Step Optimal Implementations of Large Single-Writer Registers

We present two wait-free algorithms for simulating an l-bit single-writer register from k-bit single-writer registers, for any k >= 1. Our first algorithm has big-theta(l/k) step complexity for both Read and Write and uses big-theta (4^(l-k)) registers. An interesting feature of the algorithm is that Read operations do not write to shared variables. Our second algorithm has big-theta (l/k + (log n)/k) step complexity for both Read and Write, where n is the number of readers, but uses only big-theta (nl/k + n(log n)/k) registers. Combining both algorithms gives an implementation with big-theta (l/k) step complexity using big-theta (nl/k) space for any 1 <= k < l. We also prove that any implementation with big-O (l/k) step complexity for Read requires big-omega (l/k) step complexity for Write. Since reading l-bits requires at least ceiling(l/k) reads of k-bit registers, our lower bound shows that our implementation is step optimal

LL/SC and Atomic Copy: Constant Time, Space Efficient Implementations Using Only Pointer-Width CAS

When designing concurrent algorithms, Load-Link/Store-Conditional (LL/SC) is often the ideal primitive to have because unlike Compare and Swap (CAS), LL/SC is immune to the ABA problem. However, the full semantics of LL/SC are not supported by any modern machine, so there has been a significant amount of work on simulations of LL/SC using Compare and Swap (CAS), a synchronization primitive that enjoys widespread hardware support. All of the algorithms so far that are constant time either use unbounded sequence numbers (and thus base objects of unbounded size), or require $\Omega(MP)$ space for $M$ LL/SC object (where $P$ is the number of processes). We present a constant time implementation of $M$ LL/SC objects using $\Theta(M+kP^2)$ space, where $k$ is the maximum number of overlapping LL/SC operations per process (usually a constant), and requiring only pointer-sized CAS objects. Our implementation can also be used to implement $L$-word $LL/SC$ objects in $\Theta(L)$ time (for both $LL$ and $SC$) and $\Theta((M+kP^2)L)$ space. To achieve these bounds, we begin by implementing a new primitive called Single-Writer Copy which takes a pointer to a word sized memory location and atomically copies its contents into another object. The restriction is that only one process is allowed to write/copy into the destination object at a time. We believe this primitive will be very useful in designing other concurrent algorithms as well

Short Proofs Are Hard to Find

We obtain a streamlined proof of an important result by Alekhnovich and Razborov [Michael Alekhnovich and Alexander A. Razborov, 2008], showing that it is hard to automatize both tree-like and general Resolution. Under a different assumption than [Michael Alekhnovich and Alexander A. Razborov, 2008], our simplified proof gives improved bounds: we show under ETH that these proof systems are not automatizable in time n^f(n), whenever f(n) = o(log^{1/7 - epsilon} log n) for any epsilon > 0. Previously non-automatizability was only known for f(n) = O(1). Our proof also extends fairly straightforwardly to prove similar hardness results for PCR and Res(r)

Brief Announcement: Survey of Persistent Memory Correctness Conditions

In this brief paper, we survey existing correctness definitions for concurrent persistent programs

The Effect of Race/Ethnicity on the Age of Colon Cancer Diagnosis

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Notably, racial/ethnic disparities exist in both incidence and mortality. PURPOSE: The aim of this case study was to investigate the impact of race/ethnicity on age at diagnosis of colorectal cancer in a defined population in Suffolk County, NY. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected on race/ethnicity, health insurance status, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, gender, smoking status, alcohol intake, tumor location, and body mass index for colorectal cancer patients with medical records in the Stony Brook University Medical Center database (2005-2011). Population-based data on Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry of New York State for an overlapping time period. Permutation-based ANCOVA and logistic regression with stepwise variable selection were conducted to identify covariates and first-order interactions associated with younger age at diagnosis and cancer stage as a dependent categorical variable. RESULTS: Of 328 colorectal cancer patients, Hispanics were diagnosed at a median younger age of 57y vs. 67y than non-Hispanic Whites (FDR = 0.001). Twenty-six percent of Hispanics were diagnosed with colorectal cancer prior to the recommended age (50y) for colorectal cancer surveillance compared to 11% of non-Hispanic Whites (FDR =0.007). Analysis of New York State registry data corroborated our findings that Hispanic colorectal cancer patients were diagnosed at a median younger age than non-Hispanic Whites. Permutation-based ANCOVA identified race/ethnicity and health insurance as significantly associated with age of diagnosis (P=0.001). Logistic regression selected (younger) age at diagnosis as being significantly associated with stage IV disease. The limitations of the case study reside in the use of self-reporting of race and ethnicity and in the small sample sizes. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanics may be at higher risk for colorectal cancer (y) and younger age at diagnosis is associated with advanced disease

Sensing as a Service in 6G Perceptive Networks: A Unified Framework for ISAC Resource Allocation

In the upcoming next-generation (5G-Advanced and 6G) wireless networks, sensing as a service will play a more important role than ever before. Recently, the concept of perceptive network is proposed as a paradigm shift that provides sensing and communication (S&C) services simultaneously. This type of technology is typically referred to as Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC). In this paper, we propose the concept of sensing quality of service (QoS) in terms of diverse applications. Specifically, the probability of detection, the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for parameter estimation and the posterior CRB for moving target indication are employed to measure the sensing QoS for detection, localization, and tracking, respectively. Then, we establish a unified framework for ISAC resource allocation, where the fairness and the comprehensiveness optimization criteria are considered for the aforementioned sensing services. The proposed schemes can flexibly allocate the limited power and bandwidth resources according to both S&C QoSs. Finally, we study the performance trade-off between S&C services in different resource allocation schemes by numerical simulations