ArborX: A Performance Portable Geometric Search Library

Searching for geometric objects that are close in space is a fundamental component of many applications. The performance of search algorithms comes to the forefront as the size of a problem increases both in terms of total object count as well as in the total number of search queries performed. Scientific applications requiring modern leadership-class supercomputers also pose an additional requirement of performance portability, i.e. being able to efficiently utilize a variety of hardware architectures. In this paper, we introduce a new open-source C++ search library, ArborX, which we have designed for modern supercomputing architectures. We examine scalable search algorithms with a focus on performance, including a highly efficient parallel bounding volume hierarchy implementation, and propose a flexible interface making it easy to integrate with existing applications. We demonstrate the performance portability of ArborX on multi-core CPUs and GPUs, and compare it to the state-of-the-art libraries such as Boost.Geometry.Index and nanoflann

The deal.II Library, Version 8.3

deal.II version 8.3 was released August 1, 2015. This paper provides an overview of the new features of this release and serves as a citable reference for the deal.II software library version 8.3. deal.II is an object-oriented finite element library used around the world in the development of finite element solvers. It is available for free under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) from the deal.II homepage at http://www.dealii.org/

The deal.II Library, Version 9.1

This paper provides an overview of the new features of the finite element library deal.II, version 9.1

Accelerating magnetic induction tomography‐based imaging through heterogeneous parallel computing

Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) is a non‐invasive imaging technique, which has applications in both industrial and clinical settings. In essence, it is capable of reconstructing the electromagnetic parameters of an object from measurements made on its surface. With the exploitation of parallelism, it is possible to achieve high quality inexpensive MIT images for biomedical applications on clinically relevant time scales. In this paper we investigate the performance of different parallel implementations of the forward eddy current problem, which is the main computational component of the inverse problem through which measured voltages are converted into images. We show that a heterogeneous parallel method that exploits multiple CPUs and GPUs can provide a high level of parallel scaling, leading to considerably improved runtimes. We also show how multiple GPUs can be used in conjunction with deal.II, a widely‐used open source finite element library

Interaction of consumer preferences and climate policies in the global transition to low-carbon vehicles

Burgeoning demands for mobility and private vehicle ownership undermine global efforts to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced vehicles powered by low-carbon sources of electricity or hydrogen offer an alternative to conventional fossil-fuelled technologies. Yet, despite ambitious pledges and investments by governments and automakers, it is by no means clear that these vehicles will ultimately reach mass-market consumers. Here, we develop state-of-the-art representations of consumer preferences in multiple, global energy- economy models, specifically focusing on the non-financial preferences of individuals. We employ these enhanced model formulations to analyse the potential for a low-carbon vehicle revolution up to mid-century. Our analysis shows that a diverse set of measures targeting vehicle buyers is necessary for driving widespread adoption of clean technologies. Carbon pricing alone is insufficient for bringing low-carbon vehicles to mass market, though it can certainly play a supporting role in ensuring a decarbonised energy supply

Breastfeeding and maternal cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes:A systematic review

There is growing evidence that breastfeeding has short- and long-term cardiovascular health benefits for mothers. The objectives of this systematic review were to examine the association between breastfeeding and maternal cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes that have not previously been synthesized systematically, including metabolic syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.This systematic review meets PRISMA guidelines. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases were systematically searched for relevant publications of any study design from the earliest publication date to March 2016. The reference lists from selected articles were reviewed, and forward and backward referencing were conducted. The methodological quality of reviewed articles was appraised using validated checklists. Twenty-one studies meeting the inclusion criteria examined the association between self-reported breastfeeding and one or more of the following outcomes: metabolic syndrome/metabolic risk factors (n = 10), inflammatory markers/adipokines (n = 2), hypertension (n = 7), subclinical cardiovascular disease (n = 2), prevalence/incidence of cardiovascular disease (n = 3) and cardiovascular disease mortality (n = 2). Overall, 19 studies (10 cross-sectional/retrospective, 9 prospective) reported significant protective effects of breastfeeding, nine studies (3 cross-sectional/retrospective, 5 prospective, 1 cluster randomized controlled trial) reported non-significant findings and none reported detrimental effects of breastfeeding. In most studies reporting significant associations, breastfeeding remained associated with both short- and long-term maternal cardiovascular health risk factors/outcomes, even after covariate adjustment. Findings from several studies suggested that the effects of breastfeeding may diminish with age and a dose-response association between breastfeeding and several metabolic risk factors. However, further longitudinal studies, including studies that measure exclusive breastfeeding, are needed to confirm these findings.The evidence from this review suggests that breastfeeding is associated with cardiovascular health benefits. However, results should be interpreted with caution as the evidence gathered for each individual outcome was limited by the small number of observational studies. Additional prospective studies are needed.CRD42016047766

The deal.II Library, Version 8.2

deal.II version 8.3 was released August 1, 2015. This paper provides an overview of the new features of this release and serves as a citable reference for the deal.II software library version 8.3. deal.II is an object-oriented finite element library used around the world in the development of finite element solvers. It is available for free under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) from the deal.II homepage at http://www.dealii.org/

The DEAL.II finite element library: Design, features, and insights

DEAL.II is a state-of-the-art finite element library focused on generality, dimension-independent programming, parallelism, and extensibility. Herein, we outline its primary design considerations and its sophisticated features such as distributed meshes, hp-adaptivity, support for complex geometries, and matrix-free algorithms. But DEAL.II is more than just a software library: It is also a diverse and worldwide community of developers and users, as well as an educational platform. We therefore also discuss some of the technical and social challenges and lessons learned in running a large community software project over the course of two decades

The deal.II library, Version 9.4

This paper provides an overview of the new features of the finite element library deal.II, version 9.4

The deal.II Library, Version 9.3

This paper provides an overview of the new features of the finite element library deal.II, version 9.3