Analysis Shaped Dielectric Lens Antennas using Hybrid method

In this paper hybrid method of analysis of shaped dielectric lens with microstrip patch array is presented. Hybrid method combines the advantage of spherical modal expansion (SME) and geometrical optics (GO). First, SME is used to find the near fields using known far field expressions for the primary source. After obtaining spherical complex modal coefficients (SMCC), each mode is treated as a plane wave radiating through a shaped dielectric lens and analysed using GO. The far field at any point on a spherical surface surrounding the lens is the sum of individual modal contributions, which are then easily transformed to far field using a SME. This hybrid method is independent of lens geometry and computationally faster compared to any electromagnetic simulation software. As expected the prediction accuracy is between that of an exact SME technique and an EM flow solver. Results have been presented for an array with spherical lens

Beyond Reuse Distance Analysis: Dynamic Analysis for Characterization of Data Locality Potential

Emerging computer architectures will feature drastically decreased flops/byte (ratio of peak processing rate to memory bandwidth) as highlighted by recent studies on Exascale architectural trends. Further, flops are getting cheaper while the energy cost of data movement is increasingly dominant. The understanding and characterization of data locality properties of computations is critical in order to guide efforts to enhance data locality. Reuse distance analysis of memory address traces is a valuable tool to perform data locality characterization of programs. A single reuse distance analysis can be used to estimate the number of cache misses in a fully associative LRU cache of any size, thereby providing estimates on the minimum bandwidth requirements at different levels of the memory hierarchy to avoid being bandwidth bound. However, such an analysis only holds for the particular execution order that produced the trace. It cannot estimate potential improvement in data locality through dependence preserving transformations that change the execution schedule of the operations in the computation. In this article, we develop a novel dynamic analysis approach to characterize the inherent locality properties of a computation and thereby assess the potential for data locality enhancement via dependence preserving transformations. The execution trace of a code is analyzed to extract a computational directed acyclic graph (CDAG) of the data dependences. The CDAG is then partitioned into convex subsets, and the convex partitioning is used to reorder the operations in the execution trace to enhance data locality. The approach enables us to go beyond reuse distance analysis of a single specific order of execution of the operations of a computation in characterization of its data locality properties. It can serve a valuable role in identifying promising code regions for manual transformation, as well as assessing the effectiveness of compiler transformations for data locality enhancement. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach using a number of benchmarks, including case studies where the potential shown by the analysis is exploited to achieve lower data movement costs and better performance.Comment: Transaction on Architecture and Code Optimization (2014

Beyond Reuse Distance Analysis: Dynamic Analysis for Characterization of Data Locality Potential

International audienceEmerging computer architectures will feature drastically decreased flops/byte (ratio of peak processing rate to memory bandwidth) as highlighted by recent studies on Exascale architectural trends. Further, flops are getting cheaper while the energy cost of data movement is increasingly dominant. The understanding and characterization of data locality properties of computations is critical in order to guide efforts to enhance data locality. Reuse distance analysis of memory address traces is a valuable tool to perform data locality characterization of programs. A single reuse distance analysis can be used to estimate the number of cache misses in a fully associative LRU cache of any size, thereby providing estimates on the minimum bandwidth requirements at different levels of the memory hierarchy to avoid being bandwidth bound. However, such an analysis only holds for the particular execution order that produced the trace. It cannot estimate potential improvement in data locality through dependence preserving transformations that change the execution schedule of the operations in the computation. In this article, we develop a novel dynamic analysis approach to characterize the inherent locality properties of a computation and thereby assess the potential for data locality enhancement via dependence preserving transformations. The execution trace of a code is analyzed to extract a computational directed acyclic graph (CDAG) of the data dependences. The CDAG is then partitioned into convex subsets, and the convex partitioning is used to reorder the operations in the execution trace to enhance data locality. The approach enables us to go beyond reuse distance analysis of a single specific order of execution of the operations of a computation in characterization of its data locality properties. It can serve a valuable role in identifying promising code regions for manual transformation, as well as assessing the effectiveness of compiler transformations for data locality enhancement. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach using a number of benchmarks, including case studies where the potential shown by the analysis is exploited to achieve lower data movement costs and better performance

AN5D: Automated Stencil Framework for High-Degree Temporal Blocking on GPUs

Stencil computation is one of the most widely-used compute patterns in high performance computing applications. Spatial and temporal blocking have been proposed to overcome the memory-bound nature of this type of computation by moving memory pressure from external memory to on-chip memory on GPUs. However, correctly implementing those optimizations while considering the complexity of the architecture and memory hierarchy of GPUs to achieve high performance is difficult. We propose AN5D, an automated stencil framework which is capable of automatically transforming and optimizing stencil patterns in a given C source code, and generating corresponding CUDA code. Parameter tuning in our framework is guided by our performance model. Our novel optimization strategy reduces shared memory and register pressure in comparison to existing implementations, allowing performance scaling up to a temporal blocking degree of 10. We achieve the highest performance reported so far for all evaluated stencil benchmarks on the state-of-the-art Tesla V100 GPU

