list of CMEs observed by CoMP and present the first results of these observations. Our preliminary analysis shows that CMEs are usually associated with greatly increased Doppler shift and enhanced line width. These new observations provide not only valuable information to constrain CME models and probe various processes during the initial propagation of CMEs in the low corona, but also offer a possible cost-effective and low-risk means of space weather monitoring.Comment: 6 figures. Will appear in the special issue of Coronal Magnetism, Sol. Phy

How Many CMEs Have Flux Ropes? Deciphering the Signatures of Shocks, Flux Ropes, and Prominences in Coronagraph Observations of CMEs

We intend to provide a comprehensive answer to the question on whether all Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have flux rope structure. To achieve this, we present a synthesis of the LASCO CME observations over the last sixteen years, assisted by 3D MHD simulations of the breakout model, EUV and coronagraphic observations from STEREO and SDO, and statistics from a revised LASCO CME database. We argue that the bright loop often seen as the CME leading edge is the result of pileup at the boundary of the erupting flux rope irrespective of whether a cavity or, more generally, a 3-part CME can be identified. Based on our previous work on white light shock detection and supported by the MHD simulations, we identify a new type of morphology, the `two-front' morphology. It consists of a faint front followed by diffuse emission and the bright loop-like CME leading edge. We show that the faint front is caused by density compression at a wave (or possibly shock) front driven by the CME. We also present high-detailed multi-wavelength EUV observations that clarify the relative positioning of the prominence at the bottom of a coronal cavity with clear flux rope structure. Finally, we visually check the full LASCO CME database for flux rope structures. In the process, we classify the events into two clear flux rope classes (`3-part', `Loop'), jets and outflows (no clear structure). We find that at least 40% of the observed CMEs have clear flux rope structures. We propose a new definition for flux rope CMEs (FR-CMEs) as a coherent magnetic, twist-carrying coronal structure with angular width of at least 40 deg and able to reach beyond 10 Rsun which erupts on a time scale of a few minutes to several hours. We conclude that flux ropes are a common occurrence in CMEs and pose a challenge for future studies to identify CMEs that are clearly not FR-CMEs.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figs, to be published in Solar Physics Topical Issue "Flux Rope Structure of CMEs

Community-based cardiovascular Risk Factors Intervention Strategies (CORFIS) in managing hypertension: A pragmatic non-randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the number one cardiovascular risk factor in Malaysia. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Community-Based Cardiovascular Risk Factors Intervention Strategies (CORFIS) in the management of hypertension in primary care. METHODS: This is a pragmatic, non-randomized controlled trial. Seventy general practitioners (GPs) were selected to provide either CORFIS (44 GPs) or conventional care (26 GPs) for 6 months. A total of 486 hypertensive patients were recruited; 309 were in the intervention and 177 in the control groups. Primary outcome was the proportion of hypertensive patients who achieved target blood pressure (BP) of <140/90mmHg (for those without diabetes mellitus) and <130/80mmHg (with diabetes mellitus). Secondary outcomes include change in the mean/median BP at 6-month as compared to baseline. RESULTS: The proportion of hypertensive patients who achieved target BP at 6-month was significantly higher in the CORFIS arm (69.6) as compared to the control arm (57.6), P=0.008. Amongst those who had uncontrolled BP at baseline, the proportion who achieved target BP at 6-month was also significantly higher in the CORFIS arm (56.6) as compared to the control arm (34.1), p<0.001. There was no difference in the patients who had already achieved BP control at baseline. There were significant reductions in SBP in the CORFIS arm (median -9.0mmHg; -60 to 50) versus control (median -2mmHg; -50 to 48), p=0.003; as well as in DBP (CORFIS arm: median -6.0mmHg; ranged from -53 to 30 versus control arm: median 0.0mmHg; ranged from -42 to 30), p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received CORFIS care demonstrated significant improvements in achieving target BP

Modeling the Subsurface Structure of Sunspots

While sunspots are easily observed at the solar surface, determining their subsurface structure is not trivial. There are two main hypotheses for the subsurface structure of sunspots: the monolithic model and the cluster model. Local helioseismology is the only means by which we can investigate subphotospheric structure. However, as current linear inversion techniques do not yet allow helioseismology to probe the internal structure with sufficient confidence to distinguish between the monolith and cluster models, the development of physically realistic sunspot models are a priority for helioseismologists. This is because they are not only important indicators of the variety of physical effects that may influence helioseismic inferences in active regions, but they also enable detailed assessments of the validity of helioseismic interpretations through numerical forward modeling. In this paper, we provide a critical review of the existing sunspot models and an overview of numerical methods employed to model wave propagation through model sunspots. We then carry out an helioseismic analysis of the sunspot in Active Region 9787 and address the serious inconsistencies uncovered by \citeauthor{gizonetal2009}~(\citeyear{gizonetal2009,gizonetal2009a}). We find that this sunspot is most probably associated with a shallow, positive wave-speed perturbation (unlike the traditional two-layer model) and that travel-time measurements are consistent with a horizontal outflow in the surrounding moat.Comment: 73 pages, 19 figures, accepted by Solar Physic

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe