Improving Memory Hierarchy Utilisation for Stencil Computations on Multicore Machines

Although modern supercomputers are composed of multicore machines, one can find scientists that still execute their legacy applications which were developed to monocore cluster where memory hierarchy is dedicated to a sole core. The main objective of this paper is to propose and evaluate an algorithm that identify an efficient blocksize to be applied on MPI stencil computations on multicore machines. Under the light of an extensive experimental analysis, this work shows the benefits of identifying blocksizes that will dividing data on the various cores and suggest a methodology that explore the memory hierarchy available in modern machines

Ruralidades, o experimento: recuperando o espaço sonoro

The Rurals Experiment was a sound intervention developed and conducted by me and it took place in the city of Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil on May 21 and 23, 2014. In this paper, I analyze the intervention as an opportunity to disrupt the established soundscape of the city and give space for fresh engagements of the population with their soundscape to temporarily occur and reflect on the reasons why this approach would particularly impact that city's reality. Making use of field recordings captured at the city's countryside, they were presented in contrast, in the commercial urban center of the city in order to instigate reflection about the quick changes their sound environment has experienced in a short period of time. Thus, I review the history of Cruz das Almas, identify some of its soundmarks I considered relevant to demonstrate the hardcore and sometimes oppressive nature of this city's sound reality which has a strong influence in this community's disposition to perceive sound and provides essential tools for engagement with the experiment.O experimento Ruralidades foi uma intervenção sonora que realizei em  Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil, nos dias 21 e 23 de maio de 2014. Neste artigo, analiso a intervenção como uma oportunidade para modificar a paisagem sonora da cidade, dando espaço para novos engajamentos da população com essa paisagem sonora e para refletir sobre como isso afetaria a realidade da cidade. Gravações de campo capturadas na zona rural foram apresentadas, de modo contrastante, no centro urbano comercial instigando a  reflexão sobre as rápidas mudanças que o ambiente sonoro da cidade sofreu em um curto período de tempo. Assim, reviso a história de Cruz das Almas e identifico algumas de suas marcas sonoras que considero relevantes para apontar questões, muitas vezes de caráter opressor, da realidade sonora da cidade

Influence of Apolipoprotein E Plasma Levels and Tobacco Smoking on the Induction of Neutralising Antibodies to Interferon-Beta

Interferon-beta (IFN-beta) therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with a potential for induction of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Because immune reactivity depends on changes in lipoprotein metabolism, we investigated whether plasma lipoprotein profiles could be associated with the development of NAbs. Thirty-one female MS patients treated with subcutaneously administered IFN-beta were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between NAbs response groups using t tests for continuous and logistic regression analysis and Fisher's exact tests for categorical data, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of potential confounders. Patients who developed NAbs had lower apoE levels before treatment, 67 (47-74) mg/L median (interquartile range), and at the moment of NAb analysis, 53 (50-84) mg/L, in comparison to those who remained NAb-negative, 83 (68-107) mg/L, P = 0.03, and 76 (66-87) mg/L, P = 0.04, respectively. When adjusting for age and smoking for a one-standard deviation decrease in apoE levels, a 5.6-fold increase in the odds of becoming NAb-positive was detected: odds ratios (OR) 0.18 (95% CI 0.04-0.77), P = 0.04. When adjusting for apoE, smoking habit became associated with NAb induction: OR 5.6 (95% CI 1.3-87), P = 0.03. These results suggest that apoE-containing lipoprotein metabolism and, possibly, tobacco smoking may be associated with risk of NAb production in female MS patients treated with IFN-beta

Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Solar Dynamic Power System (SDPS) is one of the candidates for Space Station prime power application. In the low Earth orbit of the Space Station approximately 34 minutes of the 94-minute orbital period is spent in eclipse with no solar energy input to the power system. For this period the SDPS will use thermal energy storage (TES) material to provide a constant power output. An integrated heat-pipe thermal storage receiver system is being developed as part of the ORC-SDPS solar receiver. This system incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain the TES canisters within the potassium vapor space with the toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the Earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe in the ORC-SDPS receiver cavity. The heat pipe transforms the non-uniform solar flux incident in the heat pipe surface within the receiver cavity to an essentially uniform flux at the potassium vapor condensation interface in the heat pipe. During solar insolation, part of the thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of the orbit, the balance stored in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube

