Finding Sources of Synchronizationfree Slices in Perfectly Nested Loops

Algorithms, permitting us to find sources of synchronization-free slices of perfectly nested uniform and non-uniform loops, are presented. Sources extracted are to be used for creating synchronization-free-slices that can be executed independently preserving the lexicographic order of iterations in each slice. Our approach requires exact dependence analysis and based on operations on relations and sets. To describe and implement the algorithms, the dependence analysis by Pugh and Wonnacott was chosen where dependences are found in the form of tuple relations. The proposed algorithms have been implemented and verified by means of the Omega project software.Представлены алгоритмы, позволяющие находить несинхронизированные фрагменты, содержащие итерации полностью вложенных однородных и неоднородных циклов. Такие фрагменты могут выполняться независимо, сохраняя лексикографический порядок итераций в каждом фрагменте. Предложенный подход основан на операциях отношений и множеств и требует точного анализа зависимостей между операторами программы. Для описания и реализации алгоритмов выбран анализ зависимости по Пугу и Воннакоту, согласно которому зависимости отыскиваются в форме отношений кортежа. Описанные алгоритмы реализованы и верифицированы посредством программного пакета Omega project.Наведено алгоритми, що дозволяють знаходити несинхронізовані фрагменти, які вміщують ітерації повністю вкладених однорідних і неоднорідних циклів. Такі фрагменти можуть виконуватись незалежно, зберігаючи лексикографічний порядок ітерацій у кожному фрагменті. Запропонований підхід базується на операціях відношень та множин і потребує точного аналізу залежності між операторами програми. Для опису та реалізації алгоритмів обрано аналіз залежності по Пугу і Воннакоту, згідно з яким залежності знаходять у формі відношень кортежу. Описані алгоритми реалізовано і верифіковано за допомогою програмного пакета Omega project

Extracting Synchronization-free Slices in Perfectly Nested Loops

An algorithm, permitting us to extract iterations belonging to synchronization-free slices and to generate code enumerating sources of such slices and iterations of each slice in lexicographical order is presented. Synchronization-free slices can be executed independently preserving the lexicographic order of iterations in each slice. Our approach requires exact dependence analysis and based on operations on relations and sets. To describe and implement the algorithms, the dependence analysis by Pugh and Wonnacott was chosen where dependences are found in the form of tuple relations. The proposed algorithms have been implemented and verified by means of the Omega project software. Presburger arithmetic limitations are discussed. Results of experiments are presented. Tasks for future research are outlined.Представлен алгоритм, позволяющий выделить итерации, принадлежащие несинхронизированным фрагментам, и генерировать программу, перечисляющую источники таких фрагментов и итераций в каждом фрагменте в лексикографическом порядке. Несинхронизированные фрагменты могут выполняться независимо, сохраняя лексикографический порядок итераций в каждом фрагменте. Данный подход требует точного анализа зависимости и основан на операциях с отношениями и множествами. Для описания и реализации алгоритмов, выбран анализ зависимости по Пугу и Воннакоту, в котором найдены зависимости в форме отношений кортежа. Предложенные алгоритмы реализованы и верифицированы посредством программного пакета Омега. Представлены результаты экспериментов.Наведено алгоритм, що дозволяє виділити ітерації, які належать несинхронізованим фрагментaм, і генерувати програму, яка перелічує джерела таких фрагментів та ітерацій у кожному фрагменті в лексикографічному порядку. Несинхронізовані фрагменти можуть виконуватися незалежно, зберігаючи лексикографічний порядок ітерацій у кожному фрагменті. Даний підхід потребує точного аналізу залежності і базується на операціях з відношенням та множинами. Для описування та реалізації алгоритмів обрано аналіз залежності за Пуго та Воннакотом, у якому знайдено залежності у формі відношень кортежа. Запропоновані алгоритми реалізовано і верифіковано за допомогою програмного пакета Омега. Наведено результати експериментів

One‑year survival of ambulatory patients with end‑stage heart failure : the analysis of prognostic factors

Introduction An increasing number of ambulatory patients are placed on orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) waiting lists, which results in an extended waiting time and a higher mortality rate. Objectives The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with reduced survival during a 1‑year follow‑up in patients with end‑stage heart failure listed for an OHT. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 221 adult patients, who were accepted for OHT in our institution over a 2‑year period between 2013 and 2014. Results The mean (SD) age of the patients was 54.7 (9.6) years, and 90.1% of them were male. The mortality rate during the follow‑up period was 43.3%. The modified Model for End‑Stage Liver Disease (modMELD) score (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; P <0.001), as well as the plasma levels of high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein (hs‑CRP; OR, 1.10; P <0.01), sodium (OR, 0.74; P <0.001), and uric acid (UA; OR, 1.003; P <0.05) were independent factors affecting death. The receiver‑operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that a modMELD cut‑off of 10 (area under the ROC curve [AUC], 0.868; P <0.001), hs‑CRP cut‑off of 5.6 mg/l (AUC, 0.674; P <0.001), plasma sodium level cut‑off of 135 mmol/l (AUC, 0.778; P <0.001), and a plasma UA cut‑off of 488 μmol/l (AUC, 0.634; P <0.001) were the most accurate factors affecting death. Conclusions In conclusion, although limited to a single center, our study demonstrated that an elevated modMELD score, incorporating a combination of renal and hepatic laboratory parameters, as well as plasma sodium, UA, and hs‑CRP levels at the time of listing are associated with reduced survival in ambulatory patients with end‑stage heart failure, accepted for OHT

Towards integration of research and monitoring at forest ecosystems in Europe

Aim of study: The main aim of the work was to summarize availability, quality and comparability of on-going European Research and Monitoring Networks (ERMN), based on the results of a COST FP0903 Action questionnaire carried out in September 2010 and May 2012. Area of study: The COST Action FP0903 involves 29 European countries and 4 non-COST institutions from USA, Morocco and Tunisia. In this study, the total of 22 replies to the questionnaire from 18 countries were included. Materials and methods: Based on the feedback from the Action FP0903 countries, the most popular European Networks were identified. Thereafter, the access to the network database, available quality assurance/quality control procedures and publication were described. Finally, the so-called “Supersites” concept, defined as a “highly instrumented research infrastructure, for both research and monitoring of soil-plant-atmosphere interactions” was discussed. Main results: The result of the survey indicate that the vast majority of the Action FP0903 countries participate in the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forest (ICP Forest). The multi-disciplinary International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICPIM) is the second most widespread forest programme. Research highlights: To fully understand biochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, long-term monitoring is needed. Hence, a network of “Supersites”, is proposed. The application of the above infrastructure can be an effective way to attain a better integration of research and monitoring networks at forest sites in Europ

The acquisition of Sign Language: The impact of phonetic complexity on phonology

Research into the effect of phonetic complexity on phonological acquisition has a long history in spoken languages. This paper considers the effect of phonetics on phonological development in a signed language. We report on an experiment in which nonword-repetition methodology was adapted so as to examine in a systematic way how phonetic complexity in two phonological parameters of signed languages — handshape and movement — affects the perception and articulation of signs. Ninety-one Deaf children aged 3–11 acquiring British Sign Language (BSL) and 46 hearing nonsigners aged 6–11 repeated a set of 40 nonsense signs. For Deaf children, repetition accuracy improved with age, correlated with wider BSL abilities, and was lowest for signs that were phonetically complex. Repetition accuracy was correlated with fine motor skills for the youngest children. Despite their lower repetition accuracy, the hearing group were similarly affected by phonetic complexity, suggesting that common visual and motoric factors are at play when processing linguistic information in the visuo-gestural modality

Genetic Algorithms as a Feature Selection Tool in Heart Failure Disease

A great wealth of information is hidden in clinical datasets, which could be analyzed to support decision-making processes or to better diagnose patients. Feature selection is one of the data pre-processing that selects a set of input features by removing unneeded or irrelevant features. Various algorithms have been used in healthcare to solve such problems involving complex medical data. This paper demonstrates how Genetic Algorithms offer a natural way to solve feature selection amongst data sets, where the fittest individual choice of variables is preserved over different generations. In this paper, a Genetic Algorithm is introduced as a feature selection method and shown to be effective in aiding understanding of such data

Molecular Characterization and Patient Outcome of Melanoma Nodal Metastases and an Unknown Primary Site

Background Melanoma of unknown primary site (MUP) is not a completely understood entity with nodal metastases as the most common first clinical manifestation. The aim of this multicentric study was to assess frequency and type of oncogenic BRAF/NRAS/KIT mutations in MUP with clinically detected nodal metastases in relation to clinicopathologic features and outcome. Materials and Methods We analyzed series of 103 MUP patients (period: 1992-2010) after therapeutic lymphadenectomy (LND): 40 axillary, 47 groin, 16 cervical, none treated with BRAF inhibitors. We performed molecular characterization of BRAF/NRAS/KIT mutational status in nodal metastases using direct sequencing of respective coding sequences. Median follow-up time was 53 months. Results BRAF mutations were detected in 55 cases (53 %) (51 V600E, 93 %; 4 others, 7 %), and mutually exclusive NRAS mutations were found in 14 cases (14 %) (7 p.Q61R, 4 p.Q61K, 2 p.Q61H, 1 p.Q13R). We have not detected any mutations in KIT. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 34 %; median was 24 months. We have not found significant correlation between mutational status (BRAF/NRAS) and OS; however, for BRAF or NRAS mutated melanomas we observed significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) when compared with wild-type melanoma patients (p = .04; 5-year DFS, 18 vs 19 vs 31 %, respectively). The most important factor influencing OS was number of metastatic lymph nodes >1 (p = .03). Conclusions Our large study on molecular characterization of MUP with nodal metastases showed that MUPs had molecular features similar to sporadic non-chronic-sun-damaged melanomas. BRAF/NRAS mutational status had negative impact on DFS in this group of patients. These observations might have potential implication for molecular-targeted therapy in MUPs