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Analysis of noise and load effects on broadband performance over residential power lines employing VDSL2

Broadband over power lines has received attention with a view to distribute it inside a residence. Power lines are different in topology and load impedances compared to universal twisted pair copper used in telephony. We examine the rates achieved over a typical home power line by reusing the Transmit Power spectral density (PSD) as in VDSL2. The power line has a thicker gauge and shorter straight lengths, apart from a large number of bridge taps (BT) with inductive load terminations. ABCD parameters of the individual sections are used to analyze the power line channel of upto 10 bridge taps over a 600 meter length. Tone loading profiles have been obtained using Discrete Multitone Transmission (DMT) as in VDSL2 over a bandwidth of 30 MHz. The noise profiles considered include impulse noise which is predominant over power line sections, apart from AWGN. This analysis points to the fact that lower Transmit PSD would suffice to match the rates achievable by traditional VDSL2 when bridge taps are open. However with inductive loads in the BTs as is typical in residences, we recommend a two step approach of equipping existing VDSL2 modem front end hybrids with settable impedances that would approach a conjugate match of the loaded line along with a capability to nominally increase the Transmit PSD to achieve the desired rates in a seamless manner as in VDSL2. © 2011 IEEE

Evaluation of some objective parameters for Ushna and Sheeta Gunas based on pharmacological study

In the formation of a principle, the experimental study plays a pivotal role. After repeated experiments under the same conditions, if one finds the same results, then a principle is formed. Ayurvedic principles which were formulated on the basis of keen observations and through special senses need to be reassessed through contemporary scientific tools. The principles of Ushna (hot) and Sheeta (cold) Gunas (properties) need to be assessed and evaluated through various animal experiments so as to suggest parameters which can be suitable for the evolution of these Gunas. The present study is an attempt to find out the possibility of employing simple experimental parameters to assess these Gunas in selected drug substances and the data generated through this study were analyzed. The obtained results are encouraging to develop the same. All details are presented in this paper

Synthesis, characterization, and biological study of phenylalanine amide derivatives

In the present study, a series of amide derivatives of 4-nitro-l-phenylalanine were synthesized with good yield from 4-nitro-l-phenylalanine and substituted anilines using propylphosphonic anhydride (T3P®) as coupling reagent and were characterized through the IR, LC–MS, 1H and 13C NMR spectral studies. The isolated products were screened for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Some of the compounds showed Microsporum gypsuem activity or were active against Candida albicans, also a few of compounds showed antibacterial activities. The resultant compounds screened for anti-oxidant activity, which showed good activity for DPPH scavenging and ABTS assay methods and others had moderately activity. Some amide compounds act as metal chelating ligands with Fe2+ ions

Fundamental approach in the management of Drava Bahula Amlapitta with Bhringaraja (Eclipta alba)

The disease Amlapitta has been selected for the clinical trials because it presents two type of manifestations depending upon the involvement of Agni (Ushnagunadhikya) and Jala (Dravagunadhikya) Mahabhuta. The present research work was focused at Drava Guna, with an aim to assess the efficacy of a drug with quality of Ruksha and Ushna predominance like Bhringaraja in treating Amlapitta with Pitta Drava Guna Vriddhi. Randomized open clinical trials were conducted on 22 patients of Amlapitta who were screened on the basis of clinical findings and allocated in to two groups. The criteria for selection were the signs and symptoms of Dravagunadhikya Amlapitta, irrespective of sex, religion, etc. Group A consisting of 15 cases received the trial drug Bhringaraja tablet (4 Tab. two times, 1 tablet=500 mg) and 7 cases in Group B received rice powder tablet as a placebo (4 Tab. two times, 1 tablet=500 mg) for 4 weeks. Special scoring pattern was adopted for the assessment of Amlapitta. Routine pathological tests such as blood, urine, stool, etc. were also carried out. In Group A, 55.33% patients showed marked improvement, whereas moderate improvement was observed in 26.67% patients. Complete cure was found in 06.67% of the patients and mild improvement in the chief complaints was observed in 13.33% patients. All the selected symptoms showed statistically significant results (P<0.01) except the Vidbheda in treated Group A, while in Group B, all symptoms showed statistically insignificant results except the Utklesha and Amlodgara. Total effect of the therapy showed statistically significant effect of the test drug. These results support the hypothesi