Quality and validity of large animal experiments in stroke : a systematic review

An important factor for successful translational stroke research is study quality. Low-quality studies are at risk of biased results and effect overestimation, as has been intensely discussed for small animal stroke research. However, little is known about the methodological rigor and quality in large animal stroke models, which are becoming more frequently used in the field. Based on research in two databases, this systematic review surveys and analyses the methodological quality in large animal stroke research. Quality analysis was based on the Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable and the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments guidelines. Our analysis revealed that large animal models are utilized with similar shortcomings as small animal models. Moreover, translational benefits of large animal models may be limited due to lacking implementation of important quality criteria such as randomization, allocation concealment, and blinded assessment of outcome. On the other hand, an increase of study quality over time and a positive correlation between study quality and journal impact factor were identified. Based on the obtained findings, we derive recommendations for optimal study planning, conducting, and data analysis/reporting when using large animal stroke models to fully benefit from the translational advantages offered by these models

Flexão composta : análise comparativa REBAP vs. EC2

No contexto actual nacional, o dimensionamento de estruturas de betão armado tem sido maioritariamente efectuado em conformidade com a norma nacional, o Regulamento de Estruturas de Betão Armado e Pré Esforçado (REBAP). Com a aprovação, no passado recente, do Eurocódigo 2 (EC2) a nível europeu, antevê-se que em breve lhe seja atribuído o estatuto de norma nacional, através da publicação de um texto idêntico. Em termos gerais o EC2, quando comparado com o REBAP, apresenta diferenças consideráveis na forma e no conteúdo que se repercutem no dimensionamento das estruturas de betão armado. Perante este cenário torna se imperioso efectuar estudos comparativos entre as duas normas aos mais diferentes níveis. O caso particular do dimensionamento à flexão ao nível da secção transversal em elementos estruturais lineares, que tem por base a hipótese de Navier Bernoulli (secções planas antes e após a deformação), recorre a leis tensões extensões de cálculo dos materiais intervenientes: o betão e o aço. As propostas do REBAP e do EC2 para definir estas leis são ligeiramente diferentes. Em trabalhos anteriores demonstrou se que as diferenças obtidas no dimensionamento de secções rectangulares à flexão simples adoptando as duas regulamentações (REBAP e EC2) são marginais. No presente trabalho pretende se avaliar a mesma diferença, mas desta feita para o caso em que o elemento estrutural se encontra sujeito a flexão composta. Deste modo, o objectivo é o de analisar a influência das diferenças que existem entre o REBAP e o EC2 ao nível dos diagramas tensões extensões de cálculo para os materiais betão e aço, no dimensionamento de secções rectangulares à flexão composta. No presente trabalho descreve se o estudo comparativo efectuado, assim como as principais conclusões obtidas

An acoustic image-source characterisation of surface profiles

The image-source method models the specular reflection from a plane by means of a secondary source positioned at the source's reflected image. The method has been widely used in acoustics to model the reverberant field of rectangular rooms, but can also be used for general-shaped rooms and non-flat reflectors. This paper explores the relationship between the physical properties of a non-flat reflector and the statistical properties of the associated cloud of image-sources. It is shown here that the standard deviation of the image-sources is strongly correlated with the ratio between depth and width of the reflector's spatial features

Haptic Bimanual System for Teleoperation of Time-Delayed Tasks

This paper presents a novel teleoperation system, which has been designed to address challenges in the remote control of spaceborne bimanual robotic tasks. The primary interest for designing this system is to assess and increase the efficacy of users performing bimanual tasks, while ensuring the safety of the system and minimising the user's mental load. This system consists of two seven-axis robots that are remotely controlled through two haptic control interfaces. The mental load of the user is monitored using a head-mounted interface, which collects eye gaze data and provides components for the holographic user interface. The development of this system enables the safe execution of tasks remotely, which is a critical building block for developing and deploying future space missions as well as other high-risk tasks

Lna santé - the home care pioneer in France

Begun operating in 1992 and today is ready to be bought and to grow massively in the upcoming years .LNA Santé, the fifth French player in the long-term care market ,will be acquired in 2019 in a Private Equity deal and will improve its operations in Europe. This deal is expected to return 3.1 x the money invested by the fund and an internal rate of return of almost 26% with an exit in five years(2023). This successful exit is possible due to an ageing population that is set to in crease demand for dependent care which is reflected in the number of nursing home beds forecasted to double. By the time of exit, the firm will amount €828 Mofre venues and €94 Mof EBITD As treaming from consolidation of operations in the current operating countries–France and Belgium–and an internationalization bet in the Netherlands. It is presumed that this paper will inform how a deal in Private Equity -term care market in Europe is conducted