Compiler Assisted Cache Prefetch Using Procedure Call Hierarchy

Microprocessor performance has been increasing at an exponential rate while memory system performance improved at a linear rate. This widening difference in performances is increasingly rendering advances in computer architecture less useful as more instructions spend more time waiting for data to be fetched from the memory after a cache miss. Data prefetching is a technique that avoids some cache misses by bringing data into the cache before it is actually needed. Different approaches to data prefetching have been developed, however existing prefetch schemes do not eliminate all cache misses and even with smaller cache miss ratio, miss latency remains an important performance limiter. In this thesis, we propose a technique called Compiler Assisted Cache Prefetch Using Procedure Call Hierarchy (CAPPH). It is a hardware-software prefetch technique that uses a compiler to provide information pertaining to data structure layout, data-flow and procedure-call hierarchy of the program to a mechanism that prefetches linked data structures (LDS). It can prefetch data for procedures even before they are called by using this statically generated information. It is also capable of issuing prefetches for recursive functions that access LDS and arbitrary access sequences which are otherwise difficult to prefetch. The scheme is simulated using RSIML, a SPARC v8 simulator. Benchmarks em3d, health and mst from the Olden suite were used. The scheme was compared with an otherwise identical system with no prefetch and one using sequential prefetch. Simulations were performed to measure CAPPH performance and the decrease in the miss ratio of loads accessing LDS. Statistics of individual loads were collected, and accuracy, coverage and timeliness were measured against varying cache size and latency. Results from individual loads accessing linked data structures show considerable decrease in their miss ratios and average access times. CAPPH is found to be more accurate than sequential prefetch. The coverage and timeliness are lower in CAPPH than in sequential prefetch. We suggest heuristics to further enhance the effectiveness of the prefetch technique

Multiple sclerosis, a treatable disease

This article reviews our current understanding and modern treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a disabling condition resulting in devastating social and economic impacts. As MS can affect any part of the central nervous system, the presentation is often diverse; however, there are key features that can be useful in the clinic. We comment on the diagnostic criteria and review the main subtypes of MS, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing remitting MS, secondary progressive MS and primary progressive MS. Although the underlying aetiology of MS is still not known, we summarise those with most evidence of association. Finally, we aim to present treatment strategies for managing the acute relapse, disease-modifying therapies and MS symptoms. This review highlights that progressive MS is an area where there is currently a paucity of available disease-modifying treatments and this will be a major focus for future development

Impact of Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan Star Ratings on Enrollment Before and After Implementation of Quality-Related Bonus Payments in 2012

The five-star quality rating of Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans had no direct impact on same-year enrollment. But after the introduction of a bonus payment for highly-rated plans, which had to be invested in additional benefits and /or reducing premiums, subsequent year enrollment in these plans increased

How Catastrophic Innovation Failure Affects Organizational and Industry Legitimacy: The 2014 Virgin Galactic Test Flight Crash

We examine how catastrophic innovation failure affects organizational and industry legitimacy in nascent sectors by analyzing the interactions between Virgin Galactic and stakeholders in the space community in the aftermath of the firm’s 2014 test flight crash. Following catastrophic innovation failure, we find that industry participants use their interpretations of the failure to either uphold or challenge the legitimacy of the firm while maintaining the legitimacy of the industry. These dynamics yield two interesting effects. First, we show that, in upholding the legitimacy of the industry, different industry participants rhetorically redraw the boundaries of the industry to selectively include players they consider legitimate and exclude those they view as illegitimate: detracting stakeholders constrain the boundaries of the industry by excluding the firm or excluding the firm and its segment, whereas the firm and supporting stakeholders amplify the boundaries of the industry by including firms in adjacent high-legitimacy sectors. Second, we show that, in assessing organizational legitimacy, the firm and its stakeholders differ in the way they approach distinctiveness between the identities of the industry and the firm. Detracting stakeholders differentiate the firm from the rest of the industry and isolate it, whereas the firm and supporting stakeholders reidentify the firm with the industry, embedding the firm within it. Overall, our findings illuminate the effects that catastrophic innovation failure has over high-order dynamics that affect the evolution of nascent industries

Paediatric hereditary coproporphyria: a diagnostic challenge

Hereditary coproporphyria (HCP) is a hepatic porphyria, presenting with acute attacks of neurovisceral symptoms. We present a case of a young girl presenting with abdominal pain and vomiting episodes starting with menses. She also had severe hyponatremia and seizures. Laboratory investigations including urine and fecal protoporphyrin were negative, 10% dextrose solution and sodium level correction with supportive treatment was given. With this treatment her condition significantly improved but she presented again after a month with similar complaints at the time of her menses. Genetic testing was done and diagnosis of HCP was made. It can be concluded that considering Porphyrias in the differential diagnosis for repeat episodes of unexplained abdominal pain can help initiate early treatment and prevent complications

Sex determination from adult human humerus by discriminant function analysis

Background: Sex determination of unidentified skeletal remains from crime scenes or excavation sites is an important component in the development of the biological profile in forensics, anthropology and bioarchaeology. The purpose of this research is to determine whether sexing of unknown adult human humerus bones can be done by applying values of morphometric parameters and formulae generated by present study on adult human humerus bones of known sex and to find out the best parameters for sex determination.Methods: Various metric measurements were recorded using osteo metric board, measuring tape, non-elastic thread, sliding calipers and Vernier calipers on adult human humerus bones.Results: Sex was correctly estimated by using stepwise discriminant function analysis, for the clavicle 100% of males and 95% of females, with a total accuracy of 98.1%. Direct discriminant function analysis, correct estimated sex for the clavicle was 100% in males and 95% in females with a total accuracy of 98.1%.Conclusions: Present study exhibited better classification accuracy for multiple variables than those of single variables, the most discriminating variables in stepwise analysis are the weight, total length, transverse diameter of head, circumference of midshaft, trochlear width, capitulum width. In direct analysis, the single most useful variable was the transverse diameter of head

Unmasking Rosai-Dorfman disease in a woman with cervical lymphadenopathy: a histopathological insight

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) also called as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is a rare benign proliferative self‐limiting disease of the macrophage‐histiocyte cell family. Its etiology is unknown and presents with massive lymphadenopathy. We hereby present a case of a female presenting with massive cervical lymphadenopathy, evening rise in temperature and weight loss. It was initially misdiagnosed as tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy as it is the most common cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in India due to high prevalence of tuberculosis. It was treated with anti-tuberculous drugs, but did not resolve. Eventually neck biopsy was done which showed characteristic histopathologic features including emperipolesis and S100 positivity on immunohistochemistry. The patient was managed conservatively with observation and symptomatic management. Patient underwent spontaneous remission in a few months. The absence of any specific clinical features caused diagnostic difficulty, delaying the diagnosis. This report highlights the importance of considering RDD in the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy, particularly in tuberculosis-endemic regions