Virtual cluster scheduling through the scheduling graph

This paper presents an instruction scheduling and cluster assignment approach for clustered processors. The proposed technique makes use of a novel representation named the scheduling graph which describes all possible schedules. A powerful deduction process is applied to this graph, reducing at each step the set of possible schedules. In contrast to traditional list scheduling techniques, the proposed scheme tries to establish relations among instructions rather than assigning each instruction to a particular cycle. The main advantage is that wrong or poor schedules can be anticipated and discarded earlier. In addition, cluster assignment of instructions is performed using another novel concept called virtual clusters, which define sets of instructions that must execute in the same cluster. These clusters are managed during the deduction process to identify incompatibilities among instructions. The mapping of virtual to physical clusters is postponed until the scheduling of the instructions has finalized. The advantages this novel approach features include: (1) accurate scheduling information when assigning, and, (2) accurate information of the cluster assignment constraints imposed by scheduling decisions. We have implemented and evaluated the proposed scheme with superblocks extracted from Speclnt95 and MediaBench. The results show that this approach produces better schedules than the previous state-of-the-art. Speed-ups are up to 15%, with average speed-ups ranging from 2.5% (2-Clusters) to 9.5% (4-Clusters).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A unified modulo scheduling and register allocation technique for clustered processors

This work presents a modulo scheduling framework for clustered ILP processors that integrates the cluster assignment, instruction scheduling and register allocation steps in a single phase. This unified approach is more effective than traditional approaches based on sequentially performing some (or all) of the three steps, since it allows optimizing the global code generation problem instead of searching for optimal solutions to each individual step. Besides, it avoids the iterative nature of traditional approaches, which require repeated applications of the three steps until a valid solution is found. The proposed framework includes a mechanism to insert spill code on-the-fly and heuristics to evaluate the quality of partial schedules considering simultaneously inter-cluster communications, memory pressure and register pressure. Transformations that allow trading pressure on a type of resource for another resource are also included. We show that the proposed technique outperforms previously proposed techniques. For instance, the average speed-up for the SPECfp95 is 36% for a 4-cluster configuration.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Instruction replication for clustered microarchitectures

This work presents a new compilation technique that uses instruction replication in order to reduce the number of communications executed on a clustered microarchitecture. For such architectures, the need to communicate values between clusters can result in a significant performance loss. Inter-cluster communications can be reduced by selectively replicating an appropriate set of instructions. However, instruction replication must be done carefully since it may also degrade performance due to the increased contention it can place on processor resources. The proposed scheme is built on top of a previously proposed state-of-the-art modulo scheduling algorithm that effectively reduces communications. Results show that the number of communications can decrease using replication, which results in significant speed-ups. IPC is increased by 25% on average for a 4-cluster microarchitecture and by as mush as 70% for selected programs.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A software-hardware hybrid steering mechanism for clustered microarchitectures

Clustered microarchitectures provide a promising paradigm to solve or alleviate the problems of increasing microprocessor complexity and wire delays. High- performance out-of-order processors rely on hardware-only steering mechanisms to achieve balanced workload distribution among clusters. However, the additional steering logic results in a significant increase on complexity, which actually decreases the benefits of the clustered design. In this paper, we address this complexity issue and present a novel software-hardware hybrid steering mechanism for out-of-order processors. The proposed software- hardware cooperative scheme makes use of the concept of virtual clusters. Instructions are distributed to virtual clusters at compile time using static properties of the program such as data dependences. Then, at runtime, virtual clusters are mapped into physical clusters by considering workload information. Experiments using SPEC CPU2000 benchmarks show that our hybrid approach can achieve almost the same performance as a state-of-the-art hardware-only steering scheme, while requiring low hardware complexity. In addition, the proposed mechanism outperforms state-of-the-art software-only steering mechanisms by 5% and 10% on average for 2-cluster and 4-cluster machines, respectively.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Remediation of crude oil contaminated soils by means of bitumen emulsions

Effective remediation of contaminated sites with oils, heavy metals and other chemical agents is one of the most important environmental problems all over the world. Contaminated soils by petroleum from different sites and origins, might contaminate groundwater aquifers and then be spread by rain. Many years and the requirement of remedial techniques may be needed to remediate them. However, previous experiences show the uselessness of these methods for the solution of all problems. As any case of soil contamination is different, specific studies with relevant factors at financial aspects, legal limits and waste and soil characteristics are needed. In this work, a study of the use of bitumen asphalt emulsion to remediate contaminated soils by crude oils is exposed. By means of the soil stabilization technology, using the contaminated soils as aggregates and the tailor made emulsion as binder, the feasibility of the mix application to produce stable and resistant pavements is demonstrate

La transcendencia de lo cotidiano: vínculos, chistes y subjetividad

This paper proposes a psycho-sociological approach to the configuration of human bonds. Bonds are discussed in its most latent, less obvious and explicit, in order to reveal those emotional and representational elements that tend to be expressed in a rather obvious. The empirical material of the research has been the set of jokes told in different “focus groups”, formed from social homogeneity criteria. We analyzed the associative chains developed in group dynamics. We find that the jokes being universal social phenomenon, the "dormant accounts" arising from the analysis of each discus-sion group, have shown significant differences between them, being expressive loop model of each social context. It also confirms the phenomenon of the joke as a valuable tool for social research.En este trabajo se propone una aproximación psico-sociológica a la configuración de vínculos humanos. Se analizan los vínculos en su vertiente más latente, menos obvia y explícita, con el fin de desvelar aquellos elementos emocionales y representacionales que tienden a expresarse de forma poco evidente. El material empírico de la investigación han sido el conjunto de chistes narrados en diferentes grupos de discusión, construidos a partir de criterios de homogeneidad social. Se han analizado las cadenas asociativas desarrolladas en las dinámicas de los grupos. Constatamos que siendo los chistes un fenómeno social universal, las “narraciones latentes” surgidas del análisis de cada grupo de discusión, han evidenciado notables diferencias entre sí, siendo expresivas de modelos de vínculo propios de cada contexto social. Asimismo, se confirma el fenómeno del chiste como un valioso instrumento al servicio de la investigación social

¿La inclusión laboral de las personas con discapacidad, una utopía?

El Informe del Banco Mundial (2009) señala que unos 1000 millones de habitantes, experimentan algún tipo de discapacidad.  En América Latina y el Caribe hay alrededor de 85 millones, siendo estas regiones las de mayor desigualdad en la distribución del ingreso mundial, por sufrir las consecuencias del bajo nivel de vida –pobreza y discapacidad. “La inclusión laboral de las personas con discapacidad, una Utopía”, es el resultado del trabajo de un equipo de profesionales del CEBE “Santo Toribio”, del distrito de Florencia de Mora, que persigue dar a conocer cómo algunos estudiantes con discapacidad, han ingresado al mercado laboral y forman parte de la PEA en igualdad de condiciones que los jóvenes llamados normales. El programa se realizó entre el 2010 y 2016, años en que Trujillo se convirtió en centro de atracción comercial por la presencia de hipermercados. La metodología usada fue la cuantitativa, en base al registro de matrícula de la institución escolar de origen de los jóvenes incluidos, los gráficos y estadísticas muestran un número reducido de jóvenes con discapacidad que han accedido al mercado laboral por derecho; la misma que viene incrementándose en estos años, confirmando que el programa es una realidad.inclusión; discapacidad; utopí

The Interaction between Urban and Rural Areas: An Updated Paradigmatic, Methodological and Bibliographic Review

The relationships and interactions between rural and urban spaces have long been of interest in the territorial sciences. However, the approaches taken to these questions have evolved in line with the changing characteristics of the two types of territories, reflecting new relationships and structures. From these premises, we update the concept of rural–urban interaction by means of an extensive bibliographic review, which, among other results, highlights: (1) the profound change that has taken place in recent years in rural–urban interaction through processes such as de-agrarianisation, the tertiarisation of the economy and improvements in transport and communication infrastructures; (2) the resulting obsolescence of earlier typologies and procedures focused on discrimination between rural and urban environments, rather than on the interaction between them; (3) the difficulty of establishing valid, widely applicable typologies, given the profound differences in terms of (a) the scale and content of the statistics available in each country and (b) the territorial background in terms of economic functions and the characteristics, ancient and modern, of human settlement; (4) the predominance of an urban-centric approach, to the detriment of more traditional rural functions, such as agriculture, the importance of which is diluted by its low relative weight in terms of employed population and contribution to GDP. Consideration of these findings leads us to propose a new approach to the question of rural–urban interaction, reflecting the multifunctionality of rural spaces, and we identify useful areas for future researchPartial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Mixed Ability Teaching and Learning:A didactic unit to narrow the gap between students with different levels of proficiency in the classroom

Este trabajo de fin de máster y la unidad que se propone son el resultado de la observación de un grupo de estudiantes en el colegio Escuelas Pías de Zaragoza, en el que había diferencias notables entre los estudiantes en relación a sus habilidades lingüísticas. Este trabajo plantea una unidad didáctica que toma como base diferentes teorías y estrategias planteadas para este tipo de clases con una variedad de niveles, y tiene como objetivo reducir las diferencias entre aquellos estudiantes con un nivel más alto, normal y más bajo, así como cubrir las necesidades individuales de los alumnos. Además, esta unidad también intenta integrar metodologías y enfoques actuales en relación a la materia de Inglés como lengua extranjera, como es el caso del método comunicativo.<br /

Effect of nursery ground variability on condition of age 0+ year Merluccius hubbsi

This study examined the southern or Patagonian (41°–55° S) stock of Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi, the more abundant of the two stocks on the Argentinean continental shelf. Pre-recruits (age 0+ year individuals) of this stock settle and grow in the San Jorge Gulf (45°–47° S, 65° 30′ W), a complex habitat with large spatial variability in environmental features. Relative condition factor, hepatosomatic index, lipid content and fatty-acid composition of muscle and liver, and diet information were combined with physical and biological data to evaluate: how nutritional status of age 0+ year hake varies spatially within the nursery ground; whether changes in condition are related to environmental factors and feeding; whether the indices are interchangeable metrics of condition. Both morphometric and biochemical indices showed dissimilar spatial trends; enhanced liver-based condition coincided with low salinity nutrient rich waters, higher chlorophyll-a values and abundances of Euphausia spp., the preferred prey at most stations, suggesting a bottom-up effect on age 0+ year hake condition. Diminished condition at stations where Thermisto gaudichaudii was the main prey could derive from lower prey quality in terms of energy density and essential fatty acids content. Coastal waters of the gulf would be essential habitats for M. hubbsi pre-recruits. Future monitoring of condition with liver-based indices is encouraged in the gulf, where interannual increasing trends of satellite-derived chlorophyll-a values have been observed, which could have implications for recruitment of the species.Fil: Temperoni, Brenda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Massa, Agueda Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Derisio, Carla María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Martos, Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Marinas; ArgentinaFil: Berghoff, Carla Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Viñas, Maria Delia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